A Leap of Faith

You ever hear the famous quote, “God works in mysterious ways?”  I’ve heard it all my life….but never experienced the true meaning of it until this last week.  Well, it’s really been a little longer than that, but it hasn’t been until the last week that the big picture is starting to come into focus.  And the most awesome part is that I will never see the entire “focused” picture….so as the days and weeks…..months and years go by….everything will continue to be new and exciting.

The God moments that have taken place in my life since I began writing this blog come more and more frequently lately.  Almost too many to try to write about….because at the time I don’t really see it…..it’s a few events down the road where I really see what is taking place.  But there are big changes occurring on a daily basis.

We have been lead to a new church….Lowcountry Community Church.  Not by accident I now know.  A simple word to my wife from a good friend at soccer practice started this particular chain of events.  We weren’t looking for a new church home…..but God was in the process of moving us to one.  And little did my friend know at the time….or even now….what that simple word about his church would put into motion.

With the changes in habits in my life…from listening to sermons from various preachers all of the time, to reading my Bible, to even singing in church (which by the way I never did before,) I began to grow closer to God than I ever have before.  And about 6 weeks ago I began making a huge change….we will get more into that a little later.

At Christmas I knew I was meant to do more than just “go” to church….so I stepped out of my comfort zone and volunteered as an usher.  And today I became an official member of the usher team.  And after church today I attended a meeting of people who were being called to make a bigger impact, and to step up even more.  God has placed a calling on my life….and I have accepted that call.

About 6 weeks ago I seriously began thinking about going back to school.  A few weeks later an ad on Facebook lead me to send off for information from a college.  I began receiving phone calls three times a day from them.  I ignored them….still not sure I knew what I wanted to do.  Last Tuesday night my oldest son told me I needed to go back to school.  The next night we watched God is Not Dead 2, and this small college a few weeks before I had looked into, a college I had never even heard of before, was the college where the Newsboys were performing in a major scene at the end of the movie.  It was at that moment, laying in bed, in the dark, watching a random movie, that I felt like God said, “It is time.  You are ready my son.  You know what you need to do.”

The next day I go in touch with the University, and 2 days later I am registered and will start back on next Monday…….and I will be pursuing my degree in Theology…..a Bachelor of Christians Arts, with an emphasis in Philosophy.

At this moment I’m not really sure where I will go from here….preaching is not something I’m looking at…..but like Pastor Jeff said this morning in his message from Daniel 3, “We don’t speak our destinies into existence.  We surrender our destinies to our Sovereign Lord, the God of the Universe.”

So back to school I go…..and I’ve never been more excited in my life.  You always hear that to get somewhere in life it may be necessary to take a “Leap of Faith.”  But as I was walking around the pond during lunch on Friday I realized I’m not scared.  I’m not nervous.  I’m ready.  I’m ready to be used by God.  Because I don’t consider this a “Leap of Faith.”  How can it be a “Leap of Faith” when I know exactly where I am going to land.  I may not know the exact destination, but I know God is going to be there to catch me.

I have seen God’s work in so many places recently, some within my own household….some that aren’t my place to share….but I know that He is here, that He has a plan….and that we are all of part of it.  We all have our appointed places to be…..our appointed duties to perform….and I pray daily to continue receiving His guidance….the guidance that is out there for all to receive if we just take a second to listen.

So today I will leave you with this…a few verses from Psalms….and I pray that God will work in you the way He has begun working in me.   I pray that you allow yourselves to accept His guidance and wisdom…..and that you can all find the joy that I have only just began to fully feel.

“Make me know Your ways, O Lord;  Teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation;  For You I wait all the day.”

Psalms 25:4-5