Preparing Me

Hello, Christian Brothers and Sisters.

Yesterday I woke a little after 5 a.m. and started going through my closet to pack up things. Man! It's unbelievable how much "stuff" can be stored in one closet (not a walk-in). I have boxes of memories - things my children and grandchildren have given me over the years, including school work from kindergarten. I'm not a hoarder, but there are some sentimental things I just can't put in the trash.
I went through each box, throwing away things that should have been trashed a long time ago, to make the moving a little lighter. In the process I found memories I had put to the back of my mind, as well as photographs of many generations of my family.
Changing the subject (for a reason) I want to tell you about my becoming a Christian. It wasn't until the early part of this century (just a few years ago) that I realized I didn't know when I was actually saved (accepted Christ as my personal savior). That bothered me quite a bit. One day while I was deep in my Bible study, God placed a memory (picture) in my head. I was a little girl standing beside my Sunday school teacher (Lilly Garroutte). She had her Bible open and was telling me about the plan of salvation... and I accepted Jesus into my heart.
Once I realized that God had just revealed to me the moment I got saved, I was astounded. The thought wasn't even on my mind in the moment he put that picture in my head. I figured I was probably around 9, because any younger than that and I assumed a child wouldn't know the meaning of salvation.
Now, back to my closet "stuff." Among the papers I discovered in one of my boxes was my Certificate of Baptism, dated September of 1964... I was 7. And I know, without even the slightest doubt, that at that moment Jesus came into my life and saved me.
Today I am 54, and it has taken me that many years to trust the "Father" enough to give Him every corner of my life. I knew in an instant that my life had changed.
You see, I believe what the Bible says. I believe that in 1964 I accepted Christ and was bound to spend eternity in Heaven. At that same moment, I received the Holy Spirit - ALL of Him. That is why I lived a miserable life when I was not living it for Him. I now understand that because I was covered in the pure and precious blood of Jesus, all of these years the Father has pursued me. The Holy Spirit convicted me. And the Blood still covered me. But the part that so many of us who are not discipled and taught once we receive Christ, and don't understand is that Salvation is only the beginning of a happy life here in this earth. It isn't until you WILLINGLY surrender every nook and cranny of your life (die to self) that God is able to "use" you. Being "used" by God should not make a person feel less than a child of God. It isn't a negative action, but an everyday decision that will ultimately introduce you to the true "Joy of the Lord" which presents itself as PEACE.
This peace cannot be experienced until we are so drawn to the Lord that we live and breathe Him. And yes, it is possible. This doesn't mean you have to store away all of your possessions, get in your car and be "on the road for Christ" as God is leading me to do. Each relationship with Christ is a personal relationship - between Jesus and the person receiving salvation. What He is calling YOU to do for Him may be right in front of your face. All it takes is realizing that what you have on this earth is so trivial compared to what God has for you, both now and in eternity. This includes not only your possessions on earth, but your relationships between family and friends as well. You must be willing to trust God enough to give it all to Him.
Right now, for me, it is a time of preparation. I am spending time in the Word and learning to focus on prayer and listen for God's still small voice, even in the midst of all the noise of the world around me. He is preparing me for the wonders He has planned, the journey He has chosen for me, the "ministry" He has called me to. I'm still trying to figure it all out, but know that with God it must be a daily submission for me... a daily walk... being ready to listen, ready to hear and ready to go.
I need your prayers beginning now. Ask God to watch over me, that I allow the Spirit to control my words and my deeds. I am highly opinionated and seem to think I know just what someone needs to hear, which makes me tend to step ahead of God instead of waiting for His voice. I ask you to bring that before the Lord when you lift me up in prayer.
God has made a lot of changes in me. He has had plenty of years in which He allowed me to take the paths I wanted... and learn the lessons from my mistakes. And He still has many changes to make in me.
Heavenly Father, please use me in Your work from this day forward. Let me be compassionate toward those You put in my path, giving me understanding of their individual needs and Your desires for them. Break my heart so that I might desire to reach those who don't know you personally. Give me wisdom when I speak to Your children - those who have become comfortable in this world and have no compassion for the lost. Father, may the Holy Spirit go before me to prepare the hearts of those You desire to reach. You know the hearts of every man, woman and child. Give me the gift of discernment so that I may know when someone's heart is seeking You. Father, make me humble and filled with humility, always giving you the glory, honor and praise in every situation.
I love you all and would be happy to lift you up in prayer any time you ask. Prayer is a powerful tool of the Lord, and makes a huge difference in the lives of Christians and even in the lives of those who aren't living for God. So praying for others is vital.
You can email me your prayer requests at jlambert1956@gmail.com, or you can enter them in a comment on this blog site. The choice is yours. I promise I will lift you up to the Father in prayer.
Bye for now, and I will keep in touch to let you know How God is working.

In His love.