Today, I’d like to do a “reverse” blog post. Instead of writing my heart’s passion and allow you to comment… I’d like YOU to do all the sharing. Then throughout the week we’ll discuss more.
Your topic: What area of ministry is God calling you to serve?
First, the ground rules. There are no right or wrong answers! God has uniquely equipped you for His ultimate purpose. (Psalm 139)
Secondly, finding the area where God is calling you to serve may be obvious, for others it may take some time. Feel free to share where you are at in this spectrum.
Finally, life is full of seasons. You may find yourself in a “public” season where you are able to serve in your local or global church. At other times God may call you to serve “privately” for the church within your own heart or within your own home.
If you still need a little guidance take a look at one pastor’s thoughts on this topic.
So, go ahead and blog away! Write a post and link it here… anytime this week is great! Or, take a second to fill out a comment below (you may need to click on the word comments found under the title above).
Looking forward to hearing how God is moving in your life.
Shane, recently the Lord has been impressing the elderly on my mind.
My parents, although elderly themselves at the age of 83, spend Sunday afternoons visiting nursing homes and care facilities. Many weeks they are the ONLY visitors these dear ones receive. It must be so lonely.
This past Sunday my parents couldn’t make these visits because of a snowstorm. My mind was captured with thoughts of these dear ones waiting and waiting just to see a familiar face and have someone come and spend time with thm.
Since Sunday (and it’s only Tuesday), the Lord has continued to keep my mind focused on these “ancients” (as my friend Elaine would call them). An episode of “Little House on the Prarie” last night spoke on this same theme. I attended a seminar at our church last night entitled, “Caring for Aging Loved Ones” (that had been planned and in my calendar for weeks), and this morning in my reading I read in Leviticus how the Lord made plans for the “poor and foreigners” to be looked after, and again I was reminded of those who need to be remembered.
I’m not sure what the Lord has in mind, and I’m continuing to seek Him, but I sense He might be leading me into a new area of ministry…a quiet, behind the scenes ministry. A couple of years ago I focused on sending cards and notes to the different “Shut-in” of the week that my church surrounds in prayer, but maybe it’s time for some face-to-face connection.
Praying for continued direction,
Joy
Hi Shane,
I posted my thoughts about my area of serving. Looking forward to reading yours!
Funny this came up. This past weekend our family went to visit a church my son and his wife are thinking of attending. The sermon is still in my head. “I don’t go to church, we are the church” Anywhere two or more are gathered is a church. The sermon revolved around not only the input of help in the church but with people in the community and just helping someone in need. The mother of one of my children’s friends has been very sick and the last time I saw her she said she just wants to be in touch with people. She told me she would ride around doing errands with me just to be around people. For some reason, after hearing this sermon I emailed her to see if I could come by to visit today. She was thrilled. I feel my connection aside from other things in the church is just that. Checking in on people and visiting making sure they feel connected. I know from prayer that God will take me in the right direction.
Right now I am in the season to serve privately. I can barely keep my head above water with the kids, house chores and trying to be a good wife. Not to mention most importantly staying connected with God. Right now all I want is to learn more about him, but I do feel guilty going to Sunday morning Bible study. There are women giving time in the nursery for my daughter and women teaching Sunday school for my son, and I drop them off to get time for myself in class. I’m going to pray about it, because I do feel guilty. In this area more than any other it’s difficult to distinguish what God wants you to do vs. what you think you’re “supposed” to be doing.
I am not sure what I am suppose to be doing as far as service goes. Publicly or Privately
Just when I think I have an idea my heart changes or I question myself. I wonder if he seriously thinks I can do that. I guess he knows better then anyone. :)
I will post later in the week. I am kind of in the middle of topic on my blog that I don’t want to turn from yet. I want people to see it and learn hopefully what the enemy is trying to accomplish through text messaging and our teens.
Praying for you!! :)
Shane, you know what’s been on my mind lately. I feel like God is calling me to continue my pursuit of music. Being so young and feeling like I need to give up a dream and passion of mine without even trying it is silly. I’ve been listening to the song “Music of Heaven” by Jason Robert Brown and “In Christ Alone” a lot lately, and it’s making my heart FULL of all the decisions I want to make. God is working in me somehow…and I think knowing that I don’t really like the school I’m at right now/knowing I belong elsewhere is God’s way of telling me that I’m not done with music yet, nor is it done with me. There’s so many opportunities left…I’m only 18!
I also feel compelled to just share the love of God with everyone. Since I’ve been a little bit lost and out of touch with Him lately, and then all of a sudden last night I was dancing around my room and singing and feeling infinite….I knew that God had finally hit me. That I had reconnected for that split second and it felt great. My body and heart were full of the Spirit and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I want to tell everyone of the experiences that have made me and my faith stronger…so that maybe when they’re at their all-time low, they can have a little glimmer of hope:)
just coming back from a mission trip to Brazil – I feel God is calling me to be involved in His Church. Here, there and everywhere! I want to walk the streets of gold!! let’s get the word out – Jesus is real, He’s here! I would love to be blessed with another mission trip – anywhere. Sometimes, I feel – anywhere but my home. I know that my first mission field is home with my husband and children. My children, our young people, are the next generation of the church. My mission is not complete here. It probably will never be ‘complete’. Once a mom, always a mom… But I do have responsibilities here that keep me from going on another mission trip tomorrow like I would like to. My husband and I look forward to the day when we can go together as a mission team to serve. I pray I’ll be ready for that. I do hear God telling me to ‘Be creative, Terry.’ The area’s of ministry God is calling me to? . . . my children, my husband, the mission field here, there and everywhere. I am sure that it will be in ever changing ways as I grow through season after season.
Oops…commented about my “bench status” on the wrong post. I suppose being currently “on the bench” also makes me very vulnerable right now. A good fit either way.
peace~elaine
My calling is definitely for Christ to lead me on this journey in life, in marraige, in being a mother, and lastly a teacher. Each of these is a calling. I feel so blessed to have a family. That is my biggest calling…to be a mother who leads her children to Christ. I am overwhelmed many times, and wish I could broaden my ministry, but my family and classroom is my ministry right now. The needs in my classes are completely immense this year. I am in prayer constantly for these babies that I teach, and their families. I pray that they will find hope in Jesus.
HI Shane,
I have been traveling to 13 cities in 23 days so have not checked in lately. So…a little late to the party but love the theme! I realized about a year ago that God was calling me to speak to the comfortably deceived. Too many believers accept Christ for salvation as their ‘ticket’ to heaven and then miss out on the joy and freedom that comes from developing a deep and personal relationship with God. God has given me a heart for this message and has called me out to share my journey of walking around with the ‘ticket’ in hand for many years before I realized the ‘ticket’ gave me access to more than heaven…it gave me access to a full, intimate and joyfilled relationship. Being shy and introverted, I never imagined me speaking to groups all over the country on this topic, but each time I step out in God’s strength, He gets 100% of the glory! I love walking in His strength, sharing His story and inspiring others to walk closer with Him.