God Used Me

I got this idea of starting a blog from Felicia who suggested we do a newsletter like I did in Madagascar so that our friends and family could keep up with us. I loved the idea in theory but wasn't quite sold on it. Truth be told, the newsletters stressed me out. However, I loved blogging as a form of reflection.

Of course, I was filled with questions and doubts like, "Would anyone want to read it? We just moved cross country, not abroad.", "Our life certainly isn't as exciting now as it was a few years ago when we were traveling the world.", "Do I even have anything of worth to say?". As He usually does, God answered my questions in an unexpected way.

On New Year's Eve morning we went to church as a family at our new church home, Central Christian Church. The message that morning was about the Hands of God. The campus pastor shared some of the things God had done at Central in the last year. There were some prepared testimonies from servant ministers (volunteers) who served in children & youth. Then, the campus pastor asked the worship team to come up and lead us in a song so we, God's people, could reflect on what God had done in our lives in the last year. We were also asked to reflect to see if we felt led by God to come up and share what God had done in our lives this year.

As the song began, I immediately knew I was not going up because it was my first Sunday there and, even though God had accomplished so much in our lives, I wasn't about to go up to the mic. A woman a few rows in front of us stood up and walked out of the worship center. I assumed she needed to use the restroom but when I caught her eye I felt God say, "Pray for her." "Pray for her, I did mighty things in her life. She has a story, pray for her." I began to silently pray for her, that she would overcome any fears of public speaking, that God would give her the words to say to give Him all the glory. As I prayed God spoke again, "Pray for him. Yes, him sitting right in front of you." So I prayed for that man too.

The song closed and people began sharing their testimonies of what God had done in their lives. He had brought several out of addiction. He restored relationships between a father and his children. He healed the sick. He gave a endangered child a safe home and he could thrive in...the list goes on. Two of the last to share their testimony were the two people that God had laid on my heart.

God used me. God could have picked anyone to intercede for those two people but He chose me. When I left for Madagascar I knew God was going to use me. I just knew it. So I have searched for opportunities to be the hands of God. Somewhere along the way, though, I lost that eagerness to be used as part of God's master plan, but that eagerness was renewed on New Year's Eve morning. God reminded me that He isn't done with me yet, nor is He done with our family. I believe it has only just begun.

I shared all this with Jon and tossed out the idea of doing a blog together and he was on board. Here it is, our blog, with our first two posts included for your reading pleasure. We pray that God continues to use us and to give us stories and reflections to share with you.