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God Will Make A Way

Words of Wisdom to share with those who are waiting

What makes it hard to wait is that time has a sort of “underground” nature…God is often making a way for us when we cannot even see His hand at work.

During that time when it seems nothing is happening on our behalf, it’s a gift of faith to be able to trust that God is at work in our relationships, our families, our work, and even in our own hearts.

Consider this parable that Jesus told:  “This is what the kingdom of God is like.  A man scatters seed on the ground.  Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.  All by itself the soil produces grain – first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.  As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it because the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26-29 NIV).

The story teaches that for God to make a way, we need to undertake two tasks.  The first is to sow whatever seed He gives us.  This might mean admitting a truth, confronting a problem, or giving up something to God that we’ve been holding onto.  Our second task is to wait without trying to rush God’s pace.  He has a task also.  He makes a way by taking the ingredients of growth and producing something good in our lives.

 

Excerpted from God Will Make A Way Personal Discovery Guide: What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do, by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend (Integrity Publishers).  Reprinted with permission.

Could God Have a Ministry For Me?

Developing your own card ministry

“I don’t have any talents or skills. Besides, with car pool, church, and work, where can I find time for a ministry?”

How does 7 minutes sound?  That’s all it takes to select a FairHope Notes card, add a hand-written note, address it, and pop a stamp on it!  In 7 minutes, you’ve mailed an envelope full of encouragement!  And that’s a great ministry.

It doesn’t matter how “poetic” your words are; the important thing is that someone knows you care.  Pretend you’re sitting face to face with your friend, and then just “chat.”  If you pray before you jot a note, God will give you the right words to say.  You may want to write your thoughts on a separate piece of paper first, and once you’ve “edited” them, write the final version on the card.

If you’re at a loss for something to say, remember that the events keeping you busy can add sparkle to your notes.  What has God spoken to you through the “busy-ness” of doing laundry, driving your daughter to dance practice, or getting through a mountainous to-do list at the office?

Rather than trying to cover everything you’ve been up to, pick up one event and focus on that – then share what the Lord taught you through the experience.

As you develop your greeting card ministry, the Lord will bring people to mind whom you can encourage – so be listening for His voice!  How about the elderly man down the street who never leaves his house?  Or that missionary whose picture you pass in church every week?  What about your cousin who just lost a baby?  Or that “unsung hero” in your office who quietly labors behind the scenes whether or not anyone is watching?

Just think about how many people you can encourage, lift up, console, or pat on the back.  Now that’s a ministry!