Vickie, you posted this scripture in a post recently and it inspired me to tell you just how this scripture has helped me. Thanks for asking me to post it on your website.
A few years ago i had to quote this scripture each day before going into my new job that was totally intimidating...911 Center. Not only was it intimidating because of the high volume of information I was expected to learn it was also very stressful because lives often depended on me. And to add to that stress there were a few of the girls that were in charge of training me that seemed to be determined that i fail at making it as a dispatcher and were also very mean. But this scripture got me through each day and held me in place until God blessed me by opening another door for me. I was given the rare opportunity to go to work in the jail. The director told the Captain at the jail that I was too valuable to lose and she would not recommend just anyone. So my 3 months of not giving in or giving up at the 911 center paid off because I ended up loving my new assignment as Jail Officer. This was not my permanent home but a holding place until God once more opened another door for me and showed me favor by giving me the job i have had now for the past 3 1/2 years. My Captain even called the owner and hiring manager in the new company that I desired to work for and put in a good word for me. So...my thoughts are...we do all we can do and let God work out the rest. He will walk with us and then carry us when we need to be carried. Praise God, He is so awesome!!!
My point is, I had no idea if i could do the job but i decide to raise the bar high for myself and try. If I failed then at least i tried and wasnt left with always wondering if I could have been successful. took the scripture literally. It said I COULD do it with God's help. So my part was to take the required test to get in, show up for work everyday, ignore the girls being mean to me, which was NOT easy. I had to bite my tongue a lot or walk outside to keep from strangling them or backhanding them a few times...pray. Pay attention and do my best and let God take care of the details that i couldn't. Even though I didnt succeed at 911, God had a bigger and better plan then I had for myself because when I went to the jail, which was even more scary and intimidating, I ended up liking it far way better than 911. The 911 center gave me experience that prepared me for the job i am doing now and the jail gave me experience that I am glad I was able to get. Once I got the job I am at now i felt job security enough to move the kids and I out of moms house which was very cramped, and to a place of our own. So God works, we may not always see what His plan for us is but you can always bet it will be something better than we ask for or expect.
When I was able to walk into a cell block alone with 30+ men-criminals and be locked inside with them and not be afraid, you know God was with me. I had an officer watching from the tower but if they had decided to attack me or shank me, there would still be a couple of minutes before other Officers would be able to get to me. A lot can happen in that little of time. But I never felt afraid. I was careful and followed the rules but again I believe God showed me favor in the inmates eyes because they NEVER gave me any problems. Even the ones that would come in combative became calm when I came in to finger print them, search them, ect. I remember thinking each time something like that happened..it was God causing that to happen. Kind of reminded me of Daniel in the Lion's Den. :-)
While i was working at the jail i remember praying for God to make me a usable vessel. I didnt feel i was doing anything for Him and I didnt know what it was He wanted to use me for. I really just wanted to be open and let him show me what he wanted. I woke up at 5am and He showed me what he wanted me to do. So i opened a post office box in the name of what i called New Hope Ministries and started printing stuff off the internet like "Dealing with Anger God's Way" by Joyce Meyer or from other websites that dealt with life's issues like forgiveness, bitterness, repentance and obedience ect and mailed them to the inmates. They had no idea who it came from or how their name was gotten. But after a while i could see it was touching their lives. Most of these inmates had nobody writing to them and felt nobody cared. They were in a place where they were open to the Word of God. They couldnt just pretend in front of me because they didnt know it was me. they thought it was a church. I believe that idea and inspiration came straight from The Holy Spirit. The officers would make snied remarks about jailhouse religion and i understand that but i really believe God reached some of those inmates and at least there were seeds planted. I did my part...researched, read, printed and mailed the letters and prayed for God to do the rest and that was to prepare their hearts and minds to receive His Word and it be planted in good soil and then to bring someone else in to their lives to water the seed and help it grow and bear good fruit and change their lives and use them to do the same. I have faith that HE DID do that because that is His will. It is not his will for anyone to perish but for all to come to the knowledge of His saving Grace. He would not have told me to do all of that and not hold up His end. Amen.
Satan laughs and says...who are you? You are nobody special. You are not Holy and perfect, you have no right ministering to anyone. I may not be perfect, I may stumble and fall, but I am only defeated if i stay down. I sometimes let the flesh take over but God reminds me that I am not where I use to be and He isnt finished with me yet. I just repent and ask God to make me usuable again. I never claimed to be a Spiritual leader but God can use the lowest of the low. If God can use someone like me then He can certainly use you. All he wants is a willing vessel. Some of the people God used in the Bible werent perfect either. None of us will be perfect until Jesus returns for us. So open your heart and mind to the leading of the Holy Spirit. If you feel like you arent doing anything or enough for Christ then ask Him to show you. Ask him to cleanse you and make you a usable vessel and to reveal your purpose to you. Even if it is short lived things, little things. Sometimes we have to start out small until we mature and are ready for bigger and more responsibility. I hope this blog will bless and inspire every one that reads it. - Karen
