Several of you asked me about how I got into ministry. I wish I could tell you three well defined steps that led me to this place where I’m at today doing what I know I was made to do. But my journey was not well defined nor were there easy steps. I stumbled here. A most unlikely girl with a wildly headstrong attitude who never like women’s conferences or most women for that matter.
Growing up I had some girlfriends but as I moved into high school and college all my best friends were guys. They were simpler and less dramatic.
And with the whole church thing…. My mom definitely believed in taking my sister and me to church when she could but my Dad was an atheist who wanted nothing to do with our religion.
So wouldn’t you know it, God decides to call me- the girl who isn’t into girls or women’s conferences and who was partly raised by an atheist- to help start Proverbs 31 Ministries. Though I must tell you I had nothing to do with the name of our ministry.
My friend who asked me to join her in getting this ministry off the ground named it. I was with the ministry for close to 4 months before it occurred to me that maybe I should read Proverbs chapter 31 in the Bible. I had never done that. Clue number 479 of why I thought I was a bad candidate to help start this ministry- I wasn’t exactly overflowing with Biblical knowledge.
So, I had an argument with God after reading Proverbs 31, telling Him all the reasons He had definitely called the wrong gal to be part of a ministry named after a woman who truly had it all together.
At that point in my life, I had one child who made me cry every day with feelings of being completely overwhelmed and a husband I was mad at all the time. And did I mention that I didn’t much like women or going to women’s conferences? So there.
But God.
I love those two words when you put them together.
He makes a way where there is no way. He loves to use unlikely people so He gets all the credit for any good that comes from their frail and faulty efforts. I’m convinced He wasn’t looking for the most qualified person, He was simply looking for a woman who would dare to say yes to Him with enough headstrong tenacity to never give up.
Often God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies those that He calls.
So why has this ministry been successful? How in the world did God ever grow this ministry from the tiniest seed to where it is today?
I’m convinced my job all along was never to figure out how to grow the ministry or even to run a successful ministry. My job all along was to simply be obedient to God. My job was obedience, God’s job was results.
I had to be obedient to God in the small things and the big things. Some days as a woman in ministry my big job was to change diapers with a good attitude and apologize to my husband for acting so stubborn. Other days it was to have coffee with a woman and simply listen to her heart. Still other days it was to write an article that would be read by all 35 readers of our small little newsletter.
You see God never let this ministry outgrow my capacity to be obedient to Him.
As He found me faithful with the little things, bigger opportunities were entrusted to me. But it all unfolded very, very slowly. This ministry has been 17 years of waking up each day, lifting up my willingness to be obedient to God that day, and simply following wherever He leads me with a “yes” heart.
And learning to absolutely fall in love with God and His girls… oh yes and women’s conferences too.
If you feel God’s tug to be in ministry, let it unfold slowly. And realize you can start today. Simply ask God to place that one ‘obedience’ assignment in front of you today and say yes. Who knows what could possibly start from there…
Sweet friend, this is just so precious! I always love seeing your heart. “Simply obedient”. Why does that so often sound like an oxymoron…to words that clash…when really, those two words should flow together effortlessly from a daughter devoted to seeking God with all her heart.
Looking for that one thing today,
Hugs,
Joy
Lysa, thanks for sharing. Isn’t it neat how God does lead? Sometimes I look back and am amazed at where He even has me, but like you say one step at time! And being faithful in the little things is so critical – kind of like David going back to the fields! Last year I attended She Speaks and had a wonderful experience hearing God speak, but the last year has been one of a new baby and being a a farmer’s wife. Thanks for reminding me God is at work and preparing me for what comes next. I pray I too will be a woman who will be found “waking up each day, lifting up my willingness to be obedient to God that day, and simply following wherever He leads me with a “yes” heart.” Thanks Lysa – good to know you will be enjoying Rise and Shine and all the gals who attend this Oct!
Blessings,
Jill
Lysa, I am a Charlotte mom, and I have just been subscribing to your blog for a couple of months now, but I have been very familiar to Prov. 31 ministries for several years. I just wanted to thank you for being obedient. God is using you even now through your blog to minister to moms like me- a very unqualified mom who is raising four daughters, three of whom are extremely strong-willed teenagers. I just want you to know that I have printed out several of your blog posts and hilighted things you have said. You are a blessing to me, and I am glad I am not doing this Christian mom thing alone!
in keeping up with what God is teaching me about His vision… i heart this. I do not, I repeat, DO NOT necessarily feel God moving me to women’s minstry… but love what you say about obediently following God’s vision (and not listening to the voice in your head telling you this did not make a lick of sense)… and how it evolves slowly. we are all in such a hurry to get into “His vision” for us (at least I am)… but God has all the time in the world… right? he is never in a hurry and i shouldn’t be either! it’s not my job to figure out the vision… i just need to be obedient… oh how i need help in this area. OBEDIENCE. God, give me the courage to be obedient! (btw… love how God gives me this TODAY… through you… after I read in OC’s “My Utmost For His Highest” just yesterday about God’s vision for us becoming reality!) Now… if only I could know just what that vision is all about. I do know it has more to do with who I become than what I do… maybe it’s simply the process of becoming all that He has created me to be. (we tend to make things so complicated) And thank you, Lysa, for this ministry, for your obedience to God’s vision in your life… it is helping me “become”.
God blessed us with a new baby this year (it’s been six years since our middle child was a baby) and I now undeniably know where my calling is in this season of life — at home. I started to fly ahead of God and He put the brakes on in the most beautiful way! I’ve already asked him to place that one ‘obedience’ assignment in front of me today. Thank you for for your servant heart, Lysa. So many of us are blessed by it!
I love that each day what you were after was Him….living in obedience to Him…doing whatever it was He asked of you for that day.
He has gently been asking me a question, one that makes me take a good hard look at my heart. I have felt Him asking me what it is I am after, what it is I am pursuing. Am I after ministry…or am I after Him?
Even with She Speaks…I don’t think I was ready to come last year. If we get downright totally honest, I don’t think HE would have been the main reason I was coming. But this year…I want Him.
So thankful for how He transforms our hearts, our lives. So thankful that He uses us…pitiful, weak, foolish, goofy us.
Hugs to you,
K
Lysa,
I have never commented before – but I follow your blog and I just love all that God has done through your ministry! I have home schooled my almost 6 year old son for 2 years now. I do not love it (gasp!) or have a passion for it – but I do have passion for my children. But I know that it is what God has asked me to do – so I pray daily that He will give me a love for it and until then I have to make the daily decision to OBEY. Sounds simple – but so hard……
Love to you!
Christy
Encouraging words God has used you to speak to my heart today. Also, looking today for that one thing.
Sweet Blessings ~
Pam
Love your honesty and perspective on life’s journey….Seeking Him with transparency – the realization – that He takes us to far greater places than we can ever imagine taking ourselves.
Being obedient is so hard some days! I can say yes to the things that are pretty, but I’d rather the Lord keep the ugly stuff to Himself. But He doesn’t so I’m learning to say “yes” and kneel in amazement at what He does with one simple act of obedience. He is so worth all of this. Thank you for the encouragement that you daily pour over us to keep after Him, to listen to Him and to surrender our all to Him. You are living proof that He takes anyone willing and creates a world for them that they never saw coming. You know I love you Lysa, keep running this race well because your eyes are definitely focused on Christ. From the sidelines cheering you on, I see that. And watching your daily pursuit of Him no matter what comes your way only makes me want to give in to Him when my flesh wants to give up.
LOL! I, too, asked God if He was sure what He was asking me to do. Women are hard to deal with (myself included), and I had always figured my best work would be at an oilfield company with a bunch of men. As the years go by, though, I find myself loving women more and more. Even the drama and high emotion. Even during that one special week of the month. Even when it hurts. OH, how I love women and women’s ministry!
All I know to say is that words could never begin to express how much God uses you speak into my life! Thank you from the depths of my heart! Danette
Lysa, your ministry has grown not just because of obedience, but because you are not afraid to be REAL with women. People are dying for someone to be REAL & not act like they have it together 100% of the time…you share with us your ups & your downs & how God helps you through it all – you are someone that we can all relate to & through your life we can see that loving & obeying God is a journey…a fun one, too!! Love you!!
i am so grateful you followed thru. I love how i can relate to you and how you can make me feel like i have a best friend who i don’t see or talk too but that talks to me and helps me. the fact that you put ALL of you in to your blog and are so honest and open has made me feel so OK. i live with my heart on my sleeve and it gets broken alot. you always seem to make me feel better.
Oh, thank God you are NOT the PERFECT woman I thought you must be….cause would God call one who is NOT so perfect????:):) It is so heartwarming to hear that you had a hard time with all this. “Often God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies those that He calls.” This was my favorite line. I will remember this for sure! And ask God to qualify me….for whatever He wants…..thanks again SO much! XO, Pinky
But God. O how I love those two words!!!
I need prayer for my husband who is a recovering sex addict. He is just off probation and I am worried without someone monitoring him he might slip again. He is a new Christian and still struggling with that. Please pray for him and our marriage. I don’t think we could survive a relapse. Thank you! Prayer works miracles!
I really needed this today! God has called me to work with women as well. At this point in time, it is more the Jr. high to college age, but I am also leading a women’s Bible study in my church and preparing to lead a session at our retreat next month. ANYWAY…
I really really needed this today because I have been feeling less than lately. Less than qualified. Less than enthusiastic. Less than glorifying. I am just tired. Then I read your words:
“Often God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies those that He calls.”
That reminded me of two things…
1st, I wasn’t looking to minister to women either. And I definately didn’t like teens. They don’t make sense, their clothes don’t match and they really don’t care about anything besides themselves, right? (oh, how very, very wrong on that one!!) I have never been more aware of God as when I am leading or even when I am in one on one mentoring with these girls and women. It is such a priviledge to share what God is doing in my life and to watch others’ eyes open to what He wants to do in their lives as well. And 2nd, God will never let me harm His cause on this planet. If He has placed me in leadership over women in my church, then He will qualify and energize me for every second that I am ministering. It is only when I revert to trying to do things my own way and in my own power that I become less than.
Thanks for the shot in the arm this morning. I think I will spend some time with God on this before youth group tonight.
Lysa, Thank you for posting this today! As a new mother and one who just quit her main career to stay at home and work part-time, I have been looking for how to follow God’s new direction in my life. I have been feeling for a while that God is calling me to change directions and center my job around Him. My struggle is often to not go in the direction I want to go, but be sure to lift every thing I do up to God and ask for and follow His directions.
I also have been one to say “women are too dramatic, too complicated” and always fought for gender stereotypes. As I grow older, I’m finding that I, too, enjoy the company and encouragement of my women friends. In fact, the Women’s Fellowship of my church family is one of my favorite times of fellowship!
Thank you again for this reminder.
In Christ,
Caroline
I’m thankful for you and your ministry!
It was definitely a plan designed by God. I pray
sweet blessing over you and Proverbs 31.
Both are a sweet part of my day!
Thank You Jesus for loving me this morning and gifting me with this blog post…for it came off Lysas fingers as she typed…but I know this was from Your heart to mine, I love You Lord Amen!
What a great reminder that only obedience in small tasks really leads to the opportunity for bigger tasks. I often think that we are taught from a very early age that we should be going for the big stuff and smaller stuff is beneath us. It sorta sounds like we should sweat some of the small stuff – that’s what conditions us/strenthens us for the big tasks. Thank you for being obedient in the little things as God has certainly used you to minister to me and so many others. And now, I’m off to be obedient in the little stuff – filing the mountains of papers on my desk – which, by the way, feels about as exciting as changing a diaper! But, with a right attitude, I’m sure I’ll zip right through the task. Here’s to a wonderful day -
Lysa-I cannot tell you how inspired you make me feel! I have been struggling with God’s “plan” for me for about 5 years. I worked as a Children’s minister, an Education director and finally I have been a special ed aide for the past 5 years. I am a vocalist who used to dream of being on Braodway, now I mostly use my talents to give God the glory! I started a speaking/singing ministry about two years ago and I have just been struggling getting it off the ground. I am on the waiting list for the She Speaks conference and I really think that this would help me tremoendously. Sometimes I feel unworthy to be telling other women about Jesus or child rearing or daily life, but then I remember that He chooses the unlikely candidate to carry out His work. So, I am going to keep pressing on and I pray that your ministry stays strong Lysa-thank you for your message! Blessings-Nicole
“If you feel God’s tug to be in ministry, let it unfold slowly. And realize you can start today. Simply ask God to place that one ‘obedience’ assignment in front of you today and say yes. Who knows what could possibly start from there…”
I love this quote Lysa. I would love to use it on my blog as a reminder of how God tugs our hearts and shows us the area that He wants us to minister. When we are faithful and follow it, He unfolds those plans for us. This is the path that I feel that I am walking in right now, as I begin a new area of ministry through working on writing a fiction novel. It’s a scary place to be in, but where I feel God calling me to be.
Blessings,
Jodie
Oh Lysa,
He loves to use unlikely people so He gets all the credit for any good that comes from their frail and faulty efforts.
Amen… Amen… AMEN…..
Your story is my story and I marvel God would use an unlikely, unqualified gal like you, like me….
Love you so much and I am continually blessed by you and Proverbs 31. Hugging you my friend.
I just love how you said, “Yes,” to God, Lysa! And how He has used you to bless so many, including me!
I said,”Yes,” when He told me to teach my nephew’s Sabbath School class and have been blessed beyond belief with creativity and energy that are NOT of me, just evidence of how He qualified the called.
I said, “Yes,” when He told me to go see my estranged father last December, which saved his life. He sees that my obedience to God’s prompting was what got him diagnosed and treated for stage 3 colon cancer and that he was living under a death sentence until God intervened through the willingness of his daughter to listen.
God bless you today!
I receive the encouragement for today and saw your invitation to request for prayer and wanted to ask you to please pray for me and for my family. Our son has been diagnosed for juvenile diabetes and has to take insulin twice a day. Yet the levels are not where they should be, and I believe that he too has a ministry for God’s Kingdom like you and so if you can do keep him in your prayers. Thank you.
Yours in Christ.
Sheila
My mouth dropped as I read this post, Lysa. It’s my story, too. My friends in youth were all guys — less drama. I stayed as far away from “women’s things” as possible. God kept placing me in places that stretched my capacity, and one day, when I came to him with an open heart and open hands, saying, “Whatever you want, Lord,” He moved me into areas I never would have chosen.
Now, a writer and speaker with a ministry to women (Heart Choices Ministries), I stand amazed at the sovereign grace of God. My choice to follow Him in a great adventure led to a ministry helping women make wise, godly, biblical choices. I am so grateful.
Thanks, once again, for your transparency, Lysa. We Jesus Gals need to pray for one another … that we will wake up every day saying, “Yes, Lord … Whatever, Lord.”
Lysa; Thank you for this post! Thank you for encouraging those of us who are called to let the call unfold as it is supposed to and stop questioning God. Obedience seems to be my word for today! How good God is in bringing what we need to our rememberance.
Be blessed!
Monica
Lysa, I stumbled across your blog this summer, and I have to tell you God is using you in my life. Today’s post hit it on the head! It was answer to a prayer I just prayed yesterday:) I’m thankful for the reminder that God does all the unequiped, but He equips us for the call. It’s just a matter of saying “yes”.
Maybe I will get a chance to see you face to face one day. Thanks for being an example of an ordinary girl that God is using in extraordinary ways.
Oh, this totally ministered to my heart! I too, have always had more male friends than female. Thankfully, God gave me a husband who understands this. And yes, He called me to His ministry almost four years ago and it took me 3 1/2 years to finally understand that, yes, I wasn’t qualified but He was qualifying me. I’ve said ‘yes’ to Him and am thankful that it is His study and whatever He wants to do with it, I am completely and perfectly fine with that! Thank you for always having devotions that speak directly to my heart! I know it’s a “God-thingy!”
Oh, Lysa!
I want to ask you ‘How did you know that I needed to hear this today?’ but I know better than to do that…it was totally from the Lord and He used your post to confirm what He has already told me twice this morning…I just read Marybeth Whalen’s article in the P31 Woman magazine this morning about trusting God with your dreams and then in my quiet time the Lord lead me to this verse: Ephesians 3:20 ‘God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!’ (The Message)
I just wanted to share how God used P31 in my life today!
God bless!
Connie (the mom with the shaved headed daughter…and, yes, she is still shaving her hair off and she looks beautiful!)
Thanks for your post, Lysa. It really encouraged me! I co-led a MOPS group a few years ago…without consulting my husband first. I did that for 2 years and then submitted in obedience to the Lord (not willingly at first) and quit because I needed to honor my husband and his desire for me to focus my energy at home. I still have a strong desire to be in Women’s ministry, but I don’t have his support…so I wait, and every day I pray that God will use me where I am right now (with 3 kids under 6) and perhaps the day will come when the door will open for me and God will bless it and my husband will too!
I needed this, oh yes, I did. My husband and I find ourselves in the middle of a “church plant” here in Las Vegas that we started in our living room a few weeks ago. I promise you that we are THE MOST unlikely couple ever to plant a church, or even have services in our home. But, we both want to be obedient to where we feel God is leading us, and we are headstrong enough to follow through, even when we can’t see what’s next! I cried through your entire post, and I’m going to send it to my husband, because he needs to hear these words too. Thank you…
If you only knew………but somehow, in only the way another woman who has been there can, you do.
I love that you recognize that you got into this ministry out of obedience. That’s how I operate a whole lot of the time too. I might not get it, I might not even like it (going in), but I do try to be obedient with the step in front of me and trust Him with the one after that.
It pretty much summarizes why/how I’m coming to She Speaks this year. I’m a reluctant speaker (and not because I don’t like being up front or talking to groups, but because I recognize all that comes along with it), yet I see God leading me along the path where speaking may again be part of His plan for me. So I’m taking the She Speaks step that’s in front of me and trusting Him for the one that comes after.
It helps a lot to know that I’m in such good company.
Mary Pielenz Hampton
Praise God He uses the ordinary to do things we would never imagine possible. My ladies laugh when I tell them I use to be an introvert. I tell them it is a God thing,,, not me. Because I know, what I know, what I know, that after 38 years of following after God, He is Faithful, even we are faithless….. I took the huge step along time agi and said “Here I am, use me God.” It has indeed been a big adventure, no regretts…………
Lysa, Thank you for sharing your journey. This past fall I feel like God is calling me to teach bible studies and be in women’s ministry which is far from where I am qualified. I was a middle school English teacher for 5 years and now a stay at home mom to almost three kids (my third is due in six weeks). I am not qualified at all to teach anything about him nor do I have the patience and personality to teach women either, yet this feeling is growing. I am a completely surrendered Jesus girl who is saying yes to God and He has recently (the last year) been growing me and using me in ways that is all God. Your story touched me and it is good to know that God qualifies those he has called. Your books have been a literal God send to me and I just want you to know that He has used you tremendously in my life the past year and that is such a cool thing. We met once at the womens retreat this past October in Getsville NY, but I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t even speak when you signed my book. So thank you for saying yes to God and allowing Him to transform you and use you as He sees fit because my life has been touched as a result. God Bless!
And I love exactly who you are and how God made you, Lysa!
I just finished Becoming More…and realized as I read it that I had actually read it back in the fall–but I loved it so much I read it again. And it just encourages my heart so much to know that God is with us!!–in the brownies and mattresses and just plain bad days with plain ol’ ugly attitudes (ours and others’). He never changes, but changes me…and I need Him to! Love, Holly
Lysa, I already left a comment this AM, but your words have come to mind throughout the day. I can look at my life and see how one yes has led to the next and now God has me at a place I never expected and would have never wanted. Anyway the other day you asked for questions, well not sure if that door is still open, but one has come to mind. Do you ever find yourself in the place of not feeling worthy of what God has called you to? The past 6-7 months God has really had it on my heart that being used by Him is a privilege, but also a huge responsibility, which is so true! I know it is important to be aware of our shortcomings and failures, pray about them and work to move past them, but how do you keep your “blown it moments” (considering you have them from time to time!!) from causing you to question God and where He has you and even doubting you’re the person for the job? After writing this I think I know what you would say!!
Thanks Lysa, what a beautiful picture of how God can turn our obedience into something amazing. Wise words for women heading into ministry.
Lysa:
Thank you sooooo much for sharing your story! God used your words to speak to my heart. Especially the part that said, “My job all along was to simply be obedient to God. My job was obedience, God’s job was results.”
You see for the past two years I have taken the job of being music/choir director director at my church. I’ve always been a follower so this leadership thing is very new to me. In the past 6 months it seems like the choir has been hit by alot of issues. A few had surgery and are out, a couple just quit the church, several had to step down because of family issues… it all seems like it’s falling apart at times and gets very overwhelming. I’ve been praying and praying and I really feel like God is telling me to “BE STILL” and just keep doing what I know to do. So when I read that line about obedience, it just confirmed to me what I already knew!! I just be obedient and God takes care of the rest!!! So thank you again for being OBEDIENT and posting your story! I have been getting the devotions for a few years now and I LOVE THEM!!
Keep up the GREAT work and GOD BLESS YOU!!!!
Thanks for this post. For years I have felt the same as you regarding women and women’s ministry. I have questioned why God keeps pulling me in that direction cause I feel like the most unequipped person in the world to minister to women. But what I have felt the Lord share with me is that it is in my weakness, that HE is strong. I’m grateful for that…cause I see myself very weak in that area. But I do approach life with a “yes heart”, even though I can’t believe the things I’m doing sometimes.
Thanks for sharing your heart on this. It makes me feel better to know that there is someone else out there who feels the way I do!!
Your ministry blesses me! Thanks for your obedience!
Buffi
Wow I was just discussing this with myself the other day. A few months ago I came across this scripture;
Isaiah 61
The Year of the LORD’s Favor
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners…
this is not the complete scripture but when I read this it hit me that this is what God wants me to do. That this was my path in life….I think that God has specific ways for each of us to do his will and when we say YES He then clears the way for us to began our journey. My path is not yours and your path is not mine but with obedience the blessings that are in store will come. Thanks for this post today it has reconfirmed what God has told me.
When I first saw you in one of the shows, I was amazed at how honest you were.
That is what I want to do. I have so much to share with other women. Perhaps I am like you that I don’t like women besides I hate men.
Many times I don’t like my husband. I hated my older brother while growing up. This is the problem. I was sexually molested when I was about nine. That was the heart of the problem along with physical abuse from my brother through out growing up.
My first marriage was abnormal and eventually failed.
Then I became a Christian. Now I cannot divorce for GOD hates divorce. It is very difficult for me to deal with everyday issues. I have to pray to GOD and read my Bible every morning to lean on HIM rather than my husband.
GOD, help me today.
Lysa,
Only God could have let you blog this today – I have read all the comments and it is very clear I am not the only one struggling with ‘are you sure you want me, God?. I have learned about obedience the hard way and I know disobedience is not really an option for me. What scares me is the direction He is leading me – I am coming to She Speaks at the end of the month & it just about the scariest thing I have ever done. Our ladies summer Bible study is yours “Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl” and I would swear you sat at my kitchen table and wrote it. God has spoken volumes to me through your transparency & testimony of God’s grace. I have always been more interested in sitting in the back row, in the shadows, behind the pillar, but He won’t let me sit there. As I read the other comments it occurred to me that one thread is being woven through all of them. None of us would have chosen the path He has us on & yet that is precisely why He does – it has to be all Him and all about Him and obedience to Him because if He doesn’t show up we are a-goner! I know I would be. Even just walking into the office every day at work I tell Him that if He isn’t coming with me I am not going in! If He chose women who were well equipped for ministry, we wouldn’t need Him and we would be glorified – that thought alone is terrifying to me. I truly want ‘but God’ to be the theme of my life. So, as scared as I am, I am getting on a plane at the end of the month and taking the next step forward into this new season of my life with Him. I don’t have to understand it or figure it out – just obey. You are so right on with that one, Lysa, and I pray you will draw encouragement today from all the comments on this post. I have printed out your post and it is going in the inside cover of my Bible! Thank you Lysa for your obedience to Him – He wasn’t the only One blessed by it today.
ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS WOW! Obedience and a “YES” heart! THAT’S WHERE I AM NOW…. THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Woww! I thought I would pop over today between cleaning out some closets and cooking. Got lonesome….
The clothes just don’t talk back:) when I read this post today during lunch, I have grown to love you even more. I can’t wait to meet you one day and hug your neck.
You answered many questions I had for you. I had the proverbs 31 thing crammed down my throat ( unintentionally) from my dad and the more I read it the more I wanted to TRY’ to be that thing.I had a wonderful mom, but guess what? We have totally different personalities. My previous posts explain than even in the striving to be all those things not everyone has been pleased at times, So feelings of exasperation have flooded my soul. I have found much healing at the cross and much more grace than I ever gave myself. God has been showing me He just really isn’t hard to please. He really isn’t interested in our performance, striv only our heart. Most of know that, but we are still seem to keep trying to measure up to some thing or some prototype. That Proverbs woman is a hard thing to follow. I get exhausted just reading all she does. I was exhausted, I tried it all at different times but God has lightened the load as I sought Him and quite trying to get validation in all the works I was doing and all the people I was serving. I have been in training as well and working out my salvation with fear and trembling.
I am on standby to come to She speaks. Haven’t heard from anyone yet and Luann says I am to be there, but I know God’s timing is perfect. I am here on the GUlf Coast with all the oil spill.
We really need your prayers for our health and our safety. I will be at one of those conferences real soon. I know
God is moving me into my new season and as last year I struggled with my identity, thru you and Luann’s blogs God spoke to me volumes of what is to come. So I am waiting for God to unfold these things with excitement. Patience is not one of my favorite things to work on in my life. So I will see you when I see you and know it will be amazing.
God bless you! He loves you:) He loves all his children more than we can fathom.He wants to bless us abundantly in spite of ourselves.
Jesus must be, He is my identity, not my husband, my children, my job, my club I am in…
because raw emotions, you call them, want to tell me otherwise…
“they overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of their testimony”
thanks for allowing me to testify, but to testify I guess there has be be tests:)
Lysa,
I’m a few days late reading this, but thank you for this post. I just got back from a week at camp with the Senior Highers at our church and have really been struggling with what my role in the youth ministry should be. I haven’t been very obedient to God as of late and it is definitely affecting the way I feel about everything – especially the other leaders in the group. Thank you for the reminder to be obedient (even and especially in the dark times) and let God take care of the rest!
Katie