Meanwhile my church had been experiencing some "growing pains". I guess its bound to happen ... technology creeps in, song-styles change, preachers bring a fresh approach to the message. I understand how that can step on the toes of people who grew up there and liked how it 'was'. Change is hard - and harder for some than others. It seemed like the time had come to move into a more contemporary service style, although to me it seemed equally and nicely blended. I was fairly new there - I didn't see what the problem was, but then I never had anything to compare it too. Regardless, it was decided that we would go to a two-service model, having a 'classic' or traditional service and a contemporary or 'praise and worship' service. For the most part I think everyone agreed. But whether we all agreed or not, God seemed to be working in our church and we had to move in the direction He was sending us.
We had one more service 'together' before the 2nd service was going to start. Our little praise band was going to play and the choir was going to sing something a little more traditional. A blended service with a little something for everyone. And hopefully after everyone's tastes in music and attire were satisfied, maybe we'd have a little something to actually give to GOD. But God Himself had other plans that morning! There was an accident in our neighborhood and a car had taken out a power pole along with our power. It was lights out at Tuckaseege Baptist! It was late summer, steamy and getting hotter by the minute. They opened the doors of the sanctuary to the outside to let in some air and we fanned ourselves with the old hand-held church fans. Since we had no power for the video screens for our music we actually had to take out our Baptist Hymnals, turn to page so-and-so and sing to the piano. Pastor Jason rolled up hi shirt sleeves, stepped up to the pulpit sans amplification and delivered a sermon old-school, shouting loud enough for us all to hear and reading from his Bible. We had no power point presentations and no slide shows, no canned music or anything else. We may not have had electricity that day but rest assured the power came down on us by way of the Holy Spirit! Don't get me wrong, I like all the new stuff that my little church uses but that service was stripped bare and nothing but the message, God's word, God himself. It was awesome! And from the choir loft that morning I noticed a couple of visitors sitting behind Mrs. Katherine. I don't believe I'd ever seen them before. I was just hoping they would come again, maybe when the power was back on ... so they could see just what all we have going on!
After a chance meeting with mutual aquaintences in the local coffee shop, Jason was invited to lunch where he met the visitors. The man had grown up in a little country church - much like ours - and the woman had actually grown up in a Catholic church. They were looking for a church that they both would feel comfortable in. He liking the more traditional style and she a little more modern in taste. Jason told them about the 2-service model we were planning to start and suggested they come check us out. It turns out the man wasn't a fan at all of video screens, music accompaniment tracks or bands. But because the power was out that morning he loved the service! She wanted to come back the next week to see us in the lights! They did come back the following Sunday - and the man liked us still. Mrs. Katherine urged them to come again and invited them to our Sunday School class. I met them in Sunday School the next weekend. Tommy and Jodi Jinks. They were nice people, interesting and funny and I liked them right away. They seemed to like us too - a good fit - and I was happy they made their way to our sweet little church.
I think I wrote in an earlier blog post that during my season of unemployment my mailbox became a source of blessing. I never knew what would show up in there or when. One day I heard the mailman cramming something into the box. I went outside to see what it was. There was a smallish brown package in there from my friend Toni. Inside the package was a little book called The Prayer of Jabez by a fellow named Bruce Wilkinson. My little gang of Facebook friends had had a conversation about Jabez and his special prayer and Toni told me she had a copy she would send to me. In the Bible the book of Chronicles tells his story and how he prayed for God to bless him ... and God did. I started reading the book right away and finished it in fairly short time. The author suggested that being blessed by God wasn't just reserved for Jabez... and summized that receiving any kind of blessing was a way that you could bless others. In fact it was your responsibility to bless others using whatever tools He gave you! I liked that thought and it fell in line with how I'd been living lately. I wanted to help others - and when God made a way for me I would do what I could for someone else. The prayer itself is found in 1 Chronicles 4:10 which says, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain. So God granted him what he requested. The writer suggested I say that prayer everyday. God bless me, so I may be a blessing to others. So I did. I memorized that verse and recited it daily. Couldn't hurt.
One Sunday morning Matthew and I woke up early. He had been having trouble with his asthma and needed a breathing treatment. We missed Sunday school. We did make it to church in just enough time to climb into my seat in the alto section of the choir loft! The message was good and right on point with whatever was going on in my world that day. Jason was starting to wrap things up and asked us all to bow our heads to pray. While he was praying I started to talk to God myself with my personal plea. "Dear God", I said, "Thank you for blessing after blessing You've poured out on me. I know that You've heard my prayers and have answered them. You've fed us, sheltered us and clothed us. You've helped me keep the lights on, you've found me opportunities to reach out to people and you've given me a job to do in your church as a member of an outreach committee. Thank you dear Jesus, for everything Thing you've done." Jason continued to pray and so did I. "Dear Lord, it really is time for me to get back to work. You know how I'm feeling. And you know that I've been patiently waiting and using my time to do things that I hope pleases you. I thought you put it on me to somehow work in a church or some sort of ministry. If that's not the case, dear Lord, send me the job You'd have for me. Whatever it is I'll take it, I'll do it happily and I'll give you all the glory." And then I recited the Prayer of Jabez. Jason wrapped it up and church was over.
As I started walking down the steps of the choir loft, Jodi Jinks was coming up the steps. She said, "I heard you were looking for a job". Having just had that conversation with God, I was a little startled! "Yes I am", I responded. It turns out that while I wasn't in Sunday school that morning Mrs. Katherine brought me and my unemployment up to pray for. Jodi asked the class what I might have been looking for and Renee, the lady from the Salvation Army, told her how she wanted me to come and work for them. Thanks to an asthma attack my Sunday school class prayed for me and again, He answered the prayer! Jodi asked me what kind of work I was looking for and what kind of experience I had. She said she didn't want to get my hopes up and had no idea if her friends company was hiring but wanted me to send her my resume just in case. I emailed her my stuff as soon as I got home, this time very careful not to get my hopes up. However, there was something a little different about this one. And I had a peaceful feeling.
Monday morning came and went without word from anyone but Tuesday morning my phone rang. It was Jodi's friend - a lady from Cedar Management Company in Charlotte. They liked my resume and wanted me to come in for an interview. Could I be there Thursday morning, she asked. Of course I said YES! When I got to the place there was a big sign on the door saying "We are currently not accepting applications". That didn't look very promising, still I took a breath and walked on in. Thursday's interview must've gone well because they called me the next week and offered me the JOB!!!!! I was employed and to GOD BE THE GLORY! And it wasn't just any job - it was the job I asked Him for, the job my Sunday School class prayed for and the job that tracked me down as I was standing on the steps of the choir loft! This is the one He put me in and it could have been digging ditches or scrubbing floors with a toothbrush. It was mine and I loved it even before I got there!
My official title is "Mail Room Supervisor" and my job is sorting incoming mail and printing/packaging outgoing mail. Lots and lots and lots of mail! I prayed the Jabez prayer to "enlarge my territory" and he put me on mail-duty for 25,000 people whose Homeowners Associations we manage. And, "as luck would have it", they have a prayer meeting there every Wednesday morning! We're not praying to generic, politically correct "god" either, but to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! As we were leaving for the Thanksgiving holiday the boss called us all into the conference room and asked us to name something we were thankful for. My job, of course I said. But I also said boldly to the room full of people that I was thankful for Jesus and my salvation. And my co-workers all agreed. It wasn't 'ministry' like I was expecting, but rest assured there's a ministry going on there. It's a wonderful place with wonderful people and I'm just to grateful to be a part of it. I'm excited to see how God is going to use me there!
So that's my "secret" for those who sarcastically asked me that over the summer. God is my big secret. I asked, believing that He would provide and He did. The biggest blessing of all turned out to be my season of unemployment itself - learning lessons, loving others, letting go, not worrying, utilizing my extra time to serve Him and praising God in the storm. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." "All things" includes unemployment!
I'm excited for church in the morning. It's January 1st, 2012 and my dear Christian sister, Jodi Jinks will be getting baptized! Several of her friends, some being my new co-workers are coming to witness her public display, proclaiming her faith in Christ! Thus completing my Six degrees of Separation by the Grace of God chain of events! Thank you for reading!
"I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore." Psalm 86:5
No comments:
Post a Comment