Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was warm enough for me to spend a little time outside this morning although it probably wouldn’t be considered to be warm enough for the average person. Then again, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be considered an “average” person though…at least not in the eyes of the Author and Perfecter of my Faith. I’ve been Refined by the King of all kings through Seasons of intense “heat” and it’s through my Trials that I have become a Determined woman of God….desperate to watch Him wake up the world and to give Him the “first fruit” of my day…thirsting to spend time in His Presence. I’m not just willing, I’m EAGER, to be counseled by the King and led by the Master of all Creation today. There’s nothing average about my God, why would there be anything average about me or my Faith?

I’m not the only one who thinks there’s nothing “average” about me and my Faith…I hear it all the time. People see a heart “like no other” and wisdom beyond what they can even wrap their heads around…and they turn to me often because of it. They’ll comment on my ability to extend Compassion to a suffering soul and my willingness to love one that isn’t easy to love. They know I have a low sin tolerance BUT that I can love the sinner to Restoration no matter how long it takes to get them there. They’ve been eye-witnesses as I’ve faced indescribable Trials and Tribulations with an Unshakable Faith. They’ve heard me wage war with the devil and they’ve watched me “put him in his place” when I’m struggle with distractions meant to get my eyes off of the King. They’ve heard me share the testimony of my Life without shame over who I was or what I did because I Know that Jesus DIED to take away my shame. Instead, they hear me brag about the God who Supernaturally turned things around and brought me to where I am today…a usable Vessel for the King of all kings. Nope…there’s nothing average about me and my Faith.

No doubt there are plenty of people out there who will read these words and judge me for being prideful and arrogant because I refer to myself as not being an average person with an above average Faith, but that’s because they don’t understand the “rest of the story”. Maybe they’re missing the fact that I Know that God knit me together in my mother’s womb and chose me before the foundations of the earth to be a woman on the “Jesus Team.” I KNOW that He’s worked hard to Refine me into a woman He can use for His Purpose for such a time as this. They might not understand that “He sought me and he bought me through His Redeeming blood” and although I could do nothing to deserve the Gift He gave to me, He gave it to me anyway. Nope…I’m a child of the Living God, the King of Kings, the One who died for me and there’s absolutely nothing “average” about that.

Some people might wish for a Heart like mine from time to time but I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t sign-up to get one of their own. They probably wouldn’t be willing to endure what I’ve endured to get it as God Almighty has turned up the heat over and over and over again to Refine me. It takes high-temperature heat to refine precious metal and it took Fire from Heaven to bring me to my knees and to Refine me for His Purpose. But without extreme heat metal isn’t refined and it never reaches the full potential of its Beauty without it. The process is rough and painful but the Rewards have no words to adequately describe the Beauty of the Vessels He creates through Fire.

I’ve been refined by the Living God and there’s absolutely nothing “average” about that. I don’t necessarily celebrate the pain I’ve endured, but I’m always ready to “take one for the Jesus team” when God is ready to take me to the next step of my Faith and there’s nothing “average” about that. Then again, there’s nothing “average” about the God I serve either so I’ll do whatever it takes to Become all that He Created me to be.

How about you?