Answering the Call Part 1: That Day God Had Something Special to Say
With one hand on my shoulder and the other wagging a perfectly french manicured finger inches from my face, she boldly declared, "God told me He is going to tell you something you are going to KNOW and you are NEVER going to forget."
It was February 2008 at Living Proof Live — a LifeWay women’s conference, in Vancouver, BC. The invitation was to pray for those standing around us who were experiencing pressing needs. With no one close by me standing, I had taken a few moments to pray quietly with my eyes closed and head bowed.
A hand on my shoulder prompted me to look up, and my eyes followed the accessorized hand resting on my shoulder until I found myself staring into the face of Beth Moore. (If you don’t know who that is, think Joanna Gaines ─ design, Beth Moore ─ women’s Bible study.) I can’t remember if I nodded with intelligibly, or just stared with my mouth hanging open.
The words landed on my heart with equal parts excitement and doubt. God had something to say to me? And if I was going to know it, and never forget it, then I was supposedly going home with two things I wouldn’t have called close companions at that time: certainty and significance.
I was not one to make confident claims about hearing from God outside of general revelation of Scripture. But I was always intrigued when people would share about how God had spoken specifically to them. And, I was confused about what He sounded like and how on earth they were so sure it was Him. I had never felt special enough for a special revelation.
The sidelines felt safer than stepping into my own lane and starting to run. Nevertheless, I was excited. If God was going to speak, I certainly didn’t want to miss it.
I listened intently for the remaining time at the conference. The sky didn’t open with an audible voice, but by the time I boarded the plane home I had a sense that God was saying: Give me your time. I want to do more with it than you can but you need to surrender.
God was calling me into deeper relationship with Him. He knew I wouldn't passionately make Him known until I passionately came to know Him. I started the only way I knew how — making a regular habit out of what had been a bit sporadic, spending time with Him in His Word.
I knew nothing of what God’s "more" might be. Nothing of the plans He had. And nothing of what the extent of surrender would be. All I had was a word: time. And most of all, I suspected nothing of the storm that was brewing right around the corner. But since He knew all about it, He was beginning to anchor me for what would be the biggest blindside of my life.