W2W | Growth & Grace Part 2
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Do you ever feel stuck? Like you’re slogging through the thickest of mud trying to reach something? And sometimes we don’t even know what that something is.
I clearly remember waking in the middle of the night, screaming for my mom, as my legs informed me it was time to begin the growing pains. Not everyone experiences these excruciating pains, but as a child who was more of a bookworm than an athlete, my muscles weren’t limber and thus I spent many nights calling out for mom.
Mom gently massaged my legs and comforted me. She explained I was growing, and sometimes the stretching hurts, but that it would pass. I wouldn’t be stuck in pain for long, and she would be with me through the pain to help it pass.
I wonder if she knew the life lesson I’d pick up on, decades later, as she ministered to me during those painful nights. As she helped ease the fear while I grew.
At that time I had no idea who I would become. Who I am still becoming. The mom, wife, and friend. The writer, coach, and ministry servant. I had no frame of reference for anything beyond my life at that time, which felt like an endless cycle of school, long bus rides, homework, and then the added pain of just growing.
That night, I felt stuck. I felt pain. I felt fear of what was to come. Why on earth would I want to grow if it’s painful?
Unknowingly, I added to that pain in the ensuing years. For fear of pain, I began to accept things as status quo, and settle for less than God’s best. I turned inward, away from people. I no longer just felt stuck, I became stuck. Anxiety and depression became my daily experience. Stinkin’ thinkin’ crept in. Who am I to want a better life? Who am I to be more than this?
Enter the Great I Am.
Fear is the great enemy of growth. If we’re not careful, it can lead us to a self-perpetuating prophecy. If I don’t put myself out there, then I can stay in my comfort bubble and live a mediocre life.
But does God call us to mediocrity? Or worse yet, stagnant misery?
No! As we learn in Jeremiah 29:11, God has plans for us. Plans not for harm, but to prosper us, to give us hope and a future. I’m thankful God doesn’t always give us the full picture of what it is we’re working toward. Rather, He asks us to obediently follow, one baby step at a time.
When I first began to hear God calling me toward ministry, I asked, “Who am I?” My education was in business administration. My young adult life was spent as a legal assistant, with the following years dedicated to raising my children. Granted I had been in church most of this time, but what did I have to offer? I had no theological education, and the thought of going back to school in that season was beyond daunting.
But I kept hearing our pastors speak of the ministry of the laity. I was intrigued by this thought and started to do some research. What God led me to was life-changing.
God heard the cry of my heart. He knew I wanted to be obedient to His call to ministry, and that I wanted to be equipped to do so. He also knew my limitations. I didn’t have the time, money, or brain capacity to go back to college. I struggled with brain fog from not only having raised two children but also from chronic pain issues and ADHD. “Who am I?” started to creep back into my vocabulary, but as I began to trust God more, my eyes were opened to opportunities I may never have encountered if I had stayed in my comfort bubble.
Amazing what you can learn when you do a little God-nudged research and “networking.”
I met with two of our pastors at the time, over the course of a couple of years, who walked with me on a journey of discovery and discernment. I learned about Christian coaching and began reading voraciously, eventually obtaining certification as a Christian Coach. I learned of the Lay Servant program within the United Methodist Church, and of the other, quite affordable, classes and certification programs offered, including Spiritual Formation and Women’s Ministries.* I am still in the midst of the growth process, and thankfully God has unveiled one step at a time. Otherwise, I would’ve been overwhelmed and tucked my tail back into mediocrity and misery.
The key was that I had to let go of my desire to know the end result and trust that God would lead the way. I had to commit to taking the steps, and trust that God would reveal each one at the appropriate time. Had I known the full picture at the beginning, fear would have put me back in the muck. Focusing on and persevering through each step brought hope (Romans 5:3-5), and hope combats fear, shining a light in the darkness.
We all have a growth edge, that place where God is calling us to stretch. We are meant to grow and learn throughout our lives. Our growth journeys are certainly going to look different, because God uniquely calls each of us to amazing things, based on our gifts and experiences. Let God begin to change you from the inside out, by fixing your attention on Him, and offering Him “your everyday, ordinary life,” and just see what He will do. (Romans 12:1-2 MSG).
Where is God calling you to grow? What baby step can you commit to, today, that will allow you to begin that growth process?
Long’s Chapel and the Women2Women team are committed to your growth. If you need help or guidance along the way, please see our contact information below.
*For more information about Lay Servant Ministries click here. For more information about discipleship classes and certification opportunities available at BeADisciple.com, click here.
-Laura Greer
Women2Women
Women2Women is a ministry that encourages women to cultivate an intimate relationship with Christ, while also exploring how God has uniquely created, gifted, and called each of us. We connect with women where they are in life’s journey, providing opportunities for spiritual growth, health and wellness, intergenerational fellowship, friendship, and mentoring. Events and retreats are targeted to the needs of women so we can grow deeper in our faith, develop our gifts and abilities, and establish long lasting friendships. For more information contact Laura Greer at (828) 456-3993, ext. 204 or Laura.Greer@LongsChapel.com, or Vickie Staib at (828) 646-8819.
