The past 6 months have taken me out of town a good bit for work. I have been working on a project in Lubbock and in Abilene. When I was tasked with the project, I was only out of town once a month but as the projects have come closer to deadline, I have had to travel weekly. My Abilene project was complete last week and culminated with a Men's Breakfast for the Abilene Transition Center.
The beauty of spending a lot of time on the road is you get lots of time to talk to God. I knew from the beginning of both projects that I was not going to these communities just for the job. God made it very clear that there were kingdom purposes for me in my travels so each time I entered each community, I would keep my eyes open for what God's purposes were in taking me to the Big Country and the South Plains of Texas.
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| Tables at the Steak and Egg Benefit Breakfast |
Going into a community where I did not know anyone was quite different than in the Texas Hill Country where I have lived almost all my life. How on earth would I raise awareness of what our transition centers contributed to their community when I didn't know anyone? One thing I have learned in my life and am totally confident in is that God
is with me and when He calls me, He equips me. I saw that over and over as I simply showed up in each community. God gave me incredible favor with the local TV stations and radio stations as well as community service organizations like Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions and others. It has been amazing to see Him put me right next to key people that can help me accomplish the mission of my job.
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| Vintage baseball decorations |
is with me and when He calls me, He equips me. I saw that over and over as I simply showed up in each community. God gave me incredible favor with the local TV stations and radio stations as well as community service organizations like Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions and others. It has been amazing to see Him put me right next to key people that can help me accomplish the mission of my job.
I have numerous stories as well as numerous obstacles God has helped me overcome. I have had the privilege of ministering to numerous widows and praying with others from staff at the hotels I've prayed at to staff at the transition centers I've worked at. God has brought the volunteers I've needed, people to come along side and make my life easier and people that share the passion I have to help those in need.
One story I will share began as I showed up for a Rotary meeting in Abilene. I just happened to be presenting that day and just happened to sit at a table with a retired judge and author. Through the conversation, I was invited to speak at the Abilene Writers Guild. Although I felt inadequate to speak at this kind of event, I said yes as God told me He was going to open doors and I was to simply say "Yes" and trust him. When I showed up at the event and shared my story of how I began writing for local newspapers, I shared the tragedy of losing my late husband. I also told of the goodness of God and how my writing was a gift I never knew I had and how it was a blessing that came from a loss. At the conclusion of the meeting, I had at least 5 and probably more widows that came up to me and said, "You were here just to speak to me." How cool is that? I was able to encourage each of them in where they were in their own journey.
From the woman that is a recent widow that I met and have shared lunch a few times to the young girl struggling with her self esteem, to the older gentleman at the Marriott, each one is precious to the Lord. So special to Him, that He gave me the privilege of touching their lives. God is looking for people here on earth that will listen to the Holy Spirit and obey when He wants to use us to touch someone.
One story I will share began as I showed up for a Rotary meeting in Abilene. I just happened to be presenting that day and just happened to sit at a table with a retired judge and author. Through the conversation, I was invited to speak at the Abilene Writers Guild. Although I felt inadequate to speak at this kind of event, I said yes as God told me He was going to open doors and I was to simply say "Yes" and trust him. When I showed up at the event and shared my story of how I began writing for local newspapers, I shared the tragedy of losing my late husband. I also told of the goodness of God and how my writing was a gift I never knew I had and how it was a blessing that came from a loss. At the conclusion of the meeting, I had at least 5 and probably more widows that came up to me and said, "You were here just to speak to me." How cool is that? I was able to encourage each of them in where they were in their own journey.
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| Jim "The Rookie" Morris was our feature speaker for the Men's Breakfast |
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| One of the young adults I've had the honor of working with |
After seven months in a community where I knew few people, the Abilene Men's Field of Dreams Benefit Breakfast was this past Thursday and $39,000 was raised! Yea God! Actually, that was over $10.000 more than I raised last year in my own community!
God loves it when we simply say "yes" to Him and show up and hang on. I've seen him do above what I can ask or think. Life to me is about spending time with Him and loving the people He puts right in front of me each day.
I challenge you to ask Him for divine appointments, listen to Him and love those He puts in your path.
I challenge you to ask Him for divine appointments, listen to Him and love those He puts in your path.
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