Even after years of following Jesus, I’m still slack-jawed by what God will use to speak to His people.
I found this to be particularly true this last weekend.
I had the privilege of teaching about living Beyond Beautiful to a packed auditorium for the Women of Joy Conference in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The room was warm and full, brimming with excitement.
In the audience sat a woman who had been grappling with obedience to God. A native of the great state of Alabama, her husband had recently been offered a job in a neighboring town. But that town was across county lines.
Now crossing a county line may not be a big deal to you, but if you’re in the South that’s just not something you do lightly—if ever. Despite hesitance, this woman felt God nudging her to make the move, to cross the county line.
She told God, “If this is really you, I need you to give me a sign!”
Earlier in the week, I prepared a message based on Abram’s calling in Genesis 12:1 where the Lord instructs:
“Get out from your country, from your family and from the your father’s house to a land I will show you.”
In the teaching, I emphasized the idea that sometimes we must get out of our current situation to gain a vision of the beautiful plan God has for us.
But somehow a typo had slipped through.
Leif (my hubby) proofed the slides.
Jessica (our office manager) proofed the slides.
I proofed the slides.
None of us saw the missing “R.” Perhaps you missed it, too, on the image of the slide above. But the slide read:
“Get out of your county.”
The woman who came to Women of Joy prayerfully considering making the move got her sign.
And God used a typo to do it.
As I finished up Acts last week for the #LentChallenge, I was struck by the one thing that God kept asking his followers throughout the book:
Obedience.
The Spirit told Philip: Climb into the chariot. (Acts 8:29)
The Lord told Paul: Arise and go into the city. (Acts 9:6)
The Lord told Ananias: Go to Straight Street. (Acts 9:11)
The Lord told Cornelius: Send for Peter. (Acts 10:5)
The Lord told Peter: Kill and eat. (Acts 10:13)
Throughout the Book of Acts, we see God calling His faithful followers to acts that felt risky, strange, unthinkable. Yet through obedience, the good news of Jesus exploded and expanded beyond all previous bounds.
What is the ONE thing God is asking you to do today?
Pastor that fledgling congregation.
Love those precious children.
Shine God’s love in your workplace.
Take extra time with your neighbors.
Break the silence with a friend.
Cross those county lines.
By all means, do it, do it, do it. Don’t wait.
***
I want to know what you’re learning during the #LentChallenge. What is Jesus revealing to your heart? What passage or verse is sticking out to you? What questions do you have about this passage?
(If you haven’t joined into the #LentChallenge yet, it’s not too late. There’s plenty of room for you. Download the free reading guide, here. Or sign up for the free reading plan on YouVersion, here).
Wow, amazing story! I shouldn’t be surprised by how God uses typos to get his message across–He uses us.
I’m listening for the one thing He would have me do today.
Oh wow… You were right in my neck of the woods… I love this story…God does care. Yes…the same thing hS hit me as well… And another aspect is how many times an angel came and spoke… I am praying about a big step for me… Won’t mind an angel
Oh I wish I could have hugged your neck, Ro. No– I wouldn’t mind an angel, either!
Grateful that even our mistakes glorify him!
Love it! A long time ago, a man was wrestling with his calling to the mission field. He didn’t want to go. He was driving down a road in the South and there was his sign from God, “Bob’s Chicken To Go! (true story). It wasn’t a typo, but it was an arrow toward obedience, just like your story. (His name was Bob).
God keeps bringing lost sheep, his young ones who need a guiding hand, to live in our home with us. Our 3 bedroom, 1200 square foot home that is FULL of our own kids. We still have 4 at home, from 16 years to 21 years old. Literally, one young single mother and her 2 year old moved out and a 20 year old college student moved in – yesterday – because he had no where else to sleep last night. My husband and I are beside ourselves some days. There are eight of us living here now. Nine before. Thankfully we have two bathrooms. God keeps instructing my husband and me about disciplining this younger group of people.He keeps teaching each of us and guiding our family through this process. The last six months have been full of flux and change, frustration, tears, prayer and laughter. I am a completely different person than I was even in January. Every morning I must surrender the day and my expectations to the Lord and be open to what will take place. Onward, I say into the great unknown!
Have A Blessed Week
AMAZING, Alee. Thank you for sharing your story of faithfulness and what it means to be his hands and feet. Blessings to you!
Now THAT is awesome. Love this story and love the ways God speaks to us!
I love moments like these… glimpses of God’s firm presence in our lives. I just wrote about an experience I had with God speaking loudly and clearly in my life. I’ve had several occasions as such and I love to share them because it is a testimony to others that God is here with us, wanting to be a part of our lives. There’s no mistaking it. It’s not coincidence it is real.
Reading this gave me goosebumps. I was just reading Hebrews and had been meditating on the scripture: “Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:16) Then I read this and couldn’t help but link the two.
Wishing you a blessed day.
xoxo