Matthew 25:21
When I was in highschool, one of my youth leaders told me that God was going to use me in a mighty way and to never doubt what God could do with my life. From that day on I have prayed daily for God to use my life in a mighty way for His glory. Although I have prayed this daily, I have recently been convicted of this prayer. Convicted that my "mighty way" and God's "mighty way" might be different. I have always loved leading in worship so I picture a "mighty way" would be for me to become the next Darlene Zschech. Or maybe to be the up and coming Beth Moore of our generation since I love to write and speak to women about God's impeccable greatness. So I sit and wait for God to open the doors to using my life in one of these "mighty ways". NOT! Don't get me wrong, these are not bad dreams to aspire. I would love to see the day when God uses my life to make a HUGE impact for His Kingdom. The conviction comes by realizing that God is using my life in a "mighty way" every day. He is using me to be a loving wife to my husband; to provide a haven for him to come home to at the end of a long day; to be his lover and his best friend. He is using me to raise and nurture my five beautiful blessings. To teach them about the loving, faithful God that I serve so that they, too, will be lives that are making an impact for His Kingdom. He is using me to lead in worship at a local church and to sing and speak at places as He opens doors. So yes, I will continue to pray daily for God to use me in a "mighty way", but with a different outlook. The key word is DAILY. To make myself available for the mighty way that He wants to use me that very day. As I daily consecrate to Him a willing and devoted life, maybe one day doors will be opened to an even bigger dream. So let your "mighty way" be doing the very best you can do at whatever it is the Savior has you doing today. Impact the lives of those you cross on a daily basis by showing them the love of the Father. For those of you who are content doing this, continue doing it well. For those of you who are like me and dream big, never doubt what God can do with your life! "The Master was full of praise, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'
Matthew 25:21
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I grew up in a Christian home where the love of Christ was ingrained in me from day one. I was taught of His undying, unconditional love and was assured that nothing could change my Heavenly Father's love for me.
As a child, I found this comforting because of my disobedience to my parents or maybe mistreatment to a friend. As a teen, I shunned this love for a while and thank God for His amazing grace and protection as I chose to live my own way. As a college student, I began to understand this love and grace much more because I started figuring out on my own who God really is and what that had to do with me. I began maturing in a way that I could clearly recognize that this love of His offered wisdom, healing, faithfulness, comfort, joy, patience, peace and help. As a young adult and newly married young woman, I experienced this undying and unconditional love as I struggled to apply the same to my marriage. Derrick and I dated for five years before we got married, but the last 2 1/2 years of dating were long distance. We had somewhat gotten used to our own lifestyle, then BOOM, we were married and together 24/7. The next few years were somewhat trying as I dealt with selfishness, pride and "un-submission", but again the Father's love (and thankfully my husband's love too) continued to withstand no matter what! Now in my 30's (almost 40's, but we won't go there), I can look back through my life and could share with you so many testimonies of God's provision, His perfect timing, His blessings which exude far beyond my hopes and dreams, His protection through our wilderness journey over the last few years and for His continued patience even through my doubts. I always assumed I'd be a wife and a mom to many children, but I never assumed at this point in our lives that we would walk the road of financial struggle and foreclosure. I always assumed we would have it all together, but I never assumed we would journey through the wilderness and have days where we would beg to hear God's still, small voice. So now, even though I don't understand our circumstances, I'm walking out the faith that I have in an awesome God, Father, Friend, Deliverer, Provider and Protector to never leave me nor forsake me. If you are walking down a path of uncertainty right now, hold tight to the Father's hand, let Him lead, and trust that He will take you to new heights of abundant greatness! His love is real, so in your doubt, just walk it out! You know it's true! About a year ago, Derrick and I took our oldest two boys out to get ice cream and to tell them about their adoptions. We had prayed since the day that they were born that God would give us the words to say when that day came, but we were still nervous wrecks. We brought each of them home from the hospital when they were born and although I had never told them that they had come from my belly, they had no reason to think any differently. We did not want them to ever question our love. As we sat in the quaint, downtown ice cream shop, we realized we were the only ones in there so it would be the perfect time to tell them they were adopted. They were in a silly mood that night, but we proceeeded to talk to them about it. After we had poured our hearts out, we asked them if they had any questions. Isaiah, who was almost 6 at the time, said, "Yea! Isn't this the place that has chocolate lizards?" Derrick and I looked at each other and laughed. We had agonized so much over this and that was the only question that was asked. They, until today, had never said another word about it. I was having lunch with the boys up at school today and Isaiah had already gone back to his class. Eli and I were cleaning up and when he came back to the table after throwing stuff away, he asked if he was adopted. I told him that he was and he said he didn't believe me. I asked him if he remembered his Daddy and me talking to him a while back about it. He obviously did not because he said, "Well I came from your belly, so I can't be adopted." So here we are in the middle of the cafeteria, with Eli's class fixing to leave and I'm trying to explain to him all over again about his adoption. (Derrick was out of town of course so here I am stuck with the tough stuff on my own!) I immediately called Derrick and my parents when I got in my car so they could be praying for him to be o.k. as he processed that information in class. His heart is so tender. Well, just as I expected, as soon as I picked the kids up from school Eli got in the car and said, "Isaiah, you're adopted!" (I had told Eli at lunch that Isaiah was adopted too.) Isaiah says, "O.k., I have no idea what you mean." For the next 30 minutes or so we had the best talk about it all. I don't know if God had just shut their ears to it all when Derrick and I told them all of this before, or if they just weren't really old enough to comprehend and understand, but now they know for sure what precious gifts they are to us. Our prayers were answered. They were both in the best moods after our talk. Thank You Lord for pulling me through that one! If you are a "birthmother" out there, thank you for the sacrifice that you made so that your child could be loved, provided for and cherished for all of their days. If you are considering adoption, it's the most wonderful thing you could do! I can't imagine my life without my boys! Today there were no "chocolate lizards" in our discussion, but I sure could eat one right now! :) Dear Mama, Know that I grew up under your wings. I have been loved, protected, nurtured, cared for, provided for, SPOILED, taught Godly wisdom, taught manners, respected and taught to respect, sheltered but also given my wings to fly so I could learn to make choices, everything I have needed, you have given! I have learned from your Godly example and by your guiding hand. You are my guardian angel Mama, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I hope you haven’t ever questioned your purpose in life because of not having, what the world calls, a “career” Just in case the thought ever crossed your mind I want you to know this: You had the highest calling on your life and that was to be a Godly mother to David and me! Because you followed that calling, your children will one day enter the gates of heaven to hear the Lord say, “Well done my child.” Because you followed that calling, your children are in full-time Christian ministry today leading others to the cross so they too can enter the gates of heaven. Your life alone has blessed thousands in leading them to God’s throne and for this I rise and call you blessed! (From Barren to Blessed)
Hope you have a wonderful birthday! We love you! |
Marci Shirley
Christ-Follower, Pastor's Wife, Mother of Six: Eli, Isaiah, Carmen, Jesse, Ciera and Samuel; Author, Speaker, Song Writer Topics
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