I just came back from a weekend at Camp Caroline. This was my second year with these beautiful ladies in this gorgeous setting. Of course, the best part was hearing from God and watching as he ministered to so many different women in so many different ways.
As I began to recap the events that unfolded over this past weekend, God began showing me how every interaction just confirmed that I am going to continue to be involved in women's lives, praying for them and encouraging them using the gifts that He gave me. He reminded me again that He has imparted the gift of encouragement for me to use to minister to people. What I didn't know this weekend or somehow had forgotten was a vital element of this gift is listening. Listening to the Holy Spirit is imperative in ministering to their needs. Just being there for them to listen to them is in itself, an act of encouragment. He said before we can know how to minister or what we should speak into the lives of others, we have to listen simultaneously with all 3 parts -- our physical ears (the body), our spiritual ears (the spirit) and with our heart, which is (our soul) mind, will and emotions. He said when we listen with all three, we operate in love and compassion, speak truth and life from God's word and walk in wisdom and discipline.
I was quite surprised how many times this past weekend that God used me to listen and speak into women's lives. Ever step was a step of faith, going forward in faith that I might not always know what to say or do, I would trust that as I went, God would use my willingness to touch these lives. There were so many signs that God was there among us just as he promised me. On the trip I shared with the women I was riding with that God had spoken to me and I was so excited I could hardly sit still. I told them that I had gotten a strong "knowing" that God was going to be there in a strong way this weekend. We all knew that God was with us as we were going but He had gone before us and prepared this weekend in a marvelous way and He was ready and waiting to pour out his Spirit on us when we got there. We were expectant with faith!
It now seems like it happened so fast that I can hardly remember all of it but that first night I had a dream. I was agitated in my body and restless. In the early morning hours I had a dream. When I woke up I was very angry and wanted to run away and be alone. I didn't want to be there. The things that were happening in the dream were not good things. The dream was either just a dream or it was a message to someone. In the dream I was the subject of the trauma but in reality I knew the dream was not from events in my life.
I went up front to talk with the speaker and for prayer. She didn't really have any answers for me but assigned someone to pray with me if I wanted it. I told the woman on the prayer team that I was confident this dream was not about myself and could be something for someone here. This group of people at the retreat were from a different denominational background and a little different from what I was use to but there is a reason for this. Like my friend Grace said, 'sometimes you are hoping God will speak through another individual and tell you what God is saying to you and then God surprises you saying seek me for yourself to hear what I want to tell you. This experience was a complete trust walk with God myself, stepping out in faith to minister to other people believing that God would direct me as how to encourage them.
As it turned out there was a young woman there that I had started talking to the night before. When I first met her she was very nervous and agitated about being here even though she was a Christian. She said part of her didn't want to come. I knew she was uncomfortable with all these women. When we met again on Saturday morning, she continued opening up and sharing much of her lifestory with me. As I listened and ask a few questions, I sense that I should share this dream with her. When I did, she acknowledge that she was the person in the dream that these things happened to. I stayed with her a little while longer as she shared even more about her life. As we both went in for lunch she asked if she could eat with me so together we ate lunch and listened to the speaker walking around the lunch room answering questions from the crowd. I knew many of the questions were exactly what the young woman was asking. Later throughout that weekend I watched her open up and talk with other women, interacting with them and having fun. I sensed that somehow I helped her with her trust issues, that she could open up with other people who could help her. All in all I helped encourage her to reach out. I could have prayed with her I suppose but it never actually worked out that way for us. I'm confident as a trailblazer that God used me to help her on her path.
That was a good beginning to being a vessel for God. Then He reminded me that His call is irrevocable, which means it cannot be revoked, recalled, or undone (Romans 11:29 "for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable"). I have the same calling he gave to me years ago when I was extremely active in women’s ministries. Although I relinquished leadership roles and moved on from the various types of women’s ministries over the years, the gifts and calling on my life remains the same. God assured me that He provide opportunities for me because of the calling on my life.
I am called to encourage women just like in war times where the troops are rallied together to reminded them of their purpose and encourage them with hope that they are making progress on the enemy. I believe we are all on a rescue mission! We are taking back our family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers from the grip of the enemy. “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
I believe I am called to minister to the needs of women. I covet your prayers as God reveals to me how to Teach & Train Women for War but I don’t know how this is going to happen. I’ve always believed I will somehow write a book about that but I’m sure there is more to it than that. I think this would make a good book title, “How to Protect Your Family From the Enemy” and is something I have experienced.
God also placed in my heart to commit to pray for a young woman that I met there at Camp Caroline. I will call her Dana, although that is not her real name. As God began unfolding the events that happened this past weekend and his plan, He showed me that she is a young warrior for God she just doesn’t know it yet! God is going to take that fighting spirit that she has and turn it around for His Kingdom. I’m praying that God will teach and equip her for this battle. She is going to stay loyal to God when she is in service to him in such a way that fits who she is. She doesn’t quite understand her identity yet. She is going to become a prayer warrior. She may even help young mothers who are living dysfunctional lives. I believe I am to start praying earnestly & diligently for and be committed to her.
I also believe I am to start praying earnestly & diligently for a friend's family. I believe that family is going to completely turn around to God. I am praying and believing that also for my own family, my husband in particular. Until I see the manifestation I believe we are to stand on and delcare Joshua 24:15 “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.
God showed me, like a recap, of the lives He touched in so many simple ways this weekend. Whenever we doubt God is moving through us, he is still gracious toward us because he sees our heart’s desire is to please him and be used of him. Also because the gifts and callings are irrevocable, God can use even the simple acts of love to move big mountains in other people’s lives. It only takes one pebble to shift ever so slightly to create an avalanche, moving that mountain.
We might not ever know how valuable and instrumental one word, one hug, one listening ear, one smile, one prayer, one act can be to God to move those mountains in people’s lives but God does. Obedience is better than sacrifice, although sometimes the obedience is a sacrifice, as it opens a portal for God to bless and change lives.
To anyone reading this blog post, I am telling you that you can be a blessing to other people. My prayer is that God will show you just how important you are to Him and to other people along your pathway.
Anything I have said here that you don't understand or don't agree with, please just pray about it and ask God to show you what I'm trying to say. I do not want to deceive or lead anyone astray so please seek out the truth for yourself. I am not perfect, I am just an instrument of God. I pray for truth and revelation with no intention to confuse or hurt anyone. Just ask God. He promised if you seek him you will find him. The Holy Spirit is our counselor and guides us into all truth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence. Jeremiah 17:7
