I don’t know about you, but I admit that I tend to go a little crazy with planning, organizing, and list-making when working on a project. Please give me the goal; let’s make a solid, well-thought-out plan, and then get to it! That makes it easy, am I right? Not so much when you know God is calling you to a particular task but can’t seem to discern what He will ultimately have you do.
Have you experienced a discontentment in your heart that leads you to know God is ready to use you in a new area of service? In 2011, I knew without a doubt that God had placed “something” on my heart. I prayed and prayed for Him to reveal what that “something” might be. I promised to do my best to accomplish the task. Days turned into weeks as weeks turned into months. The “something” in my heart grew stronger but continued to elude identification.
God has blessed me with a host of Godly friends. I began to recognize that He would use many of those friends in the “something” growing in my soul. I shared, ever so carefully, of course, with a few of those friends about the tugging in my heart. Each would sit and stare quietly at me as I disclosed my absolute conviction that they were to be a part of that “something.” Their willingness to blindly follow God with complete faith and obedience encouraged me to move forward. Without fail, each enthusiastically embraced the calling and pledged to go beside me into this new “something.”
Our first official meeting of ten ladies went something like this:
“I am so glad that you all have joined me today. I wish I could tell you what we are here to do. Unfortunately, God has not revealed that yet. What I do know is that He is calling us to step out and serve Him in a new way. So, if you will join me, we will seek God. We will pray and believe that He will give us discernment and guidance.”
Mortified, I stood before that beautiful group of Godly women, whom I both adored and respected, with nothing but the yet-to-be-named “something” we were to accomplish. All I could offer was faith that God would reveal our assignment in His time. Thankfully, they also recognized they were destined by God to be part of this ministry. We joined our hearts in prayer. Lean into Jesus Ministries was the “something” we would do together for Jesus.
I have found that God rarely works on my timetable, and I am thankful that He doesn’t. Of course, He knows best; I am sure I would royally mess it all up! Even with the best intentions, my careful planning will often rely on my abilities and material resources rather than complete dependence on God. It still amazes me that He would want to include me in such an important ministry. As time has passed, God added eleven more Godly women to the group. He has allowed us to encourage one another and other women as our relationship with Jesus Christ deepens.
Lean into Jesus Ministries is more than a group of women. It is a sincere and loving assembly of Christian ladies devoted to Jesus. They love Him with all their hearts. Each ministry partner is passionate about sharing Jesus’ love with others, encouraging those who are struggling, equipping those who want to grow in Christ, and worshiping Jesus with pure hearts. As God continues to direct our ministry, I look forward to what He has in store for us. Anything good accomplished will be so by and through Jesus and Jesus alone. I pray that we will be ever faithful and obedient.
As Lean into Jesus Ministries grows and expands, childlike wonder and excitement are growing. I pray He will continue to use us to bless others. All honor and glory are to Jesus Christ, our Savior forever. He alone is worthy. He is the “something” in the heart that matters!
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man (woman), but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21
Charlene Miller
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#charlenemillerblogs