Don’t Give Up!

So nine months ago Blake and I stepped out of full-time ministry.  We had been through a very tough season in one of the churches we served in, and needed to take a break and do some healing!  During that time, God showed us many different things about ourselves, and about our circumstances and our dealings with them.  At the end of it we realized we ARE made for ministry.  Blake and I have a calling on our life that we can run from but will never be able to ignore.

So, God gave us a new and fresh love for His bride.  The passion we had when we first jumped in to ministry was restored and fresh.  He called us to a thriving, exciting church body, and gave us another opportunity to do His work in the body of Christ.  And I am so thankful.  Blake has only been on the job for two weeks, and this is really his first week to get to do pastoral things.  So I wanted to share a story that happened yesterday.

Blake gets the privilege of writing a hand-written personal note to all the first-time visitors.  This past week there were 66 people who worshiped with us for the first time.  As Blake began to write these letters, he asked the Lord to show him who he should call.  He came upon a woman who was from Mt. Juliet outside Nashville, and he felt led to call her.  She began to share with him how she had just moved out here from California and doesn’t know a soul.  Her mother had just passed away and she was really torn up about it, but wanted to move away from everything and start over.  She asked to be placed in a small group, as this would help her connect with people.  She was very thankful that he had called her.

Blake then preceded to write more letters, praying once again that God would show him who to call next.  Another card came up with a woman’s name on it from Mt. Juliet. (same town as the last girl he talked to)  He called the woman on the card, and began to hear her story.  She and her brother were looking for a church home and her heart’s desire was to pour in to younger women.  SO…Blake gave her the first woman’s number and asked her to call her and invite her to come with her to church and we could all go out for lunch Sunday after the service.  God gave Blake exactly who He wanted to connect.  I love His intentionalness (is that a word) in our lives.  He cares about every detail.

For me though, oh, how it fills me up to see my man being used by God in the giftedness that He has given to him.  I am so excited to see how God uses us for His kingdom’s sake here at Crosspoint.  We are so blessed and honored to be a part of such a great body of believers.

To anyone out there who has been hurt in ministry…I say don’t give up.  Rest if you must, counseling is always good, journal your journey, but don’t give up!  That’s exactly what Satan wants you to do!  But the battle is ours to win!  God is soveriegn.  He knows you and loves you…remember it is Him you are serving…not any man!  That might make it a little easier to press forward!  And God is still sowing seeds!  Even in the midst of  the hard season you might be going through!  Who knows what will be reaped if we don’t give up!  (Gal. 6:9)