I don't know about you, but I love moving furniture around, cleaning out and freshening up the spaces in my home. When a space comes together, I can sit back with a sigh of accomplishment. It feels good to refresh the space where I spend the most time.
In 2016, I'm hitting the refresh button on my life - committing to focusing more on my writing (blogging, Bible studies and devotionals) and giving more attention to my magazine, Living Real.
(You can check out the latest issues at livingrealmag.com)
God is calling me to some soaking time with Him in His Word, His presence, and His strength. I'm taking a much needed "sabbatical" from the hectic busyness of church ministry and focusing on the ministry He's uniquely designed for me outside the four walls of Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Sometimes we can become very distracted with really good things, filling spaces where there's a need, but not being where God has called. His intent is not for us to fill a spot, but to be filled with Him so we're not "in a spot" when He says, "Go." Lately, I've felt like I'm "in a spot" and not following His path for me, quenching the freedom to "go" because I'm stuck in a place I deemed good.
I remember when God orchestrated circumstances and gave me the desire of my heart, to be a full-time mom. He called me out of the classroom and away from teaching in the public schools. A couple of times I stepped back in to help out a school, thinking I was where I needed to be, and although the action filled a need, it caused me to sidestep from the path God had directed me to.
Each time I've stepped away from that path and into a gap where I can help, I realize God didn't call me to be a "gap filler." He designed me to follow Him - to love Him wholeheartedly, to know Him fully, to be filled up with His Spirit, and to spill Him out through His divine calling on my life. And in this season that calling is to spill Him through the ministry of Living Real, blogging, other writings, and speaking.
So, the space I've created in my home is just the beginning of the 2016 commitment to soak in His presence, His Word, and His strength for the calling on my life to write, speak, and encourage.
How are you freshening up and refocusing your relationship with the Savior in 2016? It's worth the time and the effort to be on the same page with Jesus Christ, looking to the Author and Finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)
It's simply refreshing!
My Pleasure,
Melanie
Comments
Post a Comment