God spoke to me in a HUGE way last week and I hope I can convey it adequately here.
So I was interviewing Donnie Carroll, the children and family minister at my church, about teens and summer jobs. Not only is he a WONDERFUL minister for children and families, he has 7 children (and a grandbaby) and is an amazing parent, as well (along with his wife, Lisa). I was eager to seek his input for this article.
He talked about that since his kids were little they would have jobs to do and part of that is the kids learning to be part of a team – if you don’t do your job, then there’s a hole, or a void, there. Other people are disappointed, or can’t do their jobs if you don't do YOUR job if you work as a team type stuff, whatever. Great stuff, as is usual of him. Great for my article, great to hear as a parent.
But he paused in the middle and went ON and on – like embarrassingly so – about what a great writer he thinks I am, how easy my writing is to read, how I need to write a book, yada, yada. I told him that I really want to write a book, feel called by God to write a book, but have SO many doubts and reasons ‘why not’, blah, blah. I said what I always do, “I walk into Lifeway, look around, and think, ‘The world doesn’t need one more book.’”
His response knocked me flat: “Yeah, but Sarah, that’s just like when my kids don’t do their job. Your book may be that void that one person needs. If God is calling you to do it, it’s that void of not doing your job.”
Just whoa.
Really think about that in the overall realm of God's family. God gives each of us, His children, jobs to do here on earth (check out Ephesians 2:10 if you don't think He has stuff in mind for YOU to do). And we go about our business filling our calendars with our own things and pushing aside His nudging to do our own schedule and agenda.
I'm not a visionary, so I don't see it, but I CAN imagine that if all of God's family did all that God called us to do -- we would be the unstoppable force on this planet that Jesus prayed for us to be in John 17 when he prayed that we would all be one.
No matter what the success of the world may or may not look like, if we are NOT saying ‘yes’ when God calls us to do something – we’re the missing link on His team. We’re not filling the void.
I prayed to see Jesus that day. I definitely heard him. May you hear him today.
6 comments:
Wow! You and Donnie have teamed up to really touch me today. This is profound stuff! And convicting.
Wow.
I'm gonna have to ponder that one!
(Have you got your outline started yet? :) )
Which is, precisely, why I wash dishes after church potlucks
You should write a book if you want to write one. I think wanting to write one and God "telling" you to write one are two entirely different things, but they could lead to the same end. :-)
OK, Sarah, here's my take on book writing. I've asked myself exactly the same questions and answered with the same doubts. There are already a lot of books, who am I to write a book and offer "wisdom."
Here's the answer/s I got. There is more junk books than good literature of Christian books. The world can always use good to combat the negative stuff. So, absolutely, we do need one more good book with good values, pointing the way from your unique perspective.
The other question, who am I to write such a book? Why not you? I'm always amazed at who God calls. I only have a bit of college, for a long time did not feel qualified to write, look who has published first two books, a university press.
One thing I'm learning is we can't out think God, but we can obey.
Hey, let's talk some more. Do you have any direction about what kind of book, yet? I have a work in progress (WIP) that I've wanted to write for a long time. I've set up the time schedule for chpaters to be done at end of summer.
BTW, our committee meets tonight about our women's renewal. Talk to you soon.
I'm a little late reading this, but thanks for some great perspective in listening for and answering God's call. It certainly provides much food for thought in my own life.
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