Hey, everybody!
Recently Sabrina Moore*, my beloved coworker and our ministry director here at Living Proof, let me read something God stirred up in her heart and prompted her to write down. (*Of no relation except in Jesus and we’re really, really related there.) I was so blessed I had to text her and say, “Girl, that thing is a BLOG POST.” She prayed about it and gave me a thumbs-up to post it here. I have told you a number of times how much you would love the women who serve at Living Proof so it pleases me to no end when I get to scoot out of the way and let them minister straight to you and you, in turn, minister straight to them. They are staunch women of the Scriptures and they love Jesus outrageously. I am incredibly graced to serve side-by-side with them. For those of you who have done the Esther series, this is the friend I call GP and she me. It stands for God’s Property, based on a Kirk Franklin song we’ve sung together about a jillion times. (GP, are you with me? Oh, yeah, we having church, we ain’t going nowhere.) My GP is serious about Jesus. She and I have gone face-down on the floors of this ministry countless times in prayer, asking Jesus to do within and through our walls things only He can do. Things that draw bold attention to Him, demonstrate His Holy Spirit and testify of His love, grace and truth. I pray He’ll use Sabrina today to provoke something wonderful in you. All of us here at LPM love and highly esteem you.
You sister and servant,
Beth
OK, GP! I’ll leave the rest to you! Thank you for serving our community today!
Title: We live by what we believe – not what we see
We walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
For so much of my life I’ve made decisions based on the available options. Learning the options, weighing the options, talking about the options, all of which derived a final decision based on the available options: Option A or Option B, and on some occasions there would be an Option C, D… We can live one moment to the next with endless options and, truth be told, we are conditioned to it. We like it. In fact, we like our options so much that we are sometimes disappointed when there are too few of them. Simple case in point, the “frig option”. We need something to eat. We are starving, well kind of, but for what? Then we take that notorious, well-paved trek. We start making our way to the refrigerator, open the door and stand, staring. Hmmm. Then, like a judge with gavel in hand, we let loose of the door with a final analysis there is nothing – not one thing – in there to eat. When, really, the whispering truth is, there is something, but we do not want that something. We don’t like the options, therefore, we conclude there is nothing.
The same could be true for the insanity that takes place during every typical “what to wear” drama. Oh, my soul! How many times has this one caused us to miss half the worship portion of the service on a Sunday morning? Just last week I walked into church a little late, so thankful my oldest had me a seat saved next to her. I scooted in, leaned over and said, “Good morning darling, is this the last song?” Have mercy and forgive me, God. The irony is that the time I risk missing really is my favorite part of Sunday morning church! Fortunately, I came in during the first song. Anyone know what I’m talking about? Be honest, how many times have you stood, staring at the clothes in your closet, “hmmm…”, and said, even out loud, “I have absolutely nothing to wear”? AKA: I don’t like any of these options.
Options can be okay. I am not aiming for a boring stringent-living mandate. More times than not, my family is a swirl of option-pitching: restaurant options, movie options, time frame options and countless others, all with a sincere kindness and effort to do whatever fits for everyone. Much of life is lived by options especially in American where we have an endless surplus. The culture once dictated that a person purchased items based on the options his or her budget would allow. Then the credit era seduced Americans into the scheme of “have it now” and nonstop options popped wide open. But the endless options came with lies like,
You can have anything you want. Have your choice. Have it all.
Not all choices are visible. There are times to ditch all our seen-options and cut new ground based on what is unseen. True, that new road building is not nearly as easy. It can be – and usually is – the very intense “give it all you’ve got and then some” kind of work. The kind that may even come with heart-hurts that send shocks of pain to every nerve-ending in your body. The truth is, it can be really lonely to go a new, uncharted way, but, if it’s of God, the reality of it is bigger and better than every concrete, sure-fired option we could ever choose.
I was right there, living my life by what was available, all that was logistical, logical, my attainable reality.
My options. My choices.
Until, on one normal morning, on a normal day, doing my normal routine and activities I felt the press of God and it came with a sense of doing something that had no logistical steps. It didn’t seem at all logical. The press of God was so undeniably real and powerful that I remember it today like it happened this morning.
My thoughts were a mix of perplexed and pondering. Perplexed in a way that almost seemed to communicate to my human rationale, “That isn’t true” not as an argument so much as a means to clarify, understand and assimilate. At the same time, the spiritual and practical side of my understanding began pondering how I could obey. There was no attainable reality to form an action plan. It was so vast it could be compared to snowing skiing in Galveston, Texas. So not a reality!
I had recently fallen seriously in love with Jesus, having spent so much of my life knowing Him as my Savior, believing He died for me and believing He loved me. And, yet I had just awakened to His living and active Word (Hebrews 4:12), with freshly opened eyes to who He really was, how He loves me and how His captivating presence compares to nothing else in this journey of life. I wanted to say “yes” to Him, even if I didn’t agree, understand or know what, when, or how.
So I did. I said yes – “Lord, if You want it, You do it”.
Sometimes God’s plans are so far beyond our everyday thinking we don’t even entertain His truth as our reality. Without exception, His plans are always our reality. He is so much bigger than the “Genie” we ask for, so much more compassionate than just waving a magic wand and dropping the great and wonderful plan into our lap. He gives us the free will and the choice to participate. Priscilla Shirer puts the reality in this perfect wording: “God doesn’t drop __________ in your hands, God puts it in your reach”.
When our second daughter was born, my husband and I intentionally decided to change our lifestyle and live on less income (like to the penny) so I could stay home with both girls. It was a challenge, but it was our chosen challenge and so worth it. When our youngest went to preschool at a church near our home, I began to volunteer at LPM. A couple of years later my life went from the “chosen challenge” to an intensely hard season that made it very obvious I needed to get a job. Well, LPM was growing and there were possible opportunities not too far off, but nothing presently available. I freshened up my resume and started the hunt.
Checked back with LPM. Made a few calls toward other jobs. Checked back with LPM. I went on a few interviews at other places of employment. Checked back with LPM. Received an offer from somewhere else. Checked back with LPM. Nothing available yet so I accepted the other offer. With tears I resigned from my volunteer work at LPM.
I just couldn’t understand it. I was sure I was suppose to work at LPM but I was more sure I was suppose to work. And work I did. I went to work for a great company back in the corporate world. I loved it. I love it on the hard days. I loved it on the busy days. I loved the challenges. I loved new learning. I loved getting a few quiet opportunities to point people to Jesus. I loved all of it. At the same time I never stopped loving the ministry of LPM. I stayed in touch with my LPM friends; they were my partners in prayer, in faith and of heart.
Though it was faint, my heart still held hope that I would understand the pull that laid deep inside of me and the desire to return, a desire I prayed hard to keep down. About a year later, the day came. I was offered the “name your price” corporate position. My heart was still so connected to the ministry of LPM, I stalled in giving any answer. And yes, I checked in with LPM but things were still “holding”. So I replied to the corporate offer with an unheard-of price. They accepted it! What?! Why? This definitely qualified as one of those huge life options that leave us with no other options than to a “get on your face” and seek God!
I was grateful for the offer, it looked like a good thing, but I flat had no peace. It made no sense. I wanted to be excited but I couldn’t get there. My heart was “fine” but not at peace and my joy was flat-lined. Even with my next steps going against every logical point on my checklist, I declined the promotion and not because I had a better option. I had nowhere to go. So, Sabrina, decline a better opportunity to stay at the same place in my current position? Yes, that is exactly what I did. So odd, right? The best way I can describe it is like someone giving me an all-paid dream beach vacation but I’d have to leave my family at home. Even if that were my only option, it would not be the one I’d want to choose. It felt to me like an Exodus 33 moment…
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you…”
God tells Moses, I will give you everything you need and flowing blessings but I am not going.
Blah! No thanks.
About a week later, LPM called me and offered me a position. It wasn’t the “price” I had given corporate. Actually it was less than my current price but it was the fullness of my God. The pay wasn’t the prize; LPM wasn’t the prize nor was any other achievement. Jesus is the prize! Nothing is sweeter to me than believing He took me out of LPM, He gave me a job I would love with good pay and then called me to release it and to follow Him. He set me in a place to make the intentional choice and a defining mark in my “yes” to Him. His options include the show stopping. There we encounter relationship with Him, participation with Him. This is the stuff we remember all the days of our lives. He makes the call, He gives the call, He defines each detail specially and individually for each of us. He creates the timing of bringing the call to life and He gives us the option: the option to believe Him beyond all visible options and, yes, even when there are no options. The option to say “Yes, Lord. You want it, You do it”.
I have been at LPM for 15 years and I dare say – it is rare for me to go any length of time without saying afresh and full of heart, “Yes, Lord, You want it. You do it.” I said it 5 days ago. I said it this morning!
The warning in this time is vitally important. We travel a new road and, in blind faith we encounter
the better than life,
the all in all,
that consumes every part of our heart, soul and mind, surrendering with a trumpet sounding “yes.” Track the journey with Him and His mind-blowing ways. We are all in and boom! He rocks our world. And when we catch our breath, we stop for a moment, reliving the wonders. Be very aware, it is not time to set up house and decorate it. It is the starting line, not the finish line. Don’t default to thinking all is good and the mountaintop was the ride of my life and now it’s time to settle and live off the “remember when”.
No ma’am. He isn’t done and neither are you. This may look like an option but it’s not His way. We walk by faith not by sight. Get up! Drag yourself, crawl, increase your B12, whatever it takes. Fight yourself for yourself, fight the good fight, but keep moving,
keep learning,
keep dealing with the hurt, the challenges, the hard days and the harder days,
believing for the better days,
choosing joy, waiting for the season of change and believing God.
Some options are okay, sure. And, then again, there are times where option-living is anything but okay.
Make the choice, cross the finish line. There are no better options.
With love to all of you in the name of Jesus,
Sabrina
Thank you for this confirming word! God called me out of my job at the time I was getting ready to make the most money I had ever made. It would have helped us financially but I had no peace. Based on a day of prayer and fasting and meditating on Jeremiah 6:16, my husband and I decided I should retire early. It makes no sense except in God’s economy. I have Peace! Can’t wait to see what comes next.
“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.
Jeremiah 6:16a
YES!!!! THIS WAS FOR ME!!!!!
I have been teetering on the brick of “my attainable reality,” but with none of the peace that comes with taking the step of faith into His purpose…this post has been a not-so-subtle reminder to keep walking into what He has called me and my husband to do! Thank you, Beth and Sabrina, for obeying the prompting of the Spirit. I am humbled and thankful at His grace, that He would use extraordinary measures to get His message across to me. So faithful. So merciful.
Thank you!
Choosing to walk in His glorious inheritance instead of my attainable reality!!!
Tears; tears that cleanse and tears that soak into hard ground so the weeds of stubbornness and rebellion, selfishness and self-centerdness can be more easily pulled out and the good seed of the Word can be planted, nurtured and grow to produce a harvest of righteousness, peace, joy, long suffering, patience, kindness, etc. Tears that drive me to my face before a Holy God, my Father, to say ‘Yes LORD, I will go where you lead and do as you ask.’
A few months ago I left my church home of 5+ years with a breaking heart. I still don’t understand all of the ‘why’ but I have recently been attending a new church and if I am right this is a new field to be plowed and planted with what Father has been and is teaching me. It’s a time to Believe God and not just believe in God.
It’s not ‘my way or the highway’ it’s ‘His Way, the Glory Way!’ May each of us have faces that shine like Moses so that people will say, “She has been in the Presence of God!”
Oh, I can hardly see to type, but I so needed to read this. It follows some things the Lord has been doing currently in my life, and I know it came straight from Him. Thank you, Sabrina, for being His instrument.
I love when He does this!!
WOW! Thank you for sharing. You blessed many of us with your story.
Pam Mayer from Apple Valley, MN: “In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:21 NIV
This was a word to the wise. Amen. Frustration is best described as discouragement with heat (anger). Thanks for helping us to get rid of it!
10-6-15 Pat Wagar Jekyll Island, GA
“Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.” Romans 13:10 NLT
we love each other because he loved us first. I John 4:19 NLT
Wow, this is powerful Sabrina! Thanks for sharing this, Beth and Living Proof staff. Amen! Jesus is the prize! I believe the Lord is waking up the Church as we need to be ready to do anything for Him at any time. The scary things happening in our country, increasing of murder of Christians, and around the world are lighting a fire. Great is their reward in Eternity where things really matter. Honestly, I feel like I am finally coming to life almost for the first time, as far as overcoming my biggest fears. Praise God, He is setting us free from our fears. I’m scared of things that most people want like fame and big houses, I’m afraid of anything that will take me away from deep closeness and dependency on God. May we do what the Lord is calling us to do, not fear people, and praise Him that His perfect love is casting out all of our fears, in Jesus’ name.
Keep writing, Sabrina, God inspires through you. P.s. I often ask the Lord to pick out my outfit, I can relate to what you’re saying. I feel like I wear the same few things over and over. 🙂
You bless me!
Your faith and walk with Christ is definitely something to aspire to. Blessings to you. So honored to be your sister.
Dear Sabrina,
Thank you for a wonderful post! The scripture that kept running through my mind as I read was from Proverbs 25:11 (KJV) A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. What a blessing to share your heart with us here! But I must say there was one thing missing. Whenever there is a guest here Beth always posts a picture. So here I am all the way in MN asking where on earth is that beautiful face?! Grin. I know from past pictures and as is given in this post that it is Jesus that shines from your face and from your heart.
As I was reading I couldn’t help but smile as I was remembering when I was about 19 I was praying about a direction to take and when I prayed for a solution I was said to God here is my problem and here is the list of solutions you have to pick from. Of course God answered with something totally out of the box I had put Him in! What also hit home for me was the part about the refrigerator. What God has been dealing with me about in not only this area, but another is delayed gratification. It is so hard when there is that part of you that wants what you want right now! I was remembering the part in the movie Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader that Aslan had to turn Eustace into a dragon to take him from being a spoiled brat to what he was always meant to be. When Edward asked Eustace what it was like when Aslan turned him back into a boy – Eustace replied it was a good pain, like having a thorn removed from your foot. This morning I was praying Lord this way you are causing me to grow in is painful, but Lord please make it a good pain as only you can.
Thanks again for sharing. My heart was so blessed! Love in Christ. Your Sister, Mary G.
He does make everything good! Stay strong sister!
Amen! Wonderful word from God as I face a new stage of life! Thank you!
I just printed out the following passage… I’ll be posting it at my desk. As I’m in a new place of walking into the invisible with every step being uncut ground, this was timely and perfect. Thank you so much for sharing it!
“Not all choices are visible. There are times to ditch all our seen-options and cut new ground based on what is unseen. True, that new road building is not nearly as easy. It can be – and usually is – the very intense “give it all you’ve got and then some” kind of work. The kind that may even come with heart-hurts that send shocks of pain to every nerve-ending in your body. The truth is, it can be really lonely to go a new, uncharted way, but, if it’s of God, the reality of it is bigger and better than every concrete, sure-fired option we could ever choose.”
Thank you so much Sabrina. Only in heaven will you understand the truth and very timely God’s message imprinted on your heart is to me – this very day!!!!!
Thank you GP!!!! YSIC
Amen! I am going to be looking for you in heaven. smile
Oh my!! How I needed to hear that word today. Sabrina, thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing. When we choose to serve God over money we choose the greater blessing for sure!!! Glad for your testimony!
Thank you for your volunteering for your service as staff and most importantly for your service to the kingdom of God in all of these. I best loved your paragraph about falling in love with Jesus : I had recently fallen seriously in love with Jesus, having spent so much of my life knowing Him as my Savior, believing He died for me and believing He loved me. And, yet I had just awakened to His living and active Word (Hebrews 4:12), with freshly opened eyes to who He really was, how He loves me and how His captivating presence compares to nothing else in this journey of life. I wanted to say “yes” to Him, even if I didn’t agree, understand or know what, when, or how.
I also love that THE LORD checked you on not taking the greater worldly wealth option but choose the heavenly wait on him option… He always comes through after he tests our hearts …isn’t HE awesome. I thank you that he showed He would send an angel if you went that way he so gracious that way but I’m so glad you didn’t go that way you received the greatest treasures with this option and yet at the time it didn’t look like the best option! Many great spiritual principles in this blog thank you much
Judy, Clay Center, KS I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath. May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Psalm 104: 33-34 NLT
A very good word.
Kay
Sabrina,
You are a mighty woman of God. As I read your story, I pictured your smiling face at all of our Tuesday night bible studies taking care of Beth and absorbing His Word with the rest of us.
Thank you for the blessing.
Ann
Sabrina,
Thank you for your willingness to abandon all and follow Him. As I woke up this morning and looked around a mess of a house, empty marriage, and 4 blessed daughters whom I have entrusted to Him, through my tears He asked, “Am I enough for you Amy?”
“Let Me be everything, leave all that you see, and you will know My Glory”
Blessed be His Name forever and ever!!!!!!
Amy
I get all that! I am praying, having been there, the astounding work of God to you, your heart, every part of your life with new praise. Stand firm in your faith sister!
Dear Amy,
Your thoughts and word from the Lord touched me deeply and I just wanted to say Thank you!
Your Siesta In Christ,
Angela
Thank you for sharing, Sabrina!
I was a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom. I’ve held odd jobs here and there, but mostly I’ve been “available” to the needs of my family, friends and church. Now that all my girls are married and have their own lives, I am at a point where I could work, but I am so blessed by a husband that values me and what I do, and I believe the Lord has called me to just be “available”. It really doesn’t make any sense, but the Lord continues to provide and bless us financially (like our 17+ year old washing machine and dryer that are still going strong–it is a Maytag). There may come a day when I will need to work for pay, but for now I am so blessed to be able to just be “available” to Him. I too would love to work under Beth, but geographically it’s not a reality at least at this point.
I too am a stay at home mom who home schooled and does not have to work, yet. I have struggled with everyone telling me to find a life for myself now that the family is grown but after a few attempts to focus on me I have seen that I am still a mom and will be needed as one until I die. I stay very busy and my eldest has returned to our farm to minister to our community with good food, real food, for real people, grown by real people! This has turned our world up side down and I am so busy and yet available when needed by my other children. Even though they are grown they still need me!
Debbie, Reno, Nevada-37th wedding anniversary today!
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.”
1 John 4:12 NIV
Sabrina,
This was God’s perfect timing. I needed to read this and meditate on it for my life and situation. Praise God for your obedience and sharing it.
God’s Blessings
Lorraine
JB, this was so good! I often default to the logical ‘options’ that are right before and don’t think outside the box, but I so want to hear and follow the Spirit!
You are endless blessings to me!
Sabrina, I so appreciate you being obedient and letting Beth share this with us/me. I have been ready to throw up my hands, and would have, if I had known of a different option, however; God is the only option. Thank you for this, it has renewed my strength and encouraged me to continue to fight! Your awesome! Love in Christ. Vickie B.
Thank you, Sabrina! I have been feeling like God is asking me to take a step forward into a new area, but I can’t see how I can financially walk it out. My husband has been encouraging me to take a step of faith. Your post has been a confirmation. I love how God doesn’t leave us just wondering which way to walk. He confirms His word to us. I would appreciate any quick prayers as I pursue this new line of ministry!
Sabrina,
Thank you so much for blessing me with the timing of this post. It is an absolute confirmation of what GOD has been speaking into my heart. My cousin (who lives in the Midwest and I in the NW) and I had not talked to one another verbally in nearly five yrs. (We keep in touch thru DM and social media) we got on the phone Tuesday night and talked for 3 1/2 hrs straight about life, family, faith, our furtures and all we feel God is laying on our hearts as women of faith in this season of our lives. Most of it involved our willingness to ABSOLUTELY TRUST in our unseen SAVIOR to lead and guide us into uncharted territory with Him being our lead, The Good Shepherd, trusting Him….getting face down, so that when we get up off our faces, not only would we more genuinely reflect Him……but that we would have the AUDACITY to believe Him to take us out of our comfort zones and do “EXCEEDINGLY MORE THAN WE COULD EVER ASK OR IMAGINE”.
I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is bringing me into a season of uncharted territory….I know that the winds of change are blowing fiercely in my direction and that I and my family are walking into a season of unparalleled change….There is a paradigm shift happening in the heavens and going forward I feel that I am going to be called to have a FAITH that absolutely BELIEVES GOD to be and to do the IMPOSSIBLE. I believe for me, He is taking me out of every place I have put my security in, other then HIM and He is calling me to TRUST HIM in ways I NEVER have before.
My flesh temps me to fall back into “A Spirit of Fear” going forward….. that the enemy would love to paralyze me in…..yet my SPIRIT KNOWS and CAN TESTIFY that I’ve been set free from…..so again today I have been sooooooooo ENCOURAGED by your testimony and am choosing to TRUST JESUS as He leads me, so that when I get up off that floor having fully submitted to His plan and purpose for me…..I will go forth in “THE FULL ARMOUR OF GOD” allowing Him to lead me and to use me as HE sees fit for HIS GLORY!
With all my heart, THANK YOU sweet Siesta and FAITHFUL Sister In Christ!!! So Much Love To You Always!
Angela
beautiful and timely for me, as He always does 🙂 be blessed and thank you for sharing!
I have a question for Beth Moore. I just started your book Audacious. I am not a reader. I was told as a child that I couldn’t read and I was stupid. I didn’t read unless i had to after that. I am now 58 yrs old and am trying to catch up on being a reader and it is very hard. I love Jesus Christ so much and have prayed for a passion to read because I struggle with reading the Word also. How can I get as fired up as you when it comes to words. It seems like I don’t even have a desire to learn. I’m stuck. Also if it is true that your birthday is June 16, 1957 then we do have something in common. I love your teaching and your personality. You are so alive and i envy that.
Love your sister in Christ Bonnie
We are never passed being able to learn, Bonnie. I am so proud of you that you’ve put aside those lies from childhood and are reading! You ask about Beth’s passion for the Word. A man named Buddy Walters was an early mentor of Beth’s whom she attributes for helping light a fire in her for the Word of God. He was teaching a Bible doctrine class at her church. While he did not have a particular study that he taught from, it was the way he taught with such passion that helped her so much. She saw that passion and love for God and His Word, and she wanted it for herself! You can ask God for it, too! His is faithful!
October 9, 2015
Aransas Pass, Texas
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 NIV
hi beth group
i have already posted my verse. I’m enjoying doing this.
i would like to make a suggestion. Will you make it so we can post our verses the same way everytime. This time when you go to post your verse and it goes streight to the video. Which is very good by the way. but at the end you can not post your verse . My sister found a way to post it through your blog. thank goodness. But I have a older friend and she just was so proud she finally posted her verse all by herself and then it was diffferent this time. bummer.
thanks for looking into this.
thanks for all you do.
thank you Jackie
Hi Jackie, Thank you for your feedback! Yes, the Siesta App may take you straight to the video, but you may always post your verse through the Blog or on Facebook. Either method is open to you as options. Blessings to you!
I can SO relate! Thanks, Sabrina, for the reminder that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. The important thing is that we obey Him, (even when it is hard and doesn’t make sense), and that the Lord is with us even when our perception of His Presence is clouded by the distractions around us. Settling in to the truth that The LORD is our Portion, THAT is the place of peace even in a world of turmoil.
Thanks also for those quotables: “Fight yourself for yourself.” “It is the starting line, not the finish line.” and “No ma’am. He isn’t done and neither are you.”
I’m at a new starting line every morning until the day He takes me to glory. I can’t wait, but in the interim, He has a job for me to do for Him.
Thanks so much for sharing.
I thank you for sharing. I could relate very well. I just turned 52 and my life has felt like God has put me on “stand by” as far as the outside world (including church involvement) is concerned. I still minister via friends, acquaintances and family but I have not been in any formal position in my church for four years now and God seems to be keeping me at home for most of my days. (I attend but hold no ministry position which is not me as I held positions even before I got saved!) In that time my mother as well as my father died, my four children have finished their college educations and moved in and out several times, my husband sold his business and is working from home, my son has turned our 200 acres into a real farm where we grow food and sell it as well as having Farm to Table dinners and we have started looking into opening a Bed and Breakfast option with my first clients being teachers from Germany of which the wife taught religious history! I am seeing how God took me away from the ‘normal’ ways of serving in and through my church family. I think He may have done this as a direct result of my putting having a church family above having Him. I have repeated the phrase, “I trust you, Jesus” for 4+ years as I asked Him to put me where He wants me, doing what He wants and helping me to be content in that. He replied with Luke 2:19, But “Pamela” treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. To me He was saying, be quiet (not a natural ability for me) and watch and see what I do as you just go about your life of being a mom and home maker. It has amazed me! I have tested Him and tried to do things at church and He literally blocks me and keeps me at home learning the art of quietness. I have been amazed at all the unconventional ways He has given me to minister to people He has brought to me. I know He is still teaching me some things and I’m a little slow but I am a spoiled rotten child of God that is very aware of the fact He will never give up on me! I know it sounds crazy to say He is not allowing me to serve in a official way in my church family and I have become one of those who gets there 5 minutes before and leaves 5 minutes after. Crazy! I am not sure why but I am sure He has a plan. I have my guesses bottom line I know it is for me as well as my family’s good.
I loved this ! Thank you so much for it.
Okay. I’m going to be published someday and we’re going to get out of debt. Probably two unrelated things, but you never know. Either way, I’m ALL IN. Will you pray for me?!
I enjoyed this but the end struck me.
“No ma’am. He isn’t done and neither are you. This may look like an option but it’s not His way. We walk by faith not by sight. Get up! Drag yourself, crawl, increase your B12, whatever it takes. Fight yourself for yourself, fight the good fight, but keep moving,
keep learning,
keep dealing with the hurt, the challenges, the hard days and the harder days,
believing for the better days,
choosing joy, waiting for the season of change and believing God.”
That part I just quoted back from you. (copy and paste!) Anyway, I am doing Beth’s memory team this year and and the idea of walking by faith and not by sight being the definition of righteousness has been cropping up again and again over here! Habakkuk and Hebrews. It’s because, in my words from one of my recent ‘blog like posts’—i.e group email devotional writing since I don’t operate a blog—I put it this way: God’s righteous one’s don’t live by sight. Maybe that’s because they live by *hindsight. As in, what God HAS done God WILL do. So I read this book of testimony, and I believe that God will do it. Or King David said, I believe I will see life in the land of the living!
And Amen to that. As my current testimony is that I believed that and walked through the valley of the shadow of death believing that. And now I’m living in the land of the living and not dying in it. And God has LIFE out there, nevermind that my current position in life is not life producing, at least my body is alive to find the place or position that is life producing. I’m glad you found yours! LPM is pretty amazing.
Thanks for sharing.
Tanya
I am so there with you. I’ve fallen so deeply in love with Jesus – in part thanks to Beth Moore’s Audacious live thingie (can’t remember what it’s called). He is my Supreme Romance and now I know that it’s true – what you said, “Yes, Lord. You want it. You do it.” It’s all in His precious, beautiful hands. I walk and obey and He does it all!!!!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing…I am falling in love with Jesus more and more and man this gave me chills. May God Bless you and keep you close to him. may he look at your face one day and say “well done, good and faithful servant and pray the same for myself” Thank you Sister in Christ.
In Jesus name I pray.
Sabrina – I’ve always respected you for the way you manage, love and care for Beth and LPM. You’re an amazing woman. But oh my soul – this goes way down deep and shows the depth of your heart. What’s inside of you has spilled out for all of us to be so blessed and encouraged.
Thank you! I’m thankful for your life and gifts.
GJ, Georgia Jan, Gran Jan 🙂
You are awesome!
much love to you –
Thanks so much for sharing! Oh Lord give us the fortitude to always follow you, no matter what! Help us to always stay right in the center of your will, for this is where we find true joy:)! Thanks for sharing, God bless!
Sabrina! I’m so thankful for you, and your wisdom, leadership, and insight! And so happy you were able to share this message with the siestas! What a great post, I’m so grateful for you and these words….and i love you dearly.
n.
Kimberley Cathey, Greensboro, North Carolina. “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.”
1 John 4:15 NIV
Diana Rice
Wooster OH
The LORD watches over you, the LORD is your shade at your right hand
The sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night.
Psalms 121:5-6 NIV
* (October 1st verse) Carolyn Valente, Chicago, Illinois, We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. II Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV
Thank you for sharing. I was encouraged as I read.
Sorry. I don’t have Twitter but I wanted to wish Amanda Moore Jones happy birthday today! Have a great day today, my dear!
Sabrina,
Thank you for your faithfulness to Jesus.
And
for sharing this beautifully- and powerfully-written Word.
You bless me by your obedience and heart for our Lord.
“Jesus is the prize.” Oh yes!!!
Believing. Trusting. Seeking.
Awww! I love Sabrina, and I’m absolutely so proud
of seeing this blog post. It was so encouraging and I know
quite a few people that can relate 🙂
Love this and I’m sharing!
Xo
Angie
Darcy, Spokane, WA
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)
I absolutely loved reading this!! Thank you for being willing to make your story public because it was definitely something I needed to read! God Bless!! 🙂
Beth, So excited for you coming to TBN every week . I second Matt on it becoming daily soon , but until then I will take what I can get . I have done numerous bible studies you have written .Just wanted to share as I was in the word this morning { I happen to be reading in Daniel now } this verse leapt off the page Daniel 12:3 . It resonates with what Matt was saying about his & Laurie’s vision for TBN . I believe GOD has raised you & others to cover the earth with HIS Word .