Where It All Began...
A wife of noble character who can find? She
is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her
and
lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of
her life.- Proverbs 31:10-12
It was June 2005. I sat there
on that old familiar boardwalk watching as the waves crashed against the shore. I
had just graduated from High school all of a week before, and now I was sitting
on a beach in Florida looking out at the ocean. I had no idea what lie ahead of
me. But as I sat there with my Bible in my lap I was eager to hear what the Lord
wanted to say to me personally in the few minutes that I had before I had to go and meet up with my youth group for the late night session at camp.
My church
youth group started attending Big Stuf Camp when I was in the 10th
grade. At first very few people wanted to go because for years prior we had always
done our own camp: Foundation Week. As with most students we were not too fond of
change, but our youth pastor Brian insisted and so the summer before my 10th
grade year I attended Big Stuf for the first time, and I have never been the
same.
I don’t know
if it was the beach, the crowd, the music, the speaking, or a combination of all
of it but it was clear that Jesus was in that place, and I couldn’t get enough.
I was hooked! So every summer after that my youth group went to Big Stuf Camp
in Panama City Beach, Florida. Even after graduation I went for the next few
years as a leader—just couldn’t get enough.
But the
summer of June 2005 will forever be a special summer for me. As I sat near the
ocean the salty air blowing all around me I came across a passage of
Scripture—still can’t tell you why I turned to it but my eyes fell on (1
Corinthians 7:39) that says, “a woman is bound to her husband as long as he
lives.”
Now, that
might not sound very romantic but it was the part of the verse that said “…as
long as he lives…” that jumped off the page at me. She was called to be
faithful “as long as he lives.”
I then wrote
this statement underneath that verse in my little booklet they gave us for the
week. I wrote, “Be faithful to your future husband before you even meet him.
Love him before you meet him.”
It was in
that moment I knew the Lord was not just asking me to be faithful to my future
husband physically, but also prayerfully. To love and believe in this man
before I ever meet him. That same week our camp pastor, Louie Giglio, made a
statement that forever changed my life. He asked us if we wanted to know what
the purpose for our lives was? Of course we wanted to know. Well, I can’t speak
for everyone, but I know I wanted to know. He said, “The purpose for your
life is to live for the glory of God.”
It was in
that moment that a light switched on in my soul, and from that moment forward I
knew that God was calling me to not only wait on his best but live for his
glory. That everything in my life needed to be sifted through that simple yet
profound truth. Does this glorify God? Yes or No?
“So whether you eat or drink or
whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10:31)
I
remember coming home, and from that point forward I couldn’t get enough of the
Word of God. I looked forward to getting into the Scriptures each day and
seeking the Lord through prayer. I also began sensing maybe the Lord was
calling me into ministry and my youth pastor allowed me to assist in teaching
the 8th grade girls Sunday School.
I had
and still have, an incredible mentor who set such a beautiful example for me
growing up of how to embrace her single season and live it in such a way that glorified
God. I was blessed to be able to see her meet and fall in love with the man God had chosen for her. Saw her date, be engaged, and get married in a way that I know blessed the Lord; as well as see her become a mother and watch her do ministry along side her husband.
She continues to make a tremendous impact on me and I simply wanted to make
that same impact on the lives of young girls for the glory of God that she made
on me.
But I’m not sure I
counted the cost entirely, looking back. I had no idea that desiring to live
for the glory of God and waiting on his best would bring with it such struggle
at times, but also much joy and blessing.
It took me a long
time to learn that waiting has been the one thing
God has used most consistently in my life to develop His character in me and
teach me about himself.
I made
the choice to wait on the Lord for his best. It has been painful, but
throughout this season God has opened my eyes to see there is so much beauty to
be found in the waiting room. Somewhere in the back of my mind I thought that
by committing to wait on the Lord that meant the wait wouldn’t be very long. Not
sure why I thought that? I think it was pride and self-righteousness now that I
really think about it.
I never imagined sitting on that beach in FL at 18 years-old that at 26 I'd still be waiting. All though the waiting has been one of the hardest things and biggest testers of my faith at times it has also been one the biggest blessing in my life. I wouldn't trade the wait for the world. My relationship with the Lord Jesus wouldn't be what it is without the waiting.
Comments