I am a huge dreamer. I always say God made me this way. But in my biggest of dreams I have never dreamed that I would receive a call from someone asking me to step into a position I never thought would come my way. It's a position for the Assemblies of God denomination.
I have always dreamed of working for God not to long since the day I came to salvation. I would ask him to put me to work for Him full time. But there was always a catch. Lord, I need to be paid. I didn't care what I did. I even told Him I would walk on the streets with a sackcloth bag for my dress and sandals witnessing to anyone who would listen. God knows what our needs are and where he is taking us. I'm convinced that if I knew ahead of time I would probably mess things up.
I got a taste of ministry at our first church in Jacksonville FL. Our pastors wife there was amazing. I loved her so much (and still do). She knew exactly how to love you and bring out the best in you. She even recognized qualities within me that I didn't know existed at the time. She mentored and nurtured me from the start. I realized pretty quickly that God had given me favor in her and that I needed to listen to her.
After about seven years of working under her, God began to move in my heart to take something I had been doing for years to the next level. He called me to start the Praying wives Club. I had been giving out the book "The Power of a Praying Wife" by Stormie Omartian to just about every wife that I had come in contact with from the time my husband wanted a divorce to now (about 11 years). He was moving in my heart to invite women to my home to pray over our husbands using this book as a reference.
I prayed about "Who" God wanted me to invite and invited them. Once I knew who was coming I went to my favorite Christian book store and bought each of them the book and a journal to write their journeys in. It worked. Each of the ladies came and we started our club. We actually didn't have the name PWC until the second night when one of the wives said, "Hey, we should call this Praying Wives Club".
PWC started as me giving books, to holding PWC meetings in my home, to creating a private Facebook group reaching out all over the world literally, to creating a packet for other wives to start PWC groups in their area. In fact we are in the process of starting a group in Roberts Bay, South Africa! Isn't God so good!
But, I'm getting ahead of my self. My first ministry team is actually the home page of this blog! To check out how SALT got it's start click HERE!
Since the first SALT meeting, God has grown this ministry in many ways and given us much favor with pastors, Directors of areas we are called to and so many others. I have an amazing team of women who give their all to this ministry. They even followed me into the one of the hardest hit low income apartments in Jacksonville FL for four years! You can't ask for a better team than these ladies..
Please know, I made quite a few mistakes when I got started. But I've learned from them, picked my self up and received God's forgiveness for my falls. I get excited about God and had a tendency to run past Him leaving Him with my orders and how He wanted me to do the task he had before me! Thankfully I don't do this any longer but not until I had done it at least 50 times before hand.
In all that I learned in SALT and PWC, I never saw my new jorney coming. Funny thing is, when I got the call, I didn't even know what the lady on the other side of the phone was talking about. Funny, Right! Praise the Lord she thought so!
Now, I am humbled to be able to reach so many ladies on a much broader scale! I have been asked to receive the mantel of our current South Carolina District Womens Ministry Director. We currently have 97 churches in SC. that's 97 opportunities to share with women all over this state the many trials and victories that God has walked me through in my 12 years of ministry.
I was talking to God about this a couple weeks ago and he reminded me of something. Remember when I share with you that I was asking God to make a way for me to work in ministry? He told me this, "You asked me for a small group of women, I'm giving you a whole state to minister to!" Not only did he open a door for me to work for Him full time, it also comes with Pay, yes I said Pay and paid trips among other benefits. Amazing... Proof God dreams bigger for me than I can for myself!
I'm sure my story doesn't stop here. In fact, I look forward to experiencing as Paul Harvey says, "The rest of the story!"
Don't stop dreaming ladies! God will always dream bigger for you!!! :o)
I Will Sing!
7 years ago
2 comments:
Wow! That is an awesome testimony! I will remember those words. As a matter of fact I'm going to write them and put them where I can see them every day - "Don't stop dreaming! God will always dream bigger for you!!!"
I needed that today. Thanks.
I know! Awesome Word! I have been "Dreaming" by it since the day God revealed it to me! Let me know when He delivers His Dream for you!!
I'm following your site because you are a sweet compliment to Praying Wives Club. Feel free to check it out when you have time! :o)
Have a sweet night Lady!!
Cherie
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