Well, I think it is time for another place holder blog...time keeper, scrap book, where I will paint a picture with my words so that in a few months I can look back at this mile marker and see how faithful God is kind of blog.
I find that there are moments in our life that deserve to be remembered, whether they are according to the rest of this world makes no difference to me but after almost twenty eight years ( eeeek) I know what makes me tick and what matters to me.
There have been a few big moments in my life, huge and the anticipation of getting to those moments usually out weighs the moments themselves and I am left with a quickly passing moment that comes and goes in the blink of an eye.
My last blog you were able to partake in the journey I went through with my second pregnancy, that was a moment in my life that was worth writing down, and it is from that topic that I will transition with you to my new memorable moment.
About a year ago I was volunteering in our church's boutique, that sold antique items to help raise money for a non profit childrens community outreach. At the time, I didn't have much time to offer but I wanted to be connected with it, I will never forget that moment when I was about to go listen to the director about pricing clothing when this woman walks in the front door. Michelle ( boutique director) seemed to know this woman very well, they were hugging and laughing as though they were long lost friends...it was then that I felt it. Something I have only felt a few times in my life, this undeniable burning in my stomach that I usually have found means God is about to do something crazy.
Michelle introduces me to this woman and I find out she is the director of the local pregnancy resource center in Redmond, we begin talking about my life and my slightly bumpy past with my pregnancies and this tiny but very powerful woman begins to cry, she grabs my hand and squeezes it and says " I have no desire to take you away from this place, but I would love it if you came to the Pregnancy Resource Center and checked it out."
I was so jazzed up from that interaction I couldn't stop talking about it for weeks, Michelle just laughed because she knew God wanted to do something crazy and prophetic with that boutique.
So I went to the pregnancy resource center and began volunteering as much time as I could, while still keeping my family and church life balanced.
Ever since I stepped foot into that center I have felt like my heart finally found the place it was designed for.
I have been trying to explain the joy I find in the tedious few hours I can spare to spend there but words can't describe it, slowly I began working with young moms and then I began teaching these classes once a week building relationships with these amazing women from all different walks of life.
I have just been in awe of what God does in that place, I have often felt like Peter when he is called from the place that he is comfortable, from the way of living that he is used to and then asked to follow this man into the unknown, into a life that he isn't sure will have an income or what the outcome of it will be and yet he left his nets and followed Jesus. He follows Jesus and stays close with Jesus through every miracle and every prayer, every parable, every miraculous lunch and healing, he is there observing the crazy and insane, the remarkable truth that Jesus really is who he says he is and he is capable of doing absolutely anything.
Then he has this moment with Jesus, where Jesus is out on the water and the guys aren't totally sure it's him, Peter takes this moment to solidify something that is deep within him. He has been commissioned by Jesus, he has been watching him, ministering with him and here is this moment that from the depths of who he is, he calls out to Jesus and says " If it's you, command me to come to you" Jesus simply says " Come"
I can picture the excitement in Peter as he is about to embark on the craziest " I dare you" moments of all time. Now the rest of this amazing moment I will save because some things about it are still brewing inside of me but this place where Peter asks Jesus to call him out onto the water is where I find myself with this ministry.
A few weeks ago an actual paying position opened up with the Pregnancy Resource Center, I honestly whole heart-idly didn't think I would be qualified to even apply, I remember talking one night with my husband about it and making excuse after excuse as to why it wouldn't work and then I said it...those words...I had my " Call me out onto the water" moment and said
" Well, if God wants me to apply for this job then he will have to get Leslie to approach me and flat out tell me to do it"
I thought that pretty much sealed the deal and that I wouldn't have to hear about it again. I mean I was happy with my once a week classes and with my girls that met and I had no desire to change anything.
Then it happened, I went into the Center to make my phone calls, and mind you on Monday's I don't look fancy, I had been cleaning ALL day no make up, sweatshirt, sneakers, crazy hair, but thats the moment the Lord decided to call me out onto the waves.
Leslie came back to the kitchen area and asked me if I had any desire to apply for that position, I told her no, that I wasn't qualified. She then began to say a bunch of words but all I heard was the Lord gently whispering to me that I told him what to do and he did it, now it was my turn to walk through the door. So that night I applied and sent in my resume, tomorrow I will attend my second interview.
The funny thing about this job is that it is the MOST part time that I would have ever worked and probably the least amount of money that I will ever make and yet it feels like the BIGGEST job I will ever apply for. I don't know what God wants to do with this, maybe nothing except to see if I would walk through the door kind of like Peter with his failed attempt at water walking, but he still got out of the boat.
I am still blown away at God's ability to redeem any situation and make anything and everything beautiful in its time.
Tomorrow will come and go in the blink of an eye, but what this process meant will stand forever in my heart. Our God is good.
I dare you to tell God to call you out onto the waves today. You might be surprised by what he does with it.
Blessings friends
Until next time .......
Ashley
