My Great Privilege

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On June 3, 2015,  I was enjoying communion with the Lord, writing down things He was placing on my heart....words like purpose...will...loyalty...teach...yield. I began sifting through my stack of books looking for the Morning & Evening devotional by Charles Spurgeon. I opened to this:

"These were the potters who lived there in the king's service." 1 Chronicles 4:23 ESV

Something clicked within my spirit and I quickly wrote down, "new blog post idea!" and that started my study route for the last nine days. Seeing the words, "in the king's service" pricked my heart so deeply, I took it as a sign from God to pursue this Scripture further. I read everything I could find on it.

"Potters were among the ranks of manual workers, but the king needed potters, and therefore they were elevated to royal service, although the material upon which they worked was nothing by clay. In the same way we also may be engaged in the most menial part of the Lord's work, but it is a great privilege to do anything for the King..." Spurgeon

Last month I received a phone call from my good friend Michelle asking if I would be willing to be part of her content team for She Works His Way a place of "encouragement for working women to find balance in life through total surrender to Jesus". 

I listened.

News flash! I had been praying for months for opportunities to write with purpose and God gave me the gift of writing a 40 day devotional for my church. Although, I should confess that after I wrote day one I tried backing out. I contacted the church and told them they had the wrong person...that I only respond to devotionals, not write them. They didn't let me off the hook and told me to keep going and to use my God-given gifts.  I was totally blown away by that. And so I did and it was a tremendous blessing in my life.

Here He is again, five months later, hand-delivering me an opportunity to work with Michelle and I respond this way:

" I am humbled and honored that you would think of me but you have the wrong person.... I don't really work."

I do that all the time. I tell people, "I'm just a homeschooling mom"....like I have no value or He can't use me in my current life stage....but in Him I am more than that.  I truly am grateful for the reminder that it is a great privilege to do anything for the King. 

Michelle laughed and told me at length that I do work, that the Lord was already using me and in her inspiring way she encouraged me to pray about it. That was a Friday afternoon. 

Over the weekend I prayed, confessed my sin of pride and even walked away from something I love, something good, to work on heart things and to pursue God alone. By that following Monday I became part of her team.

Psalm 100:5 says, "Let the whole world know what He has done!" Just like the king needed the potters, the Lord has need of me right where I am. The Lord has need of you, too.

The potter's lived there in the king's service. So it got me thinking. The King needs me and has asked me to make myself available to Him so He can use me in the best way He sees fit.

I want Him to use me as an instrument to proclaim His message in every place He has me. Am I serving my husband in the King's service? Am I educating my boys in the King's service? Am I writing in the King's service? Am I working my two part-time jobs in the King's service? Because that's what I want to do....to serve wholeheartedly and work for Him with enthusiasm. (Ephesians 6:7)

"There is no ideal place for us to serve God except the place He sets us down. We are not to run from it on a whim or sudden notion, but we should serve the Lord in it by being a blessing to those among whom we live." Spurgeon

I have been set down in my home, by God, to be a blessing to those around me. I've been given opportunities to write from home, to teach, encourage and equip women who also want to be a reflection of the Lord in the places where He has them.

I saw a quote on Pinterest and I'm not sure who came up with it, but I love it. It says, "You become like the 5 people you spend the most time with. Choose carefully." 

I am an early riser and I give Him the first part of my day. As I've done that consistently, He's been so dear to me....showing me things about Himself in fresh and exciting ways. This time ignites my creativity, my passion for the things of God and it helps me push past my feelings of fear and inadequacy. 

"Write those things I say to you, write and hold back nothing of all I shall say to you." 
Frances J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved

This is my great privilege...my opportunity to demonstrate and display the love of Jesus with the words I write whether here on my blog or elsewhere. I know that I can't write in my own strength and for my own glory...it never works out.  Total surrender is a process for sure, but I know that He will be with me the entire way.  He is guiding me on this new path, a path that I can trust Him on.

"Dwell with the King and do His work, and when He writes His chronicles, your name shall be recorded." Spurgeon

Lord, I want to soar in the service of You, My Master.

xo

Flies

*This is what I am sharing at my homeschool co-op today.

February: Welcome to the time of year when my homeschool related fears rush in. We passed the 100 day mark. It's almost convention time.  Cabin fever. You know what I mean. The blizzards: Juno, Marcus,  and Neptune. I can't. This would be a lovely time for me to try and provide some encouragement to weary and worn out moms. Riiiight. Thanks for volunteering me to share today, Michelle! P.S. The devotion scheduler is bossy! :)

Earlier this week as I began to ask the Lord what He would have me share, I kept recalling 1 John 4:18. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear...."

I have life fears. I'm sure we all do. Today though, I want to talk about fear as it relates to homeschooling. I know that I'm not alone in this. But just to be sure, I asked some fellow homeschool moms (online) to share some of their fears.  I will share some responses in a moment.

As it turns out, my fears are not unique to me.  Being responsible for our children's education is a daunting task.  My fears cause me to freak out and forget the Truth of the Scriptures for a minute. I sort of panic and tell myself that I can't do it... but my reactions don't bring glory to God.  Because the Truth is that He called me and has equipped me to do this even on my worst day of school.

These are the "flies" (fear/lies) I received and truth to replace them with:

...I fear opinions of family members...
Do not be afraid of people’s scorn, nor fear their insults. Isaiah 51:7 NLT

...I fear that I'm not a good enough teacher...
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3 NIV

...I fear that I'm not capable of giving them the best education...
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NLT

...I fear they are missing out because of me...
But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. Psalm 33:18 NLT

....I fear that I'm not enough...
On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4

...I fear that I'm not teaching them what they need to know...
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD--Isaiah 11:2

....I fear that I am failing them....
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

I'm so thankful to the Lord for this Truth:

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

These slavish fears we at war with are not from God. They are lies straight from the pit . We need to take back our thoughts of fear and replace them with the Truth. We are loved by the Lord. He has equipped us to teach, train and encourage our children. The enemy wants nothing more than for us to get caught up in what we are not doing. We need to stop falling into his traps and believe what God's Word says.

We have to trust our lives, our souls, our interests, our reactions, our routines, our children and their education to the Lord Jesus Christ. After all, they belong to Him.

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