What is in your hands?
I was inspired by Sunday's sermon and wanted to share a true story about bringing God what is in your hands.
In 1984, my father became the choir director at Clear Creek Baptist Church in Midland. They had a small choir that was a little inconsistent, so he was often left to sing a solo for the "special." He eventually tired of that and one week decided to teach us kids a song and have us sing it. I was about 12 and was the oldest of five. My youngest sister was 2. I believe we learned "Arky, Arky." We were adorable and the church ate it up. Over time, we learned other songs.
Around this time, my parents went to visit a ministry called His High Places for some counseling and a retreat. Several years before, they had completely turned their lives over to God and chosen to follow Him with abandon. The change in their lives was stark, and people were constantly coming to them asking, "Why are you so happy all the time? What are you doing that we're not?" My father worked a full-time job, led the choir part-time, and they were doing all this counseling as well. The directors of the ministry told my parents that God had given them a vision of all of us, dressed alike, singing, and ministering in churches. They said my parents needed to start a ministry. My mother's response was, "Is this what you tell everyone? Take two aspirin and start a ministry?"
In the following weeks, they prayed and prayed. It was a HUGE step of faith. They laid what was in their hands at God's feet... our ability to sing and their obedience. We had less than no money, and really nothing else.
They ended up launching the ministry, Covenant Families. We lived on faith. We began to travel and sing as a family. The first church where we ever did a program was Bethlehem Baptist Church. They would tell stories to encourage people to faith-filled living, and we would sing together. My parents impacted a lot of people over those years, but that's another story.
The point here is they gave what little they had and asked God to bless it. He took it and multiplied it beyond recognition. My walk with God, my life, and my ministry was deeply impacted by that and is truly an extension of it. My children's heart for ministry is a further extension. They could not have imagined what would come of their obedience.
My prayer is that you will be inspired to take what is in your hands and truly abandon it to God's use. See what He will do. You won't regret it!
SONGS FOR SUNDAY
This is Amazing Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjXjkbODrro
Jesus Paid It All
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rWXUqF_BFo
Holy Spirit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvBBC7-PSHo
Worthy of it All
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ0bV2t3tUw
...and we are learning
Yet Not I But Christ In Me