Out of the Box- Leaving a Legacy

Last week I got the opportunity to speak at a ladies event at our church. It was a wonderful night that was full of testimony from 3 sets of women: two had just returned from Haiti, two had been short term medical missionaries and two are really involved with Voice of the Martyr. My job was to, as our pastor’s wife put it “tie a bow around the night”. I wasn’t sure how I would do that after hearing all of the incredible things that these women had shared. However, the Lord had given me some points about following the call God places on your heart, and it definitely was Him who delivered the ‘bow tying’ that night. Here’s the abbreviated version:

I don’t know about you, but I want my children (and some day grandchildren) to remember me for more than my cooking, my housekeeping, what I bought them, etc. I want to leave them a legacy: a life that with all of its’ faults and frailties tried to do God’s will and find His purpose.
As I discuss the following points, I want you to think about what you are passionate about, what stirs in your soul when you think about a vision for your life, what you feel God has called or is calling you to do.
What God Calls You to Do:
* May come as a total surprise- or it may not at all, it might just be an extension of who you are, a manifestation of your gifts and talents
* Might not make sense- to you, your family and certainly not to the world
* Will take you out of your comfort zone (whether it is a mission trip to a foreign country and your afraid to fly- or its standing by a husband that everyone else says you should leave, etc)
* Will cost you something. The cost may be measured in comfort, money, time, dreams, even sleep!
*Will Force you to rely on HIM.
*Is easier to follow by taking one step at a time- not getting too far ahead of God or lagging too far behind
*Will not be easy- but will make your life so much more fulfilling as you see God work on your behalf!
*May not be pretty at times!
*Will (or should) shatter legalism and hypocrisy
*Will be like a movie of your faith to the world
*May spawn opposition

What does it take to do what God is asking?
*Faith-one step at a time- being assured it will happen (Hebrews 11:1)
*Patience-may not happen overnight (Nehemiah and the wall)
*Humility-realizing that I cannot do this on my own.
*Vision- begins with a discontentment with the status quo
*Trust- “when you can’t see His hand, trust His heart” Trusting in darkness, when you don’t want to, and when nothing makes sense.

I want to encourage you to step out when you hear God call you to do something-don’t be afraid, just DO IT. Believe that he is able to do “exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or imagine” Ephesians 3:20 What a blessing it is to be out of the box, but right in the middle of His will.

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