A Call to Serve

Today's guest post comes from one of my dear friends Dustin.  He e-mailed me this post last week and told me these things had just been laid on his heart and he wanted to share them with me.  I could use his words in whatever way fit.  After I read his words, I knew I had to share them with you.  I've got to say, I needed this post.  After you read Dustin's guest post on the true meaning of giving thanks and servanthood, I hope you'll be changed too.   Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

It’s November and that means it’s that time of year where social media is gushing with gratitude, as people turn to Facebook and Twitter to sing praises for the blessings in their lives.  I've never participated in this cyber sensation.  It's not because I don’t have anything to be thankful for, but because I know that I would never be able to keep it going through Thanksgiving.  I have a hard enough time remembering where I put my car keys, much less remembering to post a daily shout-out.

I do however, enjoy reading what everyone else posts.  I've seen a bit of everything over the years from “I’m thankful for my God and my family,” to “I’m thankful for a good shopping cart at Walmart!”  This year,  I've been thinking about the word “thanks” and what it truly means.

When you say thanks, are you genuinely thankful for something or are you just saying thanks because that is what your mama taught you to do when someone did something nice for you?  Saying thank you is thrown around loosely and to a degree, loses meaning.  You can even hear it in people’s voices.  Ever hear someone begrudgingly say “thanks” and think that it took the Jaws of Life to get it out of their mouth?  I don’t know about everyone else, but having someone say thank you that way tends to sting more than not saying thank you at all.  To me, this proves that giving thanks can be powerful since people long to hear it.  However, it is more hurtful than helpful when not delivered appropriately.

What actually prompted me to write about giving thanks was a moment I experienced one night before going to bed.  I walked into the bedroom and my wife was asleep.  I sat down beside her, ran my fingers through her hair and kissed her forehead.  I thought to myself, “I sure am thankful for my wife…and my son…and my family and friends.  God, you’ve blessed me more than I deserve.”   Then I thought about showing thanks to God for what He’s given me.

Do I really show God how much I appreciate the life He has given me? 

When my wife makes me dinner, I’ll sometimes (sorry sweetie!) tell her how great it was.  When she brings me a hammer or some other tool, I’ll thank her for getting it for me.  I’ve told her “thanks” thousands of times.  But is saying “thanks” enough?  Showing appreciation and truly being thankful for someone is done by putting that person’s needs before your own needs.  That is often easier said than done.

"Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves."

Philippians 2:3 (NLT)

Philippians 2:3 teaches “in humility, count others more significant than yourselves.”  I like to think about it like this:  God made us in his image.  He gave us an array of emotions to feel and experience, gratitude being one of them.

Jesus, God in the flesh, came to Earth to SERVE others, which invoked the very feelings of thankfulness and gratitude that God gave to us to begin with.  Think about what type of emotions would stir inside of you if Jesus were to bring your brother back from the dead, or to heal you of your pain and afflictions.  Honor God by living the way Jesus did, serving others.

I cannot think of a better way to show God and others how thankful you are for them than by serving.  So now, instead of saying thanks after my wife cooks dinner, I could offer to clear the table and do the dishes.  Or, after she brings me my tools, I could finish working on my project and ask her if there is anything around the house she needs fixed.  The benefit is two-fold.  Not only am I honoring my wife, I am also honoring God.

Proverbs 18:22 states, “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”  Show God how thankful you are for the blessing that is your wife by loving her as Christ loved the Church.  If you aren’t married, show God how thankful you are for your family, friends, or whatever fills your life by praising Him and by honoring others with your actions.  My challenge to everyone (myself included) during this holiday season is to not demonstrate thanks by words alone.

Show someone how thankful you are by serving them, just like Jesus.

How do you show thanks to your loved ones?

What areas of service is God calling you to in your everyday life?

What scriptures do you turn to during this season of Thanksgiving?

[caption id="attachment_331" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Credit: Dustin Stultz[/caption]

Dustin is a fellow twenty-something that lives with his precious family in North Carolina.  He is  a man on fire for the Lord and has shown tremendous faith throughout life’s trials and triumphs.   

 

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What are You Giving Up for God?

It’s the most challenging question that I've had to ask myself so far in my online Bible study of What Happens When Women Say Yes to God with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  To be honest, I wanted to pick another question to address on my blog and in my life, but I decided to tackle this question head on and with an open heart.

Is there something God is asking you to give up?   What specific steps do you need to take to fulfill this obedience?

 

 

The answer to this thought-provoking question is yes, there is something the Lord is asking and has been asking me to give up and the answer is so simple.

Give me your time.

 

I know that spending time with God is one of the most, if not THE most important thing I can do as His child.  I know that it is in this sweet place that we will become closer and get to know one another as only a Father and daughter can, and yet I fail at giving Him my time as I should.

 

I want to give excuses for my behavior but to put it simply; I shouldn't have one to begin with.  But the reality is…I do make excuses.

 

You too, friend?

 

Lysa shares in her book the 5 Questions that you should ask yourself if you feel God is speaking to you:

 

 

When I first answered God’s call to begin writing again and enter into my ministry it was as if everything lined directly up to show me it was the path I should take.  Every song and sermon I heard was about using spiritual gifts and following God’s will for your life.  Every scripture lined up and things happened in my life that made me see God was pointing me in this direction.

 

And then I got comfortable.

 

I got comfortable with my prayer life and quit giving it as much time as I had before.  I was satisfied with posting 1-2 blogs a month and going through the motions in areas of my ministry.  After all, I felt I knew God’s call, I had answered it, and so I was sort of done right?  All I had to do was grow.

 

 

 

I became too comfortable with being comfortable in my relationship with God.

 

 

But where I was wrong was thinking answering the call was an endpoint.  Friends, it was just my beginning.  It is just YOUR beginning.  Growing in Christ is not simple.  It is hard.  It is beautiful.  It is trying at times and it takes full surrender to Him.  Growing is what I have been doing and I can tell you, the Lord is working in me.

 

He is taking me out of my comfort zone completely.  He is challenging me to write things I never thought I would write about.  I have prayed prayers I never thought I would pray.  I have been convicted to change things about myself and in my life in mighty ways.

 

The Lord desires time with us.

 

 

 

Wouldn't you know...every sermon I have heard recently has been about spending quality time with Lord.  God was speaking to me again, only this time He was asking more from me.  Is He asking more of you?

 

I have found that my new time with God is so special and it helps me face the day with a different perspective and love for others I probably wouldn't have otherwise.  I share that with you today because I want to be transparent and tell you that it’s not always easy.  There are days I want to roll over and hit the snooze (especially when my infant daughter has had a rough night!) and not get up early, that’s the human side of us we can’t get rid of, but when I do I am blessed by my time with Him.

 

Here are some steps I have found helpful:

 

1)     Set your alarm earlier than you actually need to get up in order to get quiet time in. 

 

In other words, if you know you want to get 30 minutes of time in with God each morning, then allow yourself enough time to do that and get ready before you start your day.  I try and allot enough time to hit the snooze at least twice, but that’s me.

 

2)      Get an accountability partner.

 

Do you have a friend or co-worker or spouse that can keep you accountable for having quiet time?

 

3)      Find a devotional or Bible study that works for you.

 

I have purchased many a Bible studies and many a devotional books and many have sat on my bookshelf for one reason or another.  Perhaps it just didn't match with that particular season in my life at the time, but I find myself pulling them out now and they are fitting perfectly for the season I am in. Find one that works for you and one that you are EXCITED about.  I personally recommend anything by Proverbs 31 Ministries, Beth Moore or Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.  They are straightforward and to the point and they work…for me.

 

Have one you recommend?  I’d love to hear them!

 

4)     Give yourself grace.

 

You will not want to get up early some mornings.  You will not always want to listen to uplifting music.  You will not always memorize the scriptures you are supposed to for that week.

 

And it’s all okay. 

 

 

Just as you will offer yourself grace, so will the Lord.  Remember that He wants to spend time with us.  He wants our hearts free of obligation when we come to Him.

 

I know that my special time with the Lord is working in my life.  I am more confused than ever about what paths to take, my tolerance for worldly things is reaching an all-time low, and I find beauty and peace in the oddest places.  He is challenging me, but He’s equipping me for the challenges ahead.  That’s how I know He’s working in me; because I am no longer comfortable being comfortable with Him and our relationship.

 

 

What is God asking you to give up?  Do you have other steps for spending time with God you'd like to share?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Dentist Chair

Saying yes to God seems simple enough, but oh what a hard task it can sometimes be.  Are YOU ready to say YES with me?!

Today's post is part of a Blog Hop from my online Bible study of What Happens When Women Say Yes to God. 

I didn’t hesitate when the invitation hit my inbox.  I was ready to say yes to God.  I couldn’t sign up fast enough for the online Bible study for one of my favorite authors, Lysa Terkurst’s What Happens When Women Say Yes to God.  I started reading the book immediately and found myself enthralled with each of Lysa’s words about the times she has fully relied on her faith and said YES to God.

Lysa refers throughout her book to radical obedience to God; completely 100% faithful, obedient, trusting in God.  This concept had me excited for the challenge.  What I didn’t know is exactly how I would start off saying YES to God, and I certainly didn’t expect it to be at the dentist.

I could think of so many things I would rather have been doing instead of sitting in a chair with a thousand and one instruments in my mouth.  At my last appointment a few weeks prior I had some trouble getting numb enough for my dentist to perform my filling procedure.  Maybe it was a mental block or maybe I’m just really sensitive on the left side of my mouth.  Whatever the case, I did everything I could from having to come back for the second filling.  But to no avail, there I sat.

As I was waiting on my dentist to come back in and start I could hear someone out in the hall talking.  He sounded young, and he was explaining to the dental hygienist how nervous he was.

“I think you’re going to have to put me out.  I just can’t do this.  Please tell him (the dentist) how nervous I am and to be very gentle with me.”  I could hear his voice shaking.

“Yes sir, I understand.  I will tell him,” the hygienist said trying to ease his mind.

 “No really, please tell him.  I don’t do well with this stuff.  I can’t take it,” he said.

I felt awful for him.  I didn’t know what he looked like or even what his name was, but I knew that he was scared and didn’t want to be there even more than I did.

As my procedure started, though I was nervous as well, I could just imagine him in the next room scared to death of what was going to happen to him in the next 30 minutes.  I imagined him wishing he were elsewhere, maybe on a beach with his friends somewhere.

I want you to pray for him.



Really Lord?  I’m in the middle of getting a filling.



Yes.

I don’t know him, Lord.

Pray for him.  He needs your prayers.



 Okay, I’ll pray {radical obedience here!}.

Then tell him that you prayed for him.



Woah Lord. What?   He’ll think I’m crazy.  He might get mad.  I don’t think I can.

Yes you can. 



There it was, my true radical obedience moment presented to me in the form of a dentist chair.  So I did it.  The whole time I was in the chair I prayed for the man next door to me; the one getting more anxious by the minute.

Some of you may be saying well, that’s nice but what’s the big deal?

The big deal is this:  the more I prayed for that man, the more radically obedient I was to God, the more I said YES…the less afraid I was.  At one point I actually felt relaxed while being drilled into oblivion.  The Lord blessed me with peace and comfort during my procedure,  but my part wasn’t over.

As I was leaving I noticed the door to his room was shut and I could hear the dental instruments going full force.  I couldn’t just barge in, but a dental hygienist was nearby.

“Ma’am, could you do me a favor?  I don’t know that man in there or what he’s having done, but will you tell him that I’ve been praying for him?”  I was really nervous to voice my prayer moment.



“You don’t know him at all?” she said.

“No, but I heard him earlier talking about how nervous he was and I just wanted to pray for him.  Will you tell him for me?” 



“That’s sweet.  I’ll be glad to,” she said with a smile.

I didn’t know that God would call me to say YES to Him in the dentist office that day.  The truth of the matter is that we don’t know when He is going to call us to say YES, but we know that He will call us.

I don’t know what happened after I walked out of the dentist office that afternoon.  I can only trust that I did what the Lord was asking me to do. That’s the other thing about saying YES to God.  We don’t always know the outcome of our radical obedience at the moment, but we do know that the Lord will find favor with us if we are obedient to Him.

So are you with me today friend?  Will you join me in saying YES to God?! 

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God is Always on Time

Today's guest writer is Phyllis Watson.  Phyllis and I used to work together and I can tell you, this woman's heart is pure and Christ-filled.  Have you ever met someone and you just knew they loved everyone they came in contact with?  Well, that's Phyllis.  Today she shares the touching story of her daughter and son-in-law's adoption process and of course, how God's timing for it was well...perfect.

It was July 16, 2010 and I was being pushed into the operating room.  While getting ready for my surgery, the nurse began making small talk and asked me how many grandchildren I had.  Looking up at her I said, “None, but my daughter and son-in-law are going to adopt.  They just finished their paper work July 1st."  She asked when they would get a baby and I looked up at her and said, “Today would be a good day."

My surgery went well and as I returned to my room, my daughter was trying to show me a picture on her phone.  “Isn't he cute? This is him!”

Am I dreaming or still asleep?

"Mama they sent us a picture and he is so cute, look!”  He was beautiful but I still did not completely understand.

My daughter and son-in-law immediately texted back and said yes they were interested in him.

They were told they were one of five families who asked for him.

Four days later they were chosen.

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

Psalms 127:3 (NLT)

The Lord’s timing was perfect when it came to Rebecca and Chris’ adoption process.

 

The social worker in charge of placing the baby had been in the same building at the very time Rebecca and Chris were completing their adoption interview.  She never saw them but she heard Chris' great laugh from another room.  “This baby should be with someone so happy.”  “He is such a happy baby, he needs a father like him,” she said.

God’s perfect timing.

It was three weeks into July and they got to pick the baby up.  He was three months old.  Samuel Ransom, named for my grandfather who I never got to meet and the story of Hannah in the Bible.  He was a precious gift given to us at the exact right time.

God answered a couple’s long-standing prayer, chose a time when we were distracted, allowed a social worker to hear a man's strong laugh, and gave a little boy a forever family.  A wonderful time began and has continued from that day.  

On April 24^th, Sam celebrated his third birthday.

Phyllis' son in law Chris, grandson Sam, and daughter Rebecca

Credit: Rebecca Autry

Phyllis, Sam, and Phyllis' husband John

Credit: Phyllis Watson



To God be the glory great things he hath done!

Phyllis' story speaks to how God can use anything to fulfill His plan!  He used Chris' laugh to get the attention of the social worker.  What a mighty God we serve!

Will you join me in praying for Chris, Rebecca, and sweet Sam?  Chris and Rebecca are church planters currently serving in Pennsylvania.  Help me lift them up and pray that God will provide them with all the resources and help they need to bring the Lord to the people in Pennsylvania.   

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God is Always on Time

Today's guest writer is Phyllis Watson.  Phyllis and I used to work together and I can tell you, this woman's heart is pure and Christ-filled.  Have you ever met someone and you just knew they loved everyone they came in contact with?  Well, that's Phyllis.  Today she shares the touching story of her daughter and son-in-law's adoption process and of course, how God's timing for it was well...perfect.

It was July 16, 2010 and I was being pushed into the operating room.  While getting ready for my surgery, the nurse began making small talk and asked me how many grandchildren I had.  Looking up at her I said, “None, but my daughter and son-in-law are going to adopt.  They just finished their paper work July 1st."  She asked when they would get a baby and I looked up at her and said, “Today would be a good day."

My surgery went well and as I returned to my room, my daughter was trying to show me a picture on her phone.  “Isn't he cute? This is him!”

Am I dreaming or still asleep?

"Mama they sent us a picture and he is so cute, look!”  He was beautiful but I still did not completely understand.

My daughter and son-in-law immediately texted back and said yes they were interested in him.

They were told they were one of five families who asked for him.

Four days later they were chosen.

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

Psalms 127:3 (NLT)

The Lord’s timing was perfect when it came to Rebecca and Chris’ adoption process.

 

The social worker in charge of placing the baby had been in the same building at the very time Rebecca and Chris were completing their adoption interview.  She never saw them but she heard Chris' great laugh from another room.  “This baby should be with someone so happy.”  “He is such a happy baby, he needs a father like him,” she said.

God’s perfect timing.

It was three weeks into July and they got to pick the baby up.  He was three months old.  Samuel Ransom, named for my grandfather who I never got to meet and the story of Hannah in the Bible.  He was a precious gift given to us at the exact right time.

God answered a couple’s long-standing prayer, chose a time when we were distracted, allowed a social worker to hear a man's strong laugh, and gave a little boy a forever family.  A wonderful time began and has continued from that day.  

On April 24^th, Sam celebrated his third birthday.

Phyllis' son in law Chris, grandson Sam, and daughter Rebecca

Credit: Rebecca Autry

Phyllis, Sam, and Phyllis' husband John

Credit: Phyllis Watson



To God be the glory great things he hath done!

Phyllis' story speaks to how God can use anything to fulfill His plan!  He used Chris' laugh to get the attention of the social worker.  What a mighty God we serve!

Will you join me in praying for Chris, Rebecca, and sweet Sam?  Chris and Rebecca are church planters currently serving in Pennsylvania.  Help me lift them up and pray that God will provide them with all the resources and help they need to bring the Lord to the people in Pennsylvania.   

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Living Proof Live! An Experience to Remember

Meet Kellie.  Kellie is an extremely fun person to be around.  I can testify to that!  Not only is she creative and a master party planner, but she is has a heart bursting for the Lord.  Today Kellie shares about her experience at Beth Moore's Living Proof Live event and how she was changed with whispers from the crowd. 

 

Recently, I traveled with a group of MOPS friends (and 8,000 other women) to see Living Proof Live with Beth Moore. I had heard that Beth Moore was dynamic and powerful and that I should expect to come out of Living Proof Live a changed person, but honestly I always kind of blow those kinds of comments off. I wish and hope for revelation, for something that will be so powerful that it will change me, but in situations like this I always seem to come up wanting. It’s like a New Year’s Eve party when you are expected to have the night of your life.  I am no good at forced fun so it would make sense that I would be no good at forced revelation either.

But, I can promise you that all the things I’d heard about this were true and that Beth Moore is everything that everyone says she is, and so much more than that.

My big moment came at a time I’d least expected it. It wasn’t during Beth’s time with us, even though it was wonderful and full of my favorite “ah ha!” moments. It wasn’t during the worship time, even though Travis Cottrell may have secretly made me more of a 9 o’clock than an 11 o’clock gal (gasp!). The music was that good. No, it came during what I heard someone later refer to it as the alter call.   After Beth finished up her second session she invited the praise team back to the stage and told us that she was now going to do the most important part of Living Proof Live.

Beth invited anyone who wanted to accept Jesus as their personal savior to do so, but in typical Beth Moore fashion she wanted you to do it as loud and publically as possible. She asked that those of us who were ready to accept Jesus into our hearts and lives to scream as loud as we could:

Credit: Kellie Ross-LPL Event

“My name is _____ _____ and I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior”.

The room seemed to rock back and forth; 8,000 tiny dots of people all sort of collectively held our breath. A silence like no other fell over the Greensboro coliseum as we all waited and listened for the sounds of salvation. And then it came, a tiny but powerful voice from what seemed like miles away began to yell. She was so far away all I could hear was “I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior!”

Then, slowly, like a drizzle to a down pour, it began to rain down words of freedom and salvation in our Lord. Women from all over the arena began to accept Jesus Christ into their hearts and it was as if I could see their souls freeing themselves from the years of self-doubt, fear and persecution and lifting up into the heavens just as their voices rose around the arena.

I feel so blessed to have been there at the moment that those ladies were saved and released from their sins. I can’t tell you any of their names, where they were from or even what they looked like. I can tell you that God was working in that place. He was there with His arms around us, welcoming those ladies into His loving protection. You could feel it, you could see it, and you could hear it all around us. God was there, and He was working.

I don’t need any more “Living Proof” than that!

Kellie Ross was born and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She’s been married to her best friend and computer whiz husband, Sam, for 6 years and they are blessed to have a beautiful 3 year old girl named Hannah. They are members at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church where Kellie serves on the Preschool Committee and she is the Communications Coordinator for the Mothers of Preschoolers group.

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Announcement: May Theme

Timing.  Patience.  Control.  Trust.  Change.

It's no secret that the Lord is constantly working with me on these very things listed.  All of these things can be difficult to give over to God at times, but boy aren't we blessed when we do?  I set out this year with my one word being grow.  I can definitely tell you that the Lord is doing a work in me through this.  He has laid new passions and ventures on my heart, as well as continued to show me the weaknesses I need to give over to him (hint: the 5 words listed above!).  Where are you with your One Word for 2013?  Have you seen a difference in your spiritual life?



One of the areas of growth that I wanted to accomplish was this blog.  I wanted to challenge myself in this area and expand my ministry.  I want to challenge myself to go deeper in my writing as well open up this blog as a platform to share others stories.  So with that comes an exciting announcment!

I am so excited to announce that this month will be devoted to the topics listed at the top.  You're going to hear some amazing stories from women who have experienced these things, all in different ways, and have received great blessings and grace from going through it.  Weekly, these brave women will share their stories with you, and I encourage you to leave a comment on their story if it has touched you or identified with you in some way. 

I'd like to kick off this month with my own story of God's perfect timing.  Though I've previously written it, to this day it is the most difficult thing I've gone through as it relates to giving over my control to the Lord. 

You can read my story here:




Also, I've been listening to this song like crazy lately and it speaks straight to this month's theme:

Strangely Dim-Francesca Battistelli

Happy May!

Blessings Friends,

Amanda



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