"As a man thinks, so is he"
January 23, 2011
I have tried several times in the last couple of weeks to blog, but I was really struggling to find the right words to frame the incredibleness of this journey.
Most of you know that I go to NewSpring (I LOVE MY CHURCH)! I have been plugged in at this church for more than eight years volunteering in many different capacities. Over the years, every message and volunteer opportunity seemed to be pointing me in a direction for ministry. This was no surprise to me, because since the age of 9 years old I have been passionate about the grace of God, the cross, Jesus Christ, and living the life He designs for us. I used to take my children's bible out to recess and invite other kids to come and sit with me and I would share with them about salvation. While I did pray with a few kids my age, I have no idea if they really understood any of it but I knew that I was called to share with others about the mercy and grace He provided in His Son Jesus Christ. It is lifechanging - and how could anyone keep that "private" or to themselves?
On this new journey, that officially began September 7, 2010 - there are many days when it is difficult for me to stay @ peace and KNOW that I am doing what He calls me to do with my time and energy. The only checkpoint for accountability that I am to depend on is His word and where the Holy Spirit leads me through prayer. But folks, I have to tell you, that it has been more than enough for me. Each and every single day as I get on my knees and truly seek this life He designed for me - I am humbled with opportunities, circumstances that NO ONE can explain other than His divine intervention that pulls me up this mountain that I call my DWMJ plan. D - for doing, W - what - M for matters and J for Jesus.
I aspire to capture even the smallest moments of these interventions as good as Joyce Meyer does in her stories so that you can see how His promises are for everybody - not just some people. They are for anybody who has ears to hear and a heart to serve. That is all it takes. So, I started thinking, what if I were to try and share a chronology of events of how I got from 6 months ago to today - what would that even look like - and so here it goes:
1. Resigned my position. The night before my last day at Itron, I freaked out. And I turned in a letter to my boss pleading for them to let me resend it and forget it. I was chickening out even though I had 100% peace that God was calling me to leave. Knowing this, I prayed "Lord, if it is your will for this door to close, then please let them deny me." At 8:30 the next morning HR informed me that they were not accepting my request and that would be my last day.
2. That following Monday, I got up like routine and spent the morning with the Lord and His word. I had given up everything comfortable. What about our mortgage? What about our finances? What about our family? I got on my knees and gave Him everything. I said "Lord, it is all yours anyway and I am here to do whatever it takes to live the life you have called me to". He clearly laid out for me in prayer that spending time with Him and in His word that week was going to give me the vision and peace I needed to move forward.
3. The next couple of weeks I did just that. A former co-worker and dear friend of mine Rhonda Davis gave me a Joyce Meyer book "Never Give Up". I buried myself in it. I knew that Joyce walked away from a career to answer a calling on her life so that was a comforting point of reference for me seeing the blessed life she is living today. I journeyed through her pages - and began to strongly relate with God's identity for me - as an Eagle. If you look back on my blogs - I talk about being an Eagle that was stuck in a chicken yard because I was living a life that I knew was different than what God meant for me. A peace came over me and I made a commitment to never give up, never look back, and let each day be one day closer to being an Eagle that He has called me to be.
4. Through prayer, God provided opportunities very quickly for me. In less than three weeks, I received my state license to own an Aflac business. At the same time, God surrounded me with godly counsel, an unplanned meeting with a local attorney, who led me to my ministry partner Stephanie Enders - who turned out to be my neighbor and doctor's wife. She was desperately searching for a marketing expert and fundraiser. I had pretty much done all of that for Grace Abounds Ministries - and it was like two puzzle pieces that needed snapping together.
5. One month later, after many hours in prayer, and alot of time with God and talking to my husband, I began developing a business plan for my own marketing company and taking action to bring in an income to meet my financial responsibilities. In October, I got four opportunities for jobs. I interviewed for all of them. I did not feel it was part of God's plan, but at the same time the only way to know was to just give it to Him in prayer. One month later, I received four "we are not hiring you" e-mails about four different positions. God clearly spelled out for me that His plan did not involve me taking on another job in the utility industry. While all of this was happening, I began to leverage relationships with many business owners I had built over the years. In less than 45 days, God opened doors for me to build a book of business for Aflac record achievements for outstanding sales performance. I received a congratulations from the State president and learned that our state team is known as the South Carolina Eagles - EAGLES :) Wow.
6. I finished my business plan for Unsworth Marketing Group, LLC and by December I had more than four clients to keep me very busy and well positioned for 2011. In December, just before Christmas, another employer reached out and said a job was coming available. Again, I did not feel at peace about adding a job onto what I was currently doing. I felt as though that would be going backwards. I prayed that God would remove the temptation of a bi weekly paycheck from me if it in fact was not part of His perfect plan for me at that time. The day after New Year's I got a call that the job was not opening. How is that for direct affirmation from God that you are on the right path.
7. We are only three weeks into 2011, my discipleship territory has more than doubled, I get to be on the CARE team at NewSpring which is a great compliment to my ministry efforts and I am working closely with the United Way and many local organizations that have women in need of ministry. Also, I already have more than six new business accounts and strong positioning for Unsworth Marketing Group.
I have tried several times in the last couple of weeks to blog, but I was really struggling to find the right words to frame the incredibleness of this journey.
Most of you know that I go to NewSpring (I LOVE MY CHURCH)! I have been plugged in at this church for more than eight years volunteering in many different capacities. Over the years, every message and volunteer opportunity seemed to be pointing me in a direction for ministry. This was no surprise to me, because since the age of 9 years old I have been passionate about the grace of God, the cross, Jesus Christ, and living the life He designs for us. I used to take my children's bible out to recess and invite other kids to come and sit with me and I would share with them about salvation. While I did pray with a few kids my age, I have no idea if they really understood any of it but I knew that I was called to share with others about the mercy and grace He provided in His Son Jesus Christ. It is lifechanging - and how could anyone keep that "private" or to themselves?
On this new journey, that officially began September 7, 2010 - there are many days when it is difficult for me to stay @ peace and KNOW that I am doing what He calls me to do with my time and energy. The only checkpoint for accountability that I am to depend on is His word and where the Holy Spirit leads me through prayer. But folks, I have to tell you, that it has been more than enough for me. Each and every single day as I get on my knees and truly seek this life He designed for me - I am humbled with opportunities, circumstances that NO ONE can explain other than His divine intervention that pulls me up this mountain that I call my DWMJ plan. D - for doing, W - what - M for matters and J for Jesus.
I aspire to capture even the smallest moments of these interventions as good as Joyce Meyer does in her stories so that you can see how His promises are for everybody - not just some people. They are for anybody who has ears to hear and a heart to serve. That is all it takes. So, I started thinking, what if I were to try and share a chronology of events of how I got from 6 months ago to today - what would that even look like - and so here it goes:
1. Resigned my position. The night before my last day at Itron, I freaked out. And I turned in a letter to my boss pleading for them to let me resend it and forget it. I was chickening out even though I had 100% peace that God was calling me to leave. Knowing this, I prayed "Lord, if it is your will for this door to close, then please let them deny me." At 8:30 the next morning HR informed me that they were not accepting my request and that would be my last day.
2. That following Monday, I got up like routine and spent the morning with the Lord and His word. I had given up everything comfortable. What about our mortgage? What about our finances? What about our family? I got on my knees and gave Him everything. I said "Lord, it is all yours anyway and I am here to do whatever it takes to live the life you have called me to". He clearly laid out for me in prayer that spending time with Him and in His word that week was going to give me the vision and peace I needed to move forward.
3. The next couple of weeks I did just that. A former co-worker and dear friend of mine Rhonda Davis gave me a Joyce Meyer book "Never Give Up". I buried myself in it. I knew that Joyce walked away from a career to answer a calling on her life so that was a comforting point of reference for me seeing the blessed life she is living today. I journeyed through her pages - and began to strongly relate with God's identity for me - as an Eagle. If you look back on my blogs - I talk about being an Eagle that was stuck in a chicken yard because I was living a life that I knew was different than what God meant for me. A peace came over me and I made a commitment to never give up, never look back, and let each day be one day closer to being an Eagle that He has called me to be.
4. Through prayer, God provided opportunities very quickly for me. In less than three weeks, I received my state license to own an Aflac business. At the same time, God surrounded me with godly counsel, an unplanned meeting with a local attorney, who led me to my ministry partner Stephanie Enders - who turned out to be my neighbor and doctor's wife. She was desperately searching for a marketing expert and fundraiser. I had pretty much done all of that for Grace Abounds Ministries - and it was like two puzzle pieces that needed snapping together.
5. One month later, after many hours in prayer, and alot of time with God and talking to my husband, I began developing a business plan for my own marketing company and taking action to bring in an income to meet my financial responsibilities. In October, I got four opportunities for jobs. I interviewed for all of them. I did not feel it was part of God's plan, but at the same time the only way to know was to just give it to Him in prayer. One month later, I received four "we are not hiring you" e-mails about four different positions. God clearly spelled out for me that His plan did not involve me taking on another job in the utility industry. While all of this was happening, I began to leverage relationships with many business owners I had built over the years. In less than 45 days, God opened doors for me to build a book of business for Aflac record achievements for outstanding sales performance. I received a congratulations from the State president and learned that our state team is known as the South Carolina Eagles - EAGLES :) Wow.
6. I finished my business plan for Unsworth Marketing Group, LLC and by December I had more than four clients to keep me very busy and well positioned for 2011. In December, just before Christmas, another employer reached out and said a job was coming available. Again, I did not feel at peace about adding a job onto what I was currently doing. I felt as though that would be going backwards. I prayed that God would remove the temptation of a bi weekly paycheck from me if it in fact was not part of His perfect plan for me at that time. The day after New Year's I got a call that the job was not opening. How is that for direct affirmation from God that you are on the right path.
7. We are only three weeks into 2011, my discipleship territory has more than doubled, I get to be on the CARE team at NewSpring which is a great compliment to my ministry efforts and I am working closely with the United Way and many local organizations that have women in need of ministry. Also, I already have more than six new business accounts and strong positioning for Unsworth Marketing Group.
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