Unlikely Evangelist

If you had known me in my teenage years, 20's and early 30's, you would never imagine me in ministry of any type. Yes, I was a Christian, but I had chosen to take back lordship of my life from God and only for brief time spans did I allow Him any access to how I was living. In 1984 I began to realize how much God loved me and I began to see that even my Sunday School teacher had problems in her life - problems not too different from the ones I had. Suddenly, I saw my Christian leaders no longer as infallable and living a bubble-like existence that protected them from life. As teachers and preachers began to be transparent, I got freed up from the stereotype image I had of all ministry leaders. As I look back now some 26 years later, I don't understand how I could have been that dense about the things of God. At times I think where I could be now in ministry if I had never pulled away from Him. But, God is a gracious forgiving God and He welcomes all who come to Him with open arms and enough grace to forgive any transgression. Also, God took who I was and made me into who I am today. I have not "arrived" by any sense of the word, but I have grown. My testimony is based on how God changed my life. My ministry calling is to Christians who live defeated instead of victorious lives. My calling is to show people how much God loves them.

Through years of adversity, illness and financial disasters God has shown Himself to me as my strength, protector, healer, provider and so much more. You see, it is very difficult to tell someone about the attributes of God when you have never experienced any of them in your own life. I know that all things come into a Christian's life by first coming from God's hand. He will never let anything happen to me that won't stand up the promise of Romans 8:28, "For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." God took who I was and made me who I am. I would never want to have a repeat of the trials I have endured, but at the same time I would never trade those trials for what I have learned about God and His love for me through them. He is an awesome God.

I was definitely an unlikely evangelist 26 years ago. Certainly, I am far from perfect now, but through progressive sanctification God is growing me up to be a mature Christian. My prayer each day is for God to use me to shine a little Jesus everywhere I go. The world may boast through media, movies, books and internet that it is full of love, but love and lust are two entirely different things. I submit to you that the world's view of love is actually lust. Without God, no one can truly understand what love is. I want to reflect the love of God in my life so people will see the difference He can make in a life.

One day my sanctification will be perfected, when I stand before Jesus in heaven. Until then, I forge ahead with a song in my heart and the love of God in my life. Unlikely evangelist? Not ever again.

God loves you so much. Won't you return that love by serving Him?

Candy