Beginning this post, I have to say, because it is at the forefront of my mind, it is such a relief and breath of fresh air to reach a point in life where you know, this is my path.
What happened to me personally, which is a bit out of order from my last post, but again, necessary to divulge, was a vivid dream and vision the very night I knew God was calling me to be a part of His Kingdom.
Early Faith and a Lifelong Invitation
I was nineteen years old, dazed and confused. I grew up going to church on Sundays and always hearing about Jesus from the important people in my life.
I know now that we, as human beings are always moving around, but God, He stays right here, knocking at our spiritual door, wanting in to lead us and guide us along life’s journey (Revelation 3:20).
When It All Made Sense
When you accept Jesus, this is when those early experiences and circumstances make total sense (like when I realized the blessing of forgetfulness from age six to sixteen).
That was God, knowing me better than I will ever know myself, He shielded me from so much angst and confusion, all on purpose (Romans 8:28).
And it made sense once I got to know Him on a personal level.
A Vision with Purpose
The specifics of this vision Almighty God showed me was a mirrored image of my work, my career, my passion for helping others to see their worth… even relaying this message to “the least of those”, the “lost” population of human beings who have made mistakes beyond just a little lie, those who lose their freedom to time behind bars, those imprisoned (Matthew 20:25).
I can’t help but allow you to read for your own eyes exactly what this important verse says:
“The King will reply, ‘Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers, and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
The Humble Example of Jesus
What does this mean? It means our Jesus, our Savior, was, and lived on this earth as ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE. Jesus wasn’t clothed in the best of clothes, He didn’t eat the most delicious of foods, and He especially didn’t live in the most gigantic, marvelous homes.
Gracious, for most of his precious life, He was on the run from those He came to save. His example is one of pure humility, utter selflessness.
No, we are not all called to the Mission field to mimic His exact example, but again, we can and will find our true purpose through knowing Him personally and understanding Him helps us achieve this desire.
Living the Vision in God’s Timing
I tell my guys, the participants of my classes at the prison, my Heavenly Father was the only One who knew when I would be ready, mentally, spiritually, and even physically, to live out in true time this vision I had dreamt about twenty-five years earlier.
It came to fruition, but not a minute before He allowed it to.
What did I do throughout those twenty-five years, well, that’s an interesting part of my journey, to say the least.
And we will delve into some of that next.
Stick with me, friends. We are all in this together, learning, growing, and striving to ensure we fulfill the plan God has in store for us, where we will stay encouraged to do good by our Creator. We will NOT give up (Galatians 6:9).
Enjoy the additional encouragement in song. Click the link to hear the song pertaining to this week’s message of hope: Here’s My Life by Barlow Girl