I (we Andrew and I)
started this blog a year ago. We was going to blog about what God was doing in
Montana, but we felt it was better to do a newsletter since he already had to
do one for work, and we had a few churches back in Kentucky that support us
that we would like to reach out to everyone and not just the ones that have
access to the internet. So this blog sat idle for that time. Here recently I
felt that I would like to write more. I keep a blog for the girls, since the
beginning of our adoption, but I feel like that one is more geared towards
them. This one is going to be geared more towards my faith in Christ; I plan to
include what I am reading, and what God has spoken to me through it, I also
plan to include any other tidbits I come across that pertain to my faith. My
number one goal in my life is to learn more about Christ every day, and I want
to share it with y’all.
In the past couple of
weeks, I have had on my mind that I haven’t been doing everything that I am
supposed to be doing for the Lord. I feel like I have been just going through
the motions of everyday life. Yes I read my Bible, Yes I do my Bible Study, yes
I talk with the ladies at work about the Lord, but have I been doing everything
I am supposed to be doing? Am I doing what God has called me to do, or am I
just doing what I know I am supposed to be doing? Does that question make
sense? Ok, if not let me explain… I grew up in the south where knowing Jesus is
the “norm” but actually having a relationship with Jesus is not the norm. We go
to church every Sunday, every Wednesday, and really any other time the doors
are open, especially if there is food, and we go through the motions, hug a few
people, and tell a few people we will pray for them (but do we actually do it
hmm) Then I move to Montana where saying the name of Jesus is like telling
someone about a faraway country that no one has ever heard of. This shocked me!
But what was more shocking was that I haven’t been doing what I was supposed to
be doing either. Matthew 28:19 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit.” In my nearly 20 years of being a follower of Christ I have never
made a disciple. I have never mentored any other women. I have taught women’s
Bible study, but I have never sat down one on one with another woman and
mentored her. This was another command that as a woman in the church God was
calling me to that I was disobeying. Titus 2:3-5 says 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be
reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted too much
wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands
and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at
home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will
malign the word of God. I started praying to God, and seeking
direction, and how in the world I was going to do this. I barely knew anyone I
had only been in Montana a few months. Well, when you ask God a question that
he already knows the answer to because he is calling you to do it, he sends the
answer. I started a job, as a teacher, at a preschool. I work with some great
gals, but one of them just tugged at my heart. I invited her to church, but if
you hear her tell this story she says I told her she was going to church with
me but I’m not that pushy ;) but that is neither a here or there she started
coming to church with me. She has been a Christian for about 3 years at this
time, but hadn’t really pursued her relationship with Christ. One day we were
talking and we was on the subject of wanting to learn more about Christ and
grow in our relationship, and she asked me to Mentor her. I reluctantly said
yes. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I feel like Moses, not eloquent
in speech, not “educated” enough. Then of course I started doubting once I told
her yes, and even thought about “turning” her over to someone else, someone who
knew the Bible front to back, and someone who could help her learn far better
than I could. God just wouldn’t let me do that. So we started to meet, what’s
really awesome is that every Thursday, she comes home with me from work, sits
at my counter while I cook dinner, eats dinner with us as a family, and
sometimes has to wait while I give the girls a bath or after they go to bed,
but she has never once complained. We leave as soon as my girls are in bed and
head to Starbucks. We try to get the same spot every week, but sometimes we
have to sit somewhere else. All the baristas there know us BY NAME and some
even by drink (for me anyways I don’t like much change ;) and they know why we
are there. We have had a couple people stop and ask us what we are doing, we’ve
had a couple people pretend to not be listening to us, and we’ve had some
people join in on our conversation. Through this God has taught me that he can
even use me. Please don’t think I am being prideful because let me tell you
everything comes from Him. Nothing comes from me; I still have to text Andrew
and ask him questions that she has asked me that I don’t have the answer to.
God is an awesome God, and he can use anyone to get his message out there. I
pray that I never forget to give him credit for what he has done in my life.
Without Him I am nothing!
I have 2 more ladies
that I sit down with now. Do I think I am capable of doing this absolutely not
but God is capable of doing anything. I still have days where I feel like I am
not good enough, but God reminds me that HE is good enough, and that I don’t have
to be good enough, I just have to be willing.
I am clinging to 2
Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us
a spirit of fearfulness, but
one of power, love, and sound judgment. So
whatever you do, do it for the glory of the Lord and let him empower you to do
it.
