Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I enjoyed the sweet aroma of the fresh-cut hay this morning as I met with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith. I’m not the one to labor over the fields – someone else has been called to do that hard work. But I am the benefactor of the harvest in more ways than one. As I enjoyed the look and smell of the fields this morning, it reminded me of my Journey of Faith. I’ve had a lot going on in my life for a while, and it’s hard to tell which part of me is feeling the strain the most…my mind or my body. I’ve pushed both to the limit, and I’m very Grateful that they are both still serving me well despite the push. My mind and my body may be tired, but my Spirit never will be, and it’s the Spirit that drives all the rest of me. I serve a God that set the stars in the sky and knows them each by name, and He has me on a Mission for Himself. He knows my Limitations. He Knows how hard to Drive me. And He knows just what I need when I need it. When I’m feeling weak, He breathes a Breath of Fresh Air as sweet as the fresh-cut hay back into me for the Journey. I know that as long as I stay Close to Him, He’ll be sure the mind and the body follow what the Spirit is driven to do, and One Day soon I’ll hear “Mission Accomplished”. Isn’t that the way you Push to serve the King too?

It would be so easy to say “I’m too tired, Lord” or “I’m too old for this”, but when God comes Calling, He wouldn’t ask us to Serve Him if He didn’t already know we’re up for the Job. When God comes Calling He already has the Details worked out for whatever it is we’re to do, and He already knows what we need before we even hear the Call. I don’t know for sure, but I think what God really looks for when He comes Calling is one that Seeks His Face, and one Willing to Serve because of their Love for Him. When He has One who Loves Him, who wants to please Him, and who is willing to say “Yes” when He comes Calling, He’ll do all of the other Equipping we need to Accomplish His Goal, and He’ll Handle all the the Details for the Job. Sometimes He Calls upon the most unlikely one to Serve, because He’s especially Glorified when He does. It’s the Service of the “unlikely” one that causes the world to stand in awe of the Power of a Mighty God when they Witness the unlikely one become Strong and Equipped right before their very eyes. God doesn’t look at the outward things like age, social status, education, or circumstances when He Comes Calling…He looks to the Heart instead…and He isn’t too keen on excuses when He Comes Calling for us to Serve. I don’t blame Him. After all, if HE is the One that will do the Heavy Lifting, and if He is the one who will Provide everything we need to do the Job, the only real reason we could have for saying “NO” when He comes Calling is that we don’t Trust Him to Provide and we don’t Love Him enough to Serve. Ouch.

I’m one of the most “unlikely” people that God has Called to Serve in ways that often make the world stand in awe of His Power and Might in my Life. Nothing that He’s Called me to do makes “logical” sense in the eyes of the world, and nothing about me is special. I don’t have youth, education, or social status…or even strength sometimes. But none of those things matter to the Living God. He has my Heart and I say “YES, Lord” when He comes Calling on me to Serve. I don’t make excuses for why I can’t because I already know that He wouldn’t Call upon me if He didn’t know that I’m Willing to do my small part to Fulfill His Plans. More than anything, I’m confident that He’ll never abandon me. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Many times I don’t understand why He wants me to do what He wants me to do, but I am CONFIDENT that if I am just Willing to say “Yes, Lord” He’ll complete the Good Work for His Glory no matter what.

I’m a Willing Vessel and I say “YES” when He comes Calling… and THAT’S why He Works Overtime in my Life. Sometimes people say “I wish God would use me like that” and they somehow overlook the reason He isn’t. They can’t be used by Him if they’re not willing to say “YES” no matter the time or the circumstances. Saying “YES” when we have no idea how we’ll Accomplish what He’s Calling for us to do takes a whole lot of Faith and Trust…and a whole lot of people lack both. He uses me because I’m “unlikely. ” He uses me because I’m NOT special. He uses me because I LOVE HIM and I say “YES.” I’m a very busy Willing Vessel, and I believe I will be all the days of my life here on earth…no matter my age, no matter my circumstances, no matter what because “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion”.

How about you?