BLOOM WHERE GOD PLANTS YOU

Have you ever asked God "why am I at this church?" I did, so here is my story that lead me to this very question.

My story begins approximately 19 years ago, I was actively serving in my church, loving the people, but I had not asked that question, "God why am I here?". I came there because, I had been running from God for 12 years, and I had stopped running from and began running to. My children went there and I began and soon it became my home and family. I found rest, love and a sense of belonging. I grew and God used me where I was.

Then about 18 years ago, while praying one night, I said "Lord have I forgotten to pray about anything?" In my spirit I heard very clearly "You did not praise Me". Now I understood He deserves all our praise and we are to always be thankful. So I thanked Him, as I knew to do. But His words never left me, so I set out to understand what did my Lord want me to do and how do I praise Him.

 Years would pass, the company I worked for, closed, now I was without a job, so I began cleaning houses. Along the way I answered an ad to clean a church and daycare area in the evening. During this time, I enjoyed my work, loved cleaning the worship center and praying over everything in the room, listening to the praise team as they practiced. But working day and night, plus taking care of my mother who was dying, took it's toil and a few months after her death, I quit.

Another year would pass and then God moved, He began to shift me from where I had been worshiping and serving and leading me in a new direction. I found myself without a church home and I began my search. Believing it was me who decided where I would go to church! God reminded me of the church I had once cleaned and enjoyed, but since it was Easter I did not go, because I did not want to be labeled just an Easter Service attendance, can we hear the word PRIDE! (smiling) but the very next Sunday I went, I heard my pastor say these words during worship "Can we just love on Jesus a minute church?" and I heard praise for who He is coming from the lips of people I did not know, it was not chaos, it was beautiful ! And yes it did take me out of my comfort zone, but I knew I loved every minute of it. So I stayed, I came and I began to learn how to praise my Lord, not just in my heart but from my lips. I heard truth taught, I saw a people who loved and who desired God. I became involved which was one of my fears: (that I would not be used by God in another church.) See how the enemy operates? A whisper can be as effective as a roar when it touches on that little place of anxiety.


Time passed and during prayer I asked THE QUESTION: " Lord why did You bring me here?" He responded and with a word that captured my heart "You came to make an income, I brought you here to learn how to PRAISE ME, how to WORSHIP ME!" Approximately eleven years after God said "You did not praise Me". He placed me in the body of believers I now am at, and along the way of learning how to praise Him and how to worship Him, I began to walk closer with Jesus, to dig deeper in His word, to grow in my gifts and calling that God has placed in my life. In other words not only did I bloom where God planted me but I flourished. I would never have known about this church if I had not gone there to work. WOW! God is so good, for us it seems like a long time yet when eternity is His timetable it happened in just a moment. Another Kairos moment where God spoke, moved and planted. Let that sink in a minute in God's plan me going to work their was to bring me where I am now a part of this church family, and enjoying every minute of it. Thank You Jesus.

Many people are searching for THE church to fulfill all their needs; the music, the nursery, the leadership, the teachers, the Pastors. I will be the first to say, I like a particular style of preaching, I enjoy hearing a passion for God in their voice, a little humor and truth founded on God's word.

1 Corinthians 12:18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.

1 Corinthians 12:14 For in fact the body is not one member but many

1 Corinthians 12:25-27 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

As God has placed each one of us in the local body of believers, we have a contribution to make to that body of believers, to use our gifts and talents to further the kingdom of God, to grow in knowledge, to encourage and minister for kingdom purpose and not for our own glory.  So the next time you visit a church ask God; "Why I am here and is this where You want me?" and if you decide to leave a church, make sure you are following God's leading in it completely, and not allowing emotions to dictate where you will serve God. The word tells us to examine our hearts, and that we need to do regularly. There are seasons in our lives, seasons in a church and seasons in another church. Where do you find yourself in this season? But first and foremost remain faithful to God and serve Him with delight where He has planted you, without crumbling or complaining, we will never be satisfied apart from Him and His will.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God, who works all in all.