March 24, 2004

  • Unplowed Ground

     

    I met up with two heroes in my life last Friday.  Larry Bauer said to me, “There has been no other woman at UCSD who has had more influence as you have had.  Not only has your influence been broad, but it has been very deep.  This is evidence of God’s blessing.  This is something very unusual and unique.  Not everyone can invest as you have and seen as much fruit.  As you move on to this new thing, don’t ever forget this gift that God has given you.” 

     

    Brenda Bauer said, “Over the years, I have seen flashes of that adventuresome part of you, but you have never really gotten to exercise it.  Now… you can.”

     

    Yesterday morning I read this entry I had written about this time last year, “I know that my gifting is shepherding and teaching.  It is obviously what I am good at.  But even so, I’m willing to lay it aside in order to fulfill whatever role He wishes.  Let me get out of the box and try something different; I can try serving God in a different capacity – who knows what I will find in the process.  So let me move into ‘unplowed ground.’  (Jer 4)  Anything in order to know His will for my life and to obey.”

     

    In another entry, I had written, “Discipleship and Bible study, I know how to do this already.  Lord, let me do something I have never done before so that it must be a step of faith.  I want to do something that requires me to depend on you fully so that I may know and acknowledge that it was through you and you only that this was accomplished.”

     

    Perhaps by taking on this job and doing mobilization, I will get at these very things.  It would be an adventure of faith.  Something different, something new, something wonderful.  And yet, may I never forget or neglect entirely God’s true call on my life – which is, to invest in lives.