Tuesday, January 03, 2012

The Beginning of a Great Year

When this morning dawned, I shook myself into reality and found myself in "high gear"! January 2012 is going to be a very busy, yet enjoyable time for us. This coming weekend is M.A.P. - Ministerial Advancement Program for the ministers who are becoming members of the United Pentecostal Church International here in the Texas District, or those who are going to a different level of being licensed. (ie: General or Ordination) As I was preparing for my classes today I felt excitement down deep inside as I thought about the ladies I will have the privilege of teaching. I am so blessed to be one of the teachers, and take my part very seriously. What a privilege to be asked to teach, and what a responsibility!

As I look back over my life I can say that I wouldn't have wanted to live any other life. I loved growing up in a Pastor's home. I loved listening to preacher's and their wives talk about the work of God when they came to preach for Daddy. The stories were wonderful! I smile thinking about the funny stories that were told and can still hear Daddy laughing and Mother giggling. I gave up my bedroom many times so the "Evangelist couple" could have a place to stay. I don't ever remember thinking I was being misplaced! I loved the fact that these "special people" were staying in MY room. I have been blessed in life and can honestly say that I love being a Preacher's Kid!

In my earliest memories I dreamed of marrying a preacher! I wanted to travel and be with him every mile, do whatever I could to help him in revivals, and I've had that privilege. When my husband felt God calling him to pastor, I wanted to be right there beside him doing whatever I could to help in the Kingdom of God! The saints we were privileged to pastor were wonderful to us and our boys. They gave us their love and became our "family". My life has been blessed beyond measure. Raising our sons in a ministers home has brought them the same opportunities that I had growing up. They have been in the presence of great Missionaries (home and foreign), Evangelists, Preachers and Teachers. They also got to sit and listen to the stories and experience the presence of great men and women of God. I'm so glad they have their fingerprints in their hearts.

Please excuse me as I "count my blessings", but I guess in preparing for the weekend seminars my heart started remembering. Thank God for a wonderful life! I'm pretty sure the reason my heart is full of expectation and excitement is because I want the ladies I'll be teaching to experience this great life.

P.S. I guess I need to say for anyone who is thinking I'm blinded to the fact that the life I've lived hasn't always been a "rose garden"... I am not oblivious to that fact! We've reached to pick a rose a few times and got pricked by the thorns. It didn't feel good and we cried. We've had our times of frustration, life's burdens weighing us down, and experienced disappointments. But...GOD has never disappointed us! And when it seemed we were about to sink He stepped into our situation and commanded "PEACE BE STILL"! I can say..."I have NEVER seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging for bread!". God has supplied our every need and walked with us through every valley! HE has been our Strength, our Director, our Counsellor, and I have nothing to complain about! When we've worked for the greatest Employer ever known to man...how could I complain?

2 comments:

Virginia C said...

Love this blog. I can say it sounds like my beautiful life. I have loved it, the few thorns and all.

Linda Elms said...

Virginia, God's been so good to us, hasn't He? I wouldn't trade anyone for their life. Mine's been just fine! :-) Have a blessed 2012!