Appointment Service

We had the most amazing opportunity to attend an M appointment service in a church just east of Dallas last week. Dr. Rankin gave the most amazing call to serve through M....it would have been impossible for us to stay in our seats had we not already surrendered in this area. There were 92 M co-M and each gave a 30 sec. testimony which doesn't sound like much, but it was so powerful to see and hear normal, ordinary people speaking of how God spoke to them and called them, and they are answering that call to go. There were people younger than us, tons of people our age, and many people older...people in their 50s and 60s, all with a passion for the lost and a willingness to lay down everything familiar and comfortable, to obey God's calling to go. We left there thinking about our own lives and the way God called us. We too are just regular people, living a normal life in a small town in Arkansas. We taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. Steve working for an IT company and me a homeschooling mom of 3. One day in October of 2005, as I was moving the wet clothes from the washer to the dryer, God spoke to me and said "International M is what I have for you." And I burst into tears and said "Yes, I know, but I'm not telling Steve that b/c he will think I'm crazy!" And God said "You won't have to say a word, I'll take care of that." And so He did. That same day, Steve comes home from work and says I need to talk to you. I can't tell you how large my eyes must have gotten but my mouth stayed determinedly closed as I waited to hear what he had to say. I don't know that I have ever been so stunned to hear him say, "God spoke to me today while I was at work and told me M is what we're supposed to do." Unbelievable! We were so excited to both have heard individually and clearly such a direct word from God. We spent many months in bewilderment, not knowing what to do, it all seeming impossible and crazy....we have never even been anywhere very far from Arkansas and we know no languages or anything! What in the world?! Then on March 5, 2006 God began showing us how to respond. That Sunday, we had M Mal and Kristy sharing about leaving to go to Europe in 2 days with their family. The entire time they spoke, I sat in my seat in the choir loft wondering how it would ever be possible to go from sitting in that seat to standing at that pulpit about to step out and actually do what we were hearing God say to do. Our beloved pastor called us to commit to pray for this family which we excitedly went forward to the altar to do. As I was bowed there, I heard my name being whispered. I wondered what on earth?! Lynda Moore was next to me and said "Steve is calling you!" I turned around to look and could hardly believe my eyes to see him standing next to Bro. Dave. I tried not to trip over my choir robe as I made my way there and heard him say "I was going down to pray for them, but God wouldn't let my feet stop at the steps....the next thing I know I'm standing here before our pastor saying: I don't know HOW, I don't know WHEN, I don't know WHERE, (did I mention I don't know HOW!!!!)....but God is calling our family and so here we are." Since March of 2006, we have had a front row seat of watching God unfold His plan for our family. We continue to be amazed and bewildered at His ways...sometimes its scary, sometimes it overwhelming, sometimes its exhilarating....we can hardly wait to see what God is going to do next although often it seems that we need to hold on tight because it is quite a ride! But there is nothing on earth that is more wonderful than hearing a direct word from God...and its nothing that He reserves for anyone other than those who earnestly seek His face and seek His Word wholeheartedly, living to please Him, to bring Him all the glory and all the honor, because only He is worthy, so all may see and hear and know the One True God.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Je$us every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Je$us Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11