Hey, Siestas! Thank you for such an outpouring of support in my blog break. God has already caused it to bear fruit the way I’d hoped. He’s so faithful. I miss you so much and think of you daily. I hope to see some of you Houston area girls at Bible study tonight. I’m so blessed to serve tonight with my friend, Christy Nockels. OK, here’s today’s TOPIC for Talk To Me Tuesday.
Talk to me about a time in your own life when God called you to an area of obedience that was particularly difficult but ultimately (and surprisingly) led to joy. Limit your story to one meaty paragraph so we can read as many as possible. Let’s hear it! I surely do love you girls.
Ending a relationship is very difficult, but I have learned dependence on God alone. He has blessed my obedience in this area and it is a joy to share with my teenage daughter (and her friends) what He has taught me through those experiences. Hopefully, she will not make the same mistakes!
For so long, I have wanted to work for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. When the Lord called me to work for SP in Haiti, I was so hurt and confused. Especially, when 3 positions became opened in Charlotte the week before I signed my contract. Well, OCC has come to Haiti! In God’s amazing grace and mercy, I have been able to be a part of 2 OCC distributions so far with the opportunity to experience more as they continue to come to Haiti. Haiti is so hard! But, I continue to remind myself second by second of the amazing opportunities that the Lord has blessed my with by being obedient to Him in Haiti.
Obedience is something I always turned my back on, both as a child and as an adult. Seeing how disobedience led me astray and landed me in the pits of hell, I began to seek Him when I was willing to admit that I could no longer do this thing called “living” on my own. I was laying on the jails “holding cell floor” when a wee small voice told me it was time to meditate and ask Him for His guidance. My eyes, heart and soul began to accept the willingness to look to Him for knowledge of His will in my life. I then began to hear His direction and began to acknowledge that He had plans for me to prosper and grow.
Today I find great joy in living life, loving life and accepting ME for who I am with God at the center of ME! I am blessed today to be a vessel of His love and grace and have the opportunity to give Him all praise and glory, as I am honored to work with other women that have faced some of the same temptations that I too have faced. With Him at the center of who I am… I find joy in being his daughter and being your sister in Christ.
I started a new job at church and God said that I could buy a car to get to and from work and related ministries. I had no idea at the time how I would even make it through the month of September on what I had left in the bank. At a worship service, I felt the nudge to throw into the offering the last 10 that I had in my wallet. He’d provide.
The following week, I received a bonus paycheque that I wasn’t expecting, which covered the downpayment. I named it Janneke, which means “Gift of God”.
And that’s just one of the many blessings that continuously blow my mind…I’m not worthy! But He’s so GOOD!!
Soon to be 12 years ago in May, I was feeling in a rut. I was teaching, coaching, and enjoying the single life, maybe a little too much. My college friends weren’t the greatest influence, and I found myself “out” too much and engaging in less than Godly behaviors, while I kept my church and that family at arms length.
God used a neat lady that I knew very slightly to make me aware of a job in a much smaller town 140 miles from where I was living. I asked God to show me very specifically if I was to move as I drove to Miles City to check out the town and the church (my mom’s suggestion–she said if I could find a home in a church, I could find a home in any town…she’s a very wise woman). At church I ran into the sister of a man who is very dear to my family in my hometown and “happened” to sit down by a lady who was a teacher in the district. She offered to take me out to lunch and answered all my questions.It was hard to leave my friends and my rut, but almost twelve years later, I’m still here. Not teaching or coaching(a whole other obedience issue, but I’m not always at the “joy” part with that one) but married and a mommy to two steps and two of my own. I’m a rancher’s wife which is the fulfillment of a childhood dream.
As an aside, the funny part is that GQ magazine actually named the 1st town as one of the top 15 places to find eligible bachelors. It took moving OUT of that town to find the one God had for me!
God knows!
While my grandmother had cancer and everyday I watched cancer steal her life from her. As I went to God in prayer and studied scripture etc. God kept putting in front of me to put on the garment of praise. He was asking me to sing to worship him in the midst of this pain. He made it so clear that was what he was asking so I decided to make a choice to worship even when I didn’t feel like it.I cannot describe the peace and comfort it began to bring to me. Shortly after that I lost my grandfather unexpectely and it just was more than I thought I could take but what God had taught me about praise held me through both losses. It is something to this day although it seems so contrary to what I feel , if I am obedient to lift him up he carries me through.lifting him up in praise helps me to exalt him above all things and under his soverignty I feel loved, and safe in his care.
This one’s easy. It would have to be moving to Chicago from California so my husband could take a job there. At the time, our children were 6, 5, and 3. A stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, I left friends and a ministry that I loved to move where I didn’t know a soul, and I didn’t even have a vehicle during the day. It was a pretty lonely time. Then we moved to St. Louis 2 years later when he was offered a promotion and I had to start over yet again. It’s now been almost 14 years since that first move and I can definitely say that my Father truly has blessed as a result. I love the Midwest, have wonderful friends and church family, new areas of ministry and, Lord willing, would be happy to spend the rest of my days here.
I woke up early one Sunday morning about a month ago to my oldest daughter (age 7) having a grand mal seizure. No previous history of such. An invisible hit to my gut. Struggling most of my life with fear & anxiety but slowly overcoming them both with the memorization of scriptures, and some fierce Bible study (A Woman’s Heart & Breaking Free- back to back) I know God was preparing me for that morning. I normally wouldve handled such an awful experience with doubt and anger at God- a “where are You now” kinda attitude. I recognized the stranger’s voice immediately prompting me to doubt everything I had learned concerning my Creator and my sweet Savior. I immediately laid beside my child and prayed as she continued to seize, pleading “not this cup, please not this cup.” but then relinquishing my will, “not mine, but Yours” to Him. Ella Grace has since been diagnosed with epilepsy. Medication, thankfully, is controlling her seizures- God’s grace in action. My joy in being obedient to God through this storm is that I do believe-as I’ve experienced for myself- the POWER of Jesus when we call on Him. Never have I approached such a scary situation with a “not my will but Your’s attitude”- I tend to try to trouble shoot for God and work all things out for the goodness of Anna. Obediently laying it at His feet and acknowledging that He alone was going to have to fix this was what He wanted from me. In the end, cooperating with God feels good and it brings us closer to Him. I am so in love with my God and my Savior!
One month from today, we will close on the sale of the home where we’ve raised our two sons. Though we were faced with the choice of sale or forclosure, I felt God calling me to let it go, and He has been gracious to provide a buyer. With a closing date on the horizon I’m faced with the task of confronting memories at every turn, with the most daunting task of all being that of locking the door for the final time and turning in the key. This has been so much more than just a house where we’ve lived. I was a superficial, self-centered, immature Christian when I called out to God begging Him to teach me to pray. He heard my cry and answered me, and in my prayer place that doubles as a walk-in closet, by His Spirit, He continues to answer that plea. (I’ll pack that room last.)I’ve learned to know and love God through His Word in this house, having read Scripture out loud and prayed the Psalms over every square inch. I’ve learned that love starts at home and have learned to apply that truth in this home. In just 4 short weeks my husband and I will move in with my mother and her husband who is a quadraplegic. We are determined to be a blessing and a help to them. I would so appreciate your prayers for so many areas of concern – memories, downsizing, and physical stamina just to name a few. In the midst of this, I am working on a writing project and I don’t sense God’s permission to put it on hold. We walk by faith and not by sight. Thanks in advance for your prayers.
Hugs and blessings,
Patti Hayes
Wow, it has been a while since I last commented. Life has been so busy. I certainly did expect that with only the three of us at home. I thought with three of the kids gone it would be so much slower. Who knew it would still be so busy. I am so grateful to God for the business.
On too your question. Homeschooling. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done and yet there is joy there.
I hope your break continues to be a fruitful one.
This whole past year! God called me to break up with a guy I had been dating for 4 years, move, start a new ministry and currently a 40 day fast. It has been a HARD year of obedience. However, I am currently doing Priscilla Shirer’s, One in a Million bible study right now and it is perfectly answering my questions as to why and encouraging me in my wilderness journey. I see hope now…Praise Jesus! I am on the edge of my Promised Land and can’t wait! But until then, I savor the lessons, as He had to humble me to see if I would obey and then finally SEE Him. I am also marrying in March! 🙂 I taste hope today so this was perfect. Thank you! I so wish I could come tonight but it is my gpa’s funeral. But as this journey attests too…even in death, there is still beauty! Kill me that I may live, Lord! I pray for you and yours daily, Beth! Miss ya! 🙂
God has called me out of a lot of friendships that I have been very attached to for quite some time. They weren’t friendships with ungodly people or that even, from the outside, seemed like bad relationships, but I was too caught up in them to be paying attention to God. I dug my heels in and struggled for months with this conviction on my heart because I was scared of being “alone.” It was hard to come back to school knowing that some of the relationships here and some at home were severed for now because they weren’t building God’s kingdom. It took me a few weeks after moving back to school to really come to an acceptance of what God was saying.
Though Satan still tries to throw loneliness and doubt my way, God is doing great things and has specifically freed my time up so that I can focus on leading a new Bible study with a friend of mine and some freshman girls here at school, and also so I can begin doing a lot more volunteer work. He has blessed me even when I thought He was wrong. Goes to show that we don’t always have it right..He sees the bigger picture so why do I have such trouble trusting His judgment?!
The most difficult call for obedience for me has been the call to wait. Doesn’t matter for what. Marriage, sex, a child, a ministry, a healing, a word from God, or a pot of water to boil – waiting is not something I do well. Must be why God gives me so much practice at it.
The lesson I am learning though is that there is JOY to be found in the waiting! (“There are treasures out there.”) Heaps and heaps of it.
Here’s a specific example from my life:
During the beginning years of my struggle with infertility I joined a prayer group where I learned about intercession and prayer counseling. It was a MEATY time spiritually speaking where I grew in enormous spurts. I made some of the best friends who laughed and cried with me through all our fertility treatments and all the disappointments. If we had conceived right away, I wouldn’t have had the time/energy to participate in that prayer group and I would have lost out on so much. God made me wait. And the wait was worth it on levels I never could have predicted.
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.”
Last year, God gave me a gift idea for someone for this Christmas. It is not something that I particularly wanted to do (I really tried to talk Him out of it!), and all kinds of insecurities are bubbling up. I have it ready and I feel good about the quality of it and that I obeyed, but I am so anxious about the whole situation! I’m hoping and praying that joy will be a result!
Beth, I was asked by my last church (we moved cities)to speak at the mother/daughter tea. Public speaking is a nightmare for me, but I knew God wanted me to. I spoke on surviving hardships. I cannot tell you how sick I was in the night before speaking that next morning. Not sure if it was nerves, fear, the enemy? Shook like a leaf all night and sick to my stomach. But that next morning, God gave me strength … I enjoyed speaking to that precious group of women … looking straight into their sweet faces, and was high-fiving God afterwards! Love you!
We were househunting a few years ago, my husband and I, for our first home. We had offered on 3 homes and God spoke to my husband and told him not to make any more offers until we heard from Him further…basically that we had been moving ahead in our own wisdom and we needed to wait on His direction and timing. Well, the heat was on because our apartment lease was up and the time for us to be out was quickly approaching (it always seems as if God just is NOT in the hurry that we are!!! :). There are so many incredible details to the story but for space sake — the bottom line was that we waited on God and He provided a home far and above our dreams — one that was SO much better in every way than the 3 we had offered on ourselves. It required faith and patience because everything in us was screaming “DO SOMETHING” — but at just the right time He spoke and the house He provided has been a tremendous blessing to us and a constant reminder of His faithfulness!!! He is SO good!!!
Hi!! I am living a dificult moment right now. God has asked me to trust him in a difucult area to me. Because of my past It is to dificult to hava a friendship with a man. I am in one relationship of that kind with a very specuiial man, who I will love to have another kind of relation. But I need to start trusting men as friends first. I have seen because I have been obedient his support all these days.
Andre
Costa Rica
Around 25+ years ago the Lord put a certain young woman on my heart to witness to. She had left our church & gotten into drugs, alcohol, and premartial sex. I have always been a very serious & shy person who was actually afraid to be around people doing the things she was doing. But God so impressed upon me her need for HIM that I “did it afraid” (your phrase) Many times I would fight going to see her but knew I had to obey God’s prompting. I almost always cried when I talked to her because I so wanted to see her saved. She always told me God was not dealing with her heart….to not worry about her. But I did. About 15 years ago she finally got saved. She contacted me first thing and thanked me for all the times I’d come. Told me that it may have seemed like a small thing to me, but that it had been a huge thing in her life. About 6 weeks ago I got the news that she had died in her sleep. All I could think about was that I was SO glad I obeyed God and that I would someday see her again in heaven!
We did Session 6 of “The Inheritance” today. It spoke to me so deeply! Thank you!
Marilyn…in Mississippi
This may sound silly, but it was television. Several years ago, I felt STRONGLY to turn off the tv, cancel all the channels. (We still had tv sets and videos for the kids.) To eliminate even video watching from our week days and make it a special movie night with the kids on Friday/Sat night. It was hard at first…because every other Christian I knew seemed to have no issue with tv. I also was so out of touch with all the pop culture jokes or conversations about this show or that one. But I found, after a few months, it was such a blessing and the time was much better spent. When we moved, 4 years later, I (for some dumb reason…eh…savings on my internet bill) signed up for cable for 4 months. It took 4 months for me to be obedient AGAIN, and cancel the cable. Struggled and did it and don’t regret it. Just not having the exposure to all the junk on tv and the tempation to waste our time….(and the money we save can be better spent)…has been a blessing. Silly little one, I know.
That’s not silly at all!! I’ve done that before too, and I understand about feeling like you’re “out of it” (so to speak) when it comes to pop culture references.
However, I’ve slipped back into some old habits lately (too much tv) and your post reminded me that there are blessings to be gained from shutting of the tube.
Thanks for the reminder, Sandee! 🙂
Fifteen years ago I became involved with student ministry at my church. Our student ministry began asking me to lead a teen girls bible study. For 3 months I adamantly refused to do it, feeling I was not ‘wise, godly, smart’ enough. I finally agreed to pray about it. I argued with God repeatedly, reluntantly and finally agreed to give it a six month trial period. God sustained me with His provisions over these last 15yrs to minister and mentor teen girls. As the original girls have grown into women, wives, mothers, God has blessed all of us with a continuous relationship that brings great joy and glory to Him. It has been a tremendous priviledge, blessing and passion for me to be His servant in teen girls ministries.
Good afternoon from the state of Utah-from a small town near the center.
There have been many times that God has called me to obedience over my 22 years of life. But one that is most recent was that of changing my plans that I had and open my heart and life to what God was calling me to. That was to be open and transparent about my past struggles and not to hide them any more. For so long I hid my past and the trials I have been through. Therefore, it would creap back up in my life and keep me locked in that stronghold. Then God called me to obedience to leave it at His feet. It was the hardest thing because for years I had held onto it and it was a “comfort” to me or at least I thought. Then the day came and I answered the call to be obedient and ever since that day there has been GREAT joy in my life. I still am tempted at times but knowing that I have given it over to God it is NO longer my fight. I just have to be still and God will fight for me. He is my joy and I do not regret listening to Him.
God called me to be a teacher and I REALLY did not want to be. I said “Surely not God, you would never call me to teach.” So I changed my major from journalism to broadcasting (big change right!) thinking that I was being obedient enough to change at all. God again very clearly called me to be a teacher. I even knew specifically what area I was supposed to teach in (early Elementary). I again, changed my major to something else. This pattern continued until FINALLY (major number seven…that’s right, seven) I changed my major to Elementary and Early Childhood Education. I knew with the first class in this major that teaching is what I was created to do all along. God further confirmed this call on my life when after graduation I got a phone call while on a mission trip asking me to interview for a first grade position in my hometown…a job I had not yet even applied for as I was out of the state on a mission trip. When I explained my current location they offered to do the interview on the phone. So I interviewed on the phone while sitting on the beach admiring God’s beautiful creation. I was offered and accepted the job the next day. God for sure blessed something that I resisted for so long! Praise!
I am currently in the waiting process while believing God…and he’s graciously given me patience in this season. Me and my hubby tried to get pregnant for a few years but it ended with one miscarriage and a hysterectomy. I knew my husband wasn’t ready to talk adoption at that point, so I cried to Jesus, prayed, and believed. We have been on an adoption list now for one year and continue to wait. Although, I know that if I would have had my baby when I wanted it, I wouldn’t have realized my need for Christ. Through the awareness of that feeling of life or death need, I opened His Word for the first time in 2006 and have been in love with it since. Waiting is so very very very hard, but as ironic as it sounds, how can I understand what perseverance really means unless I am challenged (or tempted) to do the opposite? I can’t wait to hold my baby for the first time, but until then, I thank God for the sacrifice to take to His altar.
I have really enjoyed reading the other comments as well…thank you:)
Leann (Alabama)
I had to reply because I am in a situation right now where I feel like I am being called to be some type of teacher to my children. I am a christian, stay at home mommy with hardly any christians in my area. I do NOT want to home school, but if that is what God is calling me to do, I know he will equip me with what I need to do it. For now I am obedient by teaching my kids (3 and 18mos) scripture and bible stories (in a structured lesson plan)and I am trying to follow Proverbs 22:6.
God called me to obedience in the fall of 2008 when my church was doing BELIEVING GOD. A part of me really wanted to sign up, but another part of me not so much. I felt like the push me pull me character in Dr. Doolittle. I struggled for quite a while. It took me 30 years to carefully get things stuffed the way they were so they won’t keep bothering me. I had backed myself out of the church as far as I could go and still be apart. I began that study and God used it to change my whole outlook of who I am in Christ. I had a pretty rotten image of myself and my value. As a result of that one Bible Study, I just can’t get enough of Him! I have gone on with the scripture memory and service in ways and to degrees I never would have dreamed of. God has revealed himself to me over and over again. It is just amazing to me!
Right now I am dealing with two issues. My man did not get promoted to Colonel. So that has been a disappointing blow, but we now have to stretch out and truly trust God, not just lip service.
And there is a lady at the church who, I just can’t stand, and God is telling me to stop and to love her as He does. So I am in a major transformation. I admit I am not liking this one at all. If I don’t get it, as Joyce Meyer says, I’ll just go back around the same mountain until I do.
Beth, hope your time is going well! Hope to “see” ya at the Birmingham Deeper Still!!
Stephanie
Praying for you all as I read the comments!!
One particular time was when I was finishing up my Sophomore year in college. I loved going to school and was ecstatic about going to a Bible college, I did not know how it was to be paid for, but was so glad to be going. I had made alot of friends and loved my classes in Bible, but I felt God telling me that I would not be returning next year…not just because of finances, but because my Mammaw wasn’t doing well (health) and I knew I would need to be home. So, I didn’t not return. My Mammaw got very sick and went to be with Jesus. So I was home for her passing. I did not return to school but was “given” ;0) a job working with inner-city children at a rescue mission AND met my husband and got married. (This all happened over a few years, so the joy to the acts of obedience didn’t happen right away, but I can see now, how God had planned it and how my obedience to Him was able to help bring it all about ~ and there were a few more decisions of obedience to hard situations thrown in that time, too). God is so wonderful to ‘plan’ things out just because He loves us. I just am so thankful for Him and His love for His children!
Six years ago, while I was in college, the Lord called me to a time of fasting. So I committed to fast from food one day a week for a month. I wanted that time to be purposeful so I: 1) studied about fasting, 2) journaled in the morning, 3) journaled in the evening, 4) and searched ways to give. I ENJOY FOOD! So it was really hard…….at first. By the end of the month, I looked forward to my fasting days that led me into feasting on the Lord. I don’t know if this is related, but the next month my boyfriend proposed to me, and I said, “Yes!” I think that Lord used that time to prepare my heart for big things ahead, including marriage!
I felt God calling me to marry my husband and move away from all my family and friends and move to New Jersey. Which is worlds away from the Midwest. It was very hard at first but God has called me to start a Beth Moore study at my current church that had no women studies. The study brought out 40 women. How exciting!! He is starting to bring me some great friends. I won’t say that New Jersey has always been easy but it has been a adventure with God.
I am in the midst of a call to obedience right now that feels like it’ll be the death of me. It WILL certainly be the death of some of the fleshly me. My husband and I are going through some deep waters and without going into many details, I’ll just say there are some behaviors that are unacceptable and unbiblical and yet God is calling me to believe in His redeeming power. To not give up hope and give in to fear. To look to Him fully for my needs for love and affirmation and to let Him fill me. It is always so strange how in the piercing pain of it (dying to self) there is an odd sense of joy in feeling the power of Christ course through me and enable me to be obedient. I haven’t seen this situation through to the other side of it, and I sense it will be a long road to healing, but I know I can trust my God, whatever the outcome.
One of my big calls to obedience has been to love a specific friend. This friend is someone who I instantly pit myself up against as a rival, a friend who I would have “ditched” long ago in my life. The Lord had other plans for that friendship! She and I ended up marrying men who are best friends. We are in each others lives in every area of life, every circle of friendship, our kids are very close in age, etc. Sometimes my flesh rises up in competition 50 times a day and I have to say, “Lord, Crucify that!” It can be such a mental battle, just to love someone that my flesh doesn’t want to love, just to love a fellow sister in Christ. When I remember the call to obedience I say YES….there are rich blessings ahead I know, and that creates Joy. It almost makes me feel extra loved that Christ would so intimately point me in a direction to love someone who it’s so hard for me to love. He cares so much for me that he chooses to refine me and wants my freedom. That brings Joy as well.
I’d been pianist at my church (which my husband and I helped start) for almost 7 years when in May of this year, I got a call from another church offering me the position of pianist there. At first it was “thanks but no thanks.” But then I realized it was a God-thing, and so after 6 weeks of praying, counsel and crying, I took the position. I definitely “cried forward” (thanks, Kelly). Since beginning in August, I have found the Lord to be faithful in ministry to ME! He has brought much healing in my life these last couple of months from some deep wounds (deeper than I realized, in fact). I’m so grateful for his persistence and for this “divine intervention” (thank you, Priscilla, for that one). Our Lord is so faithful — and GOOD!!!
…when all doors closed and I knew I would have to home school. At the time it seemed like a death sentence but after we got going I later saw the beauty in God’s plan and obedience to that. My relationship with my kids is amazing and we’ve had experiences beyond what I could have ever imagined.
hmmm, I’d say just last week….
we had a baptism service at our church. The days leading up to it, I felt God nudging me to participate. Being the private person that I am and don’t like to showboat my worship, I asked God if I could do it privately between services and reminded Him that it would be my husband, after all, that was doing the baptising. His silence was the answer I expected, so I obeyed and did it after service with everyone else. Even though I’d been baptized as an adult 8 years ago, this was for a specific “good riddance” to a particular situation that happened recently. Again, private person that I am, I chalked up my obedience up to “well, maybe me doing this will help somebody watching.” And afterward a girlfriend who didn’t know why I did it said to me in tears, “I know you thought that was for you but it was for me.” I didn’t know how to receive that immediate confirmation from God…it was such a sweet moment. That was pleasurable obedience to say the least.
I miss you mama! I saw your picture (& Christy Nockels) on a poster for the January Passion conference and said under my breath with a pouty face, “mama.” But am so glad your unplugged time is bearing fruit as we all prayed for you that it would!
He called me to stay in my covenant marriage in spite of my man’s infidelity. The Lord met me in the deep valley, pointed my face towards His, transformed my heart, and took me to great depths of intimacy with Him. Joy has now sprung forth where tears once paved the ground. And He is graciously restoring my home, my heart, and my man. He. is. God.
Wow! Rejoicing in your testimony.
He redeems broken things. Blessings, sister.
A couple of years ago I was asked to give my testimony to the youth group at my church. Having never had children or really dealt with any young people, this was way out of my comfort zone. (I am one of those who is blessed to be alive and well after living a life on the very wild side, so the girl that asked me to share knew I had a word or two that might benefit the teens). Anyhow, I, with fear and trembling, spoke and God blessed me with an enduring friendship with a young lady who has become like a daughter I never had. God is so GOOD!
Hey Beth, When I first read your blog for today I first thought that I did not have anything to share. Then I began to meditate and do my Bible study for today and it came to me. Several years ago I as Christian but had no formal Bible study or daily spiritual habits. Our church was starting a women’s Bible study and had really no interest in joining. But God had different plans for me. He tugged at my heart (quite strongly) and I obeyed for once and joined. Now after several years I have studied the Patriarch’s, Esther, Jesus the One and Only, and now in the process of Breaking Free. Not only have I gained an very close, personal relationship with God but I have also met some very beautiful women at our church and have grown close to all of them. I am so glad I listened when He came calling. OH PRAISE HIM!
Hello, Beth! I hope that you, Melissa, and James are getting along famously!
Your question reminded me of a time when I was asked to be an emergency church pianist for a neighborhood church. I hadn’t played piano for years, I have major issues with playing in public, and so I said No. I felt so bad about that refusal that I got out my hymnbook and brushed up on the old hymns, just in case I was ever asked again. Fast forward a few years…I got a call from someone whose daughter was having major surgery, asking me if I would be willing to take over her duties as choir director and pianist in a small country church. I knew God wanted me to say Yes. Had I ever conducted a choir? No! Was I scared? Yes,yes,yes! But I spent 4 weeks choosing music, rehearsing, conducting, performing offertories, and playing for congregational singing. The church people were warm, welcoming, and grateful, and someone from outside the church told me that people were coming to church on Sunday mornings just to find out what the choir was up to next! It turned out to be a richly rewarding experience for me personally and one I look back upon with fondness.
An area of obedience that I have been called to is in the area of personal consecration in my eating habits.
A few years ago, God led me to this and the plan He gave me was very successful in how I felt, looked, responded emotinally, mentally and spiritually. I had so much energy!!
Then a series of life changing events occurred that threw me off course in each of these areas: mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally. I fell back to old patterns of eating and failing to care for my body the way He had led me to.
Praie His Name!! He has led me through the events and the overwhelming dark season and while I have failed to remain faithful in the habits He led me to, He has remained FAITHFUL!! and still reminds me to follow Him and to get back on track. Each day is a new day! and thankfully, today is an obedient day that I have not blown before lunch time!
Love and blessings and prayer!
I was offered a job in a church as a youth director. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the church we were already ministering (lay ministry) at; but I really wanted to take it! It would have helped our family tremendously, and it would have put me smack dab in the middle of exactly what my heart beats for! (Teenagers, and Jesus!) Long story short–my husband prayed about it and the answer was “No.” I was devastated, but I needed to be obedient to the Lord and submit to my husband, even though I didn’t understand his reasons. At first, obedience didn’t come with joy, but I soon saw the fruit of submitting, and the joy came. The road God has me on now is completely different, and a million times better than what could have been if I had taken that job. I trust Him, and truly believe He had my back!
Several years ago God called me to confess something potentially devastating to those around me. I was scared to death. It made absolutely no sense to confess it…it had been behind me for years (or so I thought).
Little did I know that by confessing this deep secret to my family, light flooded areas of my life I never realized were dark. God brought such healing not only to me, but to those around me through His light. I’ve never regretted it since….although it was the most terrifying moment of my life.
Love you Beth! Hugs!
When I was betrayed by my dad and sister and they wrongly pressed charges against me and I was facing a class C felony punishable by 5 yrs in jail or a $10,000 fine. I lived a whole summer with that hanging over my head and I had to say at one point “Okay God, if You want me to go to jail for 5 yrs than you must have a ministry for me there. I will go. That was the hardest part of obedience I ever faced. Later the false charges were dropped. I never got a chance to ask my father why he did this as he died before I could lawfully talk with him again. This was a hard obedience lesson. Forgiveness was also a big part of it.
Over the years, the Lord has led me to turn the other cheek to my husband. Needless to say, this has been very difficult. My husband is a loving, caring man most of the time. Once in a while, however, he can become almost unbearable after he’s had too much to drink. This has almost ripped our young family apart. Instead of engaging my husband during these episodes, however, the Lord has shown me that being silent and turning the other cheek has much more effect than fighting back. I get to keep control of the situation, and it always turns out positive. One of these days I hope the Lord will turn my husband’s heart around, but until then I will turn the other cheek. It has to be one of the unnatural things I’ve ever done.
In May of 2010 I said yes to God and went on a missions trip to Delhi, India. It was not easy on many levels. The money was not easy to come up with. Making arrangements for my small children at home was not easy. Trusting God for my safety was not easy, but God blessed my obedience by changing my life forever. I am connected to the children of The Good Samaritan School in a way I could never have anticipated. His blessings far outweigh the difficulties I encountered as I said yes to Him.
So wonderful to hear how God is already blessing your faithfulness…He ALWAYS does when we listen. When First Place originally started moving beyond the Houston area several years ago, God called me not only to do the program but lead it. Weight & self-esteem issues have been a part of my life forever. I’ll be honest…I threw a little fit feeling the least qualified to help anyone in the weight loss process. And a leadership position with adults? No way! I was content with my role in Children’s Ministry. Through my (initially unwilling) obedience, God had other plans. First Place was wonderful. Lives were changed in many areas. Weight was lost. We went to conferences all of the place (including one in Tyler, TX where Beth Moore was featured) and doors have been opened for many more years of indescribable joy in Ladies’ Ministry. Thank God HE knows best!
I was always the last person my friends and family thought would decide to become a stay at home mom. Last year, I finally listened to the calling God was placing on me for this time in my family’s journey and decided to be obedient. It was a hard decision and has not been the easiest transition, but as I have walked this road with Him, I can truly say, I now have experienced joy like I never knew. I didn’t know what I was missing as a mom and am thankful that He knows so much more than I. Joy as a mom comes in so many more ways now that I have slowed down to see it.
In late 2001, the Lord began leading me to change churches. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the church I was attending, but my Mom (an unbeliever at the time) despised it and would not attend with me. I felt the Lord gently leading me to change to a church that was closer to our home and one that my mom would attend with me. I was heartbroken to change, but was obedient anyway. The Lord has used that “new” church to bring such healing and joy to me, and to bring my mother into a dynamic relationship with Christ. It truly turned out to be a HUGE blessing that I never would have dreamed possible. My mom and I are both still attending that church, are very active there and LOVE it. Thank you, Lord, for always knowing what is best for us!!
Dear Beth,
How I wish I lived in Houston to attend Tuesday night Bible Study–especially after hearing you and Christy will be together tonight–two of my favorite people! (I often ask God if I can sing like Christy when I get to heaven ;))
I dated someone for six years, throughout high school and 2 years after, thinking FOR SURE that was who I was going to marry. He was a Pastoral major and I soooo wanted to be a pastor’s wife! Similar to the story in The Notebook, I was not what his parents wanted for their son and he was influenced greatly by them. Shortly after our relationship ended he married a girl whose family was close to his. To say I was devastated was an understatement. The Lord asked me to trust him. It was almost four years later before I met a man who exceeded every quality I had listed in my journal for a future mate, the man who is now my husband. 21 years and 4 children later, I am soooo thankful that I continued to walk in obedience and trust–God is FAITHFUL! He knows what we need better than we do!
The most difficult thing the Lord has asked of me so far has been to wait. My freshman year of college (Orientation week, actually!), He showed me my future husband, a then junior who was one of the campus’s most eligible bachelors. I didn’t even know Grant at all, but after one extremely brief conversation, I was completely overwhelmed with a love that I couldn’t get over. It seemed so strange to me because I had never been like my boy-crazy friends in high school (I’d never even had a boyfriend!) but even I could tell that this was no ordinary crush.
The hard part came when he was oblivious to what was so obvious to me! I spent the next 2 years waiting, praying, waiting some more, doubting, praying, thinking I must be crazy, praying some more, and working extremely hard to not try to orchestrate anything, allow him to find out, or pursue him in any way.
The hardest part came when he graduated and it looked like he was as oblivious as always, but after we each spent the summer working at separate Christian camps, he called me to ask me out and told me that he had been thinking of me over the summer. We dated for a year, were engaged for 6 months, and have been married for 8 years now and are even more in love with each other than ever!
Funny topic you suggested! Several years ago I was asked by our pastor (new at the time)to lead a women’s Bible study. My immediate response was a Beth Moore study! Our pastor thought differently. I was reluctantly told I could do a Beth Moore study but that I was highly encouraged to do a study within the confines (my words) of our denomination. I was so disappointed and honestly, angry. After wrestling with the issue I decided it best to honor those that God placed in authority over me and follow our pastor’s guidance. God blessed me and our little group so much! After completing the first study, our pastor’s heart warmed to the idea of a Beth Moore study and gave us a full blessing to do what we wanted. Submission was not easy but so rewarding. God softened our pastor’s heart without me getting in the middle and causing a fuss! 🙂