The Faith to Say Yes

Yesterday, I sat around a table with 3 men, two I have served with and admire and Ernie who I just met.  We were planning out a communications plan for the Vulnerable Children's ministry at my church.  I was there because in a debrief meeting after an event serving foster families it came up that there was a dire need for communications help.  

I recall the drop in my stomach as I heard the need.  "But God, this can't be what you have for me.  I teach the Bible."  Then I felt the deep stare from my daughter sitting next to me and then an elbow in my ribs.  I looked into her face as she mouthed, "mom, that's you."  This would not be the first time God has used my daughter to nudge me down His path for me.

As I sat in the planning meeting yesterday we laid out the communication needs of the ministry and I took notes to create a process and procedure for managing communications. 

"I don't want to over ask, I know you are volunteering," staff member and ministry leader, Max, had said this to me before.  God knew I would need gentle leadership as I eased back into serving at church.  His mercies are new everyday.

"You are not over asking, " I assured him.  "I will get this organized, I will meet the needs with volunteers and train them, but long term doing the day to day execution is work to me, literally, since that is what I do for a living." 

Ernie who has a calm and quite way about him looked at me for a moment.  "What is it that brings you joy in serving?"

"Teaching the Bible is my passion."

Earnie smiled, "I was just in South America teaching the principles of Trust Based Relational Intervention for children who have experienced trauma and when I would share the science behind it and why it works the people didn't want to accept it.  They wanted to know what God said about it.  They trust God not science in their culture.  There is a need for Bible teaching in caring for vulnerable children."

I smiled this time.

Then Max asked me, "would you want to do Biblical teachings on TBRI and connecting with children from hard places?"

"Maybe," I answered, "but right now God has asked me to do this."

My answered surprised me a bit, it may surprise you, why wouldn't I jump at the chance to teach again and leave all this communications stuff that felt like work to someone else?  The answer is simple, experience in trusting God and not rushing what He has for me at the cost of building His kingdom.  Funny enough, I started in women's ministry in the trenches of communications before ever taking the stage to teach a Bible Study.    It is in these quiet places of serving behind the scenes that learning takes place, relationships are built, and faithfulness in serving where God places you is tested.

Is God asking you to serve in a place that doesn't make sense?  Don't be a Jonah.  Say yes.  Abide in Him and allow Him to teach you in a season of ambiguity.  Serve selflessly because there is a need, not because you love doing something.  Heed the words of Jesus who said he came not to be served but to serve.

Kingdom work always requires the hard and holy yes if you want to see God move.  When you stand before God and give an account of your life don't let his words be, "You saw a need and you didn't fill it."  Let His words be, "Well done good and faithful servant."

​Have the faith to say yes.

I'd love to hear from you.  Is God asking you to say yes to something but you are struggling to commit to it?  Let me know so I can pray for you and encourage you.