The Blessings of Change
The original title of this post was going to be "Up and Down; In and Out..." but I decided that is a negative shaping of the wonderful things I want to share with you. Next week marks 31 years of being a disciple of Jesus. Half of those years I was in the full time ministry and half of those years I worked for someone else or started my own business. My feelings about some of those years led me at times to think I was failing in some way, but as I look back, I realize God has given me unique chances to grow and learn about Him, myself, the world around me and life in general. Some people have commented that since I no longer work for the church I have entered "working in the real world." I disagree. Nothing could be more real than being a minister of men or women trying to teach them and support them in their walk with God. While my schedule during those years was more flexible than many working in the secular world, I worked just as hard or harder than I have in recent years. It was simply different. Both positions deserve full respect.
The years I worked in the ministry, I held many positions. I worked with women on campus, single women, older women and married women. I worked leading the women in different size groups. I worked in existing ministries and also started new ministries. Sometimes I was the lead woman in a group and others I was in the position of supporting the lead woman. I worked many years developing and leading the children's ministry in Africa, guiding and training both men and women in many countries. I became a "women's ministry leader" while my husband worked as an administrator in Africa. Now, although I don't officially work in the ministry, I am the wife of an elder. I am grateful for all the different experiences God has given me. I am confident in most counseling sessions because of those experiences.
Almost 8 years ago we embarked on a new venture of opening our own business. All that I have learned from that deserves its own blog and I won't go into details. Suffice it to say I understand well the battle to stay spiritual and focused on what really matters in life while juggling the demands and needs of a business and its employees. I am uniquely qualified in ways I never would have imagined 31 years ago.
I guess what I hope for you to take away from this today is this: enjoy the changes God allows in your life. Enjoy the roller coaster life is at times. Enjoy and embrace the opportunities to grow and learn no matter what direction God takes you. Know that nothing is a mistake and that He has a plan and purpose in everything He allows you to go through. Know that your dreams will probably change over the years. Even more important, know that you are here to fulfill His plans and dreams for your life. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9
Life is good!