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Becoming a Vessel God Can Use By Donna Partow Viewed as God's vessel, how would you describe yourself? Chipped? Cracked? Broken? Discover how the Master Potter can shape and mold you into a useful servant, imperfections and all! Ideal for small groups or individuals, Partow's best-selling 10-week study offers you hope, encouragement, and transformation as you seek to follow God's will for your life. 240 pages, softcover from Bethany. |
Whatever is Pure - August 2005
Trying to Find A Way Through A Dead End?
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I sat on my stripped bed in my tiny room. Luggage sat ready to taken to the train station. Goodbyes had been made the night before, there was nothing left to do but to leave and in the process, leave my dreams, my hopes and what I had thought would be my permanent home for many years.
I had clung in desperation to a dream that the vision I had felt the Lord plant in my heart years before, that to be used by Him in full time service, using the creative heart he had instilled within me. I believed that I had a calling on my life and it had been confirmed through others and through time spent with the Lord. Why did everything fall apart? What happened?
Looking back now across the years at that broken girl, I now know the answer that that girl was not ready to receive. I was determined to make my dream come true and that was my downfall. I had my heart set on reaching the goal, rather than reaching the heart of Jesus. I put service to Christ above relationship with Christ. Along the way, I deliberately disobeyed Him by returning somewhere that he did not wish me to be. I was not yet ready to truly understand this point and wasn't ready until years later.
God, in his graciousness, waited. And waited, then waited some more. It took his child a long time to understand that to obey is better than sacrifice. Years passed and finally, I had hit rock bottom. I was stuck in an office in an industrial park of a large urban center, the rents being cheaper for our ministry. I was alone, doing routine accounting, answering occasional phone calls, selling books to keep the office running. All the dreams and idealist hopes I had thirteen years earlier were unfulfilled. I gave in. I couldn't reach the goal no matter how many times I hit that brick wall of the dead end in which I found myself.
I gave God the keys to my heart and stepped back. God finally could move. Now, 10 years later, all the dreams I had as a young, wide-eyed Christian have come to pass. I'm reaching more people through the Internet than I ever could before. I am expressing His gift of creativity through my writing, through graphics and web design. I am loved, cherished, respected and 'needed' in my local body. I make a difference.
I learned that a dead end is only the end if you fail to take the turn. I wasted much needless energy trying to find a way across a dead end street than I would have if I had stopped and asked for directions to get to where he was leading me in the first place.
© 2005 Katherine Walden
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Trust in Me
When you're sad and feeling down
Trust in me; you wont be bound.
When times get hard and nothing's right
Trust in me; I'm by your side
Come to me when all else fails
Trust in me; I'll be there
When times get hard and storms pass by,
Trust in me and look up high.
When it seems like there's no end
Trust in me; comfort I'll send.
When your eyes are full of tears,
Just trust in me and have no fear
I know sometimes you can't understand,
But trust in me; I'll take your hand.
When times get dark and you can't see the light
Trust in me; I'll shine it bright
Times will come when you are tried,
But trust in me and not hide.
If you strive not to fall
Trust in me, it's worth it all.
Author Tammy J Winslett
http://poetrybygod.tripod.com
Motivation
In the last several years, I've been blessed with meeting a speech language pathologist, and getting to work with her on different projects she has to do. I don't like to brag, but I really think she saw something in me that she hasn't seen in many other disabled people. Since we started working together I've seen a lot of people with all different kinds of problems. However, I've unfortunately seen an all too common dilemma among the disabled. As I see it, the problem is being un motivate d. There are so many people with disabilities today that have just given up. People think because they're disabled they can just be lazy, sit at home, and do whatever they want!
My disability is pretty severe and I've really struggled with finding work. There are just a certain number of things I could do, especially since I haven't been to any type of college. Computer work has been the area I have pursued to this point. Mostly the jobs I've had have been data entry. It has not been easy and I've been out of work many months at a time. I know very well that it is not effortless to go get a job being disabled. I realize that it's work in and of itself, and sometimes the hardest part is just to have patience! I also deeply believe that no matter how difficult it is, we as disabled people need to be doing something! Whether it's a job, pursuing our rehabilitation, or helping others through prayer and our friendship, we should be doing something. I understand that it's sometimes so much easier to just sit, watch television. But that is not right. We're human, made in God's image. And we were all created for some purpose, God's design.
You may say I don't know your circumstances. You're right, I have no idea where you are in your life now. But God knows, and for whatever reason, has allowed you to be in this place. I'm not saying He necessarily caused it, God doesn't do wrong. He may have caused it to draw you to Himself. Or maybe He wants to use you in a way you couldn't or wouldn't be able to be used without allowing this to happen. And sometimes He does things we will never understand or see the reason for this side of Heaven. I don't know why he gives us those things we can't understand. However, I know Him to be a good God, a God of mercy and love!
Trust Him, and get to know Him in prayer! How are you going to know what He wants you to be doing, unless you are talking to Him in prayer? It's like if you've ever worked, how can you know what your boss wants unless you talk to him? It is the same principle. God is faithful, He will show you what to do in His time.
© Sarah Ellen Coiner
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