Same Song, Second Verse

1998: During my year in REACH, a prophet laid hands on me and prayed over me. He told me that the Lord was calling me into two ministries -- one as a teacher and one as an intercessor. Someone typed out what he spoke over me and gave me the paper, which I kept in my Bible for years (until a certain small person in my household who shall remain nameless tossed it). 

In 2001, I went to college at Eastern Mennonite University and began with a major in English Secondary Education, intending to teach high school English. However, because of various pressures and life circumstances, I dropped the education part of my major and graduated in 2004 with an English major, but no teaching license. 

During my time in REACH, and the following year or two, I had also begun an intercessory prayer group... and again, petered out as I felt the pressures of life and circumstances.

In 2004, I had forgotten all about teaching and intercessory prayer. 

I met my husband, we began our lives together, moved to Ireland for a year to minister there, returned to the States and had kids, and were firmly entrenched in the "fog years" where the only existence is dirty diapers and diaper-rash cream, and the only reality is multiple wake-up times at night to comfort crying babies.

This morning, I read through my "homework" from Priscilla Shirer as I'm working through her Jonah Bible study. She pointed out the similarities between Jonah 1:2 and Jonah 3:2. Jonah 1:2 says, in the words of the Lord: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me." Jonah 3:2 says, similarly: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."

You know what happened in between those two verses? 

Fog. Jonah turning away from the Lord's chosen work and going his own way.

It took a storm and three days and nights in a fish to give him a second chance.

Twenty-three years after the prophet prayed over me in our REACH training session, the Lord has led me back to square one. Nearly three years ago, I felt a strong tug to return to school to get my teaching license. It was inconvenient, most certainly -- who wants to go back into debt after finally paying off college the first time? But the idea wouldn't leave me alone. It gnawed on me. Finally, I told my husband about it, assuring myself that at least he'd never go for it, so I could leave that particular issue on the Lord's doorstep. Sorry, Lord, but my husband doesn't want me to do this, and I know you are all about husbandly and wifely unity, so therefore, this couldn't possibly be in Your will.

I feel like the Lord loves it when we challenge Him like that, because we almost always get the shock of our lives after issuing that attitude. So imagine my shock when my husband not only agreed to it, but he agreed without arguing. 

Sigh. So three years ago, I entered the Masters of Education graduate course at Eastern Mennonite University to get my TESL licensure, and will graduate this May with a teaching license. 

Covid hit last year, in case anyone isn't aware. ;) The Lord opened up a prayer ministry right under my nose in the form of an online prayer group. As I grew in the Lord and in the practice of intercessory prayer, the Holy Spirit began to show me visions, pictures; He began to speak directly to my heart. He began to wake me up early in the morning with words that were nearly audible in nature. I discovered that this was the reward of obedience. 

He didn't stop there. He deposited my church directly in my lap and said, Here is where I am going to use you.

I didn't want to. I don't like to be in leadership. I don't like heavy organizational responsibility. The Lord was calling me to it, and I wasn't exactly thrilled about it. But, like Jonah, I'd learned my lesson.

I began to pray specifically over my church, and I "blew the trumpet in Zion, declared a holy fast, gathered the people, consecrated the assembly" (Joel 2:14-16). I started alone, but others joined me, and we began to pray for the people in leadership, for the ministries within the church, for the congregation. And as we were obedient, more words flowed in, and more ministry opportunities. They became "pressed down, shaken together, and running over, pouring out into our laps" (Luke 6:38). I became busier than ever before, but I was more aware of the Lord's hand on me than ever before, too.

When Isaiah stood before the Lord and said: "Here I am, Lord, send me," the angel first touched his lips with a hot coal, refining him, taking away his guilt (Isaiah 6:8).

Fire burns fog, the flaming sun melts the cloudy mist. 

Wherever you are today in your walk with the Lord, if you find yourself surrounded by fog, look up. Check the sun. Check the Son. You might find that you're right back in Joppa where you began your fog, and the Lord is repeating the same song, second verse, sending you to Nineveh. This time, don't turn away into the confusing clouds.

No matter how much you hesitate, have questions, or are afraid to move forward, it will always be worthwhile to surrender to what the Lord asks. Who knows, but that you have come to your position in life for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14)