Irrevocable

29for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. Romans 11:29

How has God gifted you?

• Are you able to pick up His Word, open it up and share it's truths with a class room of learners?
• Has God placed a melody in your heart that you can't help but sing that draws others straight into the throne room of God in worship?
• Do you do battle on your knees in prayer on behalf of others?
• Are you able to minister to those in need, to the "least of these"?

All who know Him have been gifted with:

• His grace - a favour we receive without any merit of our own.
• Faith - being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
• Knowledge - to know who He is and of His great love for us.
• Forgiveness - pardon of sin and eternal salvation.
• and so much more.

What is His call upon your life?

• We've all been called unto salvation. The choice is ours. The invitation has been given.
• We've all been called to be Missionaries - to go and tell - whether in our own neighborhoods, our workplace, our homes or around the world.
• We've all been called to be His hands, His feet, His voice as we be 'Jesus with skin on' to those He brings across our paths.

Have you ever thought of these gifts, His call as being irrevocable? The word irrevocable comes from the Greek word, 'ametamelētos'. It means,1) not repentant of, unregretted.

God's gifts and His call on your life are eternal, forever, never to be taken back. What LOVE! Even when we mess up. Even when we've failed. God doesn't look down on us from Heaven and snatch back His gifts of grace or forgiveness. He doesn't say, 'Because you have fallen, you can be of no use to me!' From the depths of my heart I thank Him for being a God of 2nd, 3rd and 999,999,999th chances. He never gives up on us. He never stops drawing us to Himself. He never stops loving us!

Only God can bring about 'a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.' Only GOD! He is a reverser of destiny!

How will you use your gifts in 2010? What is your calling?

Father I thank you for Your wonderful gifts of grace, knowledge, wisdom and forgiveness in my life. I think you that you have equipped me for ministry and placed a calling upon my life to share Your love with a world lost without You. My heart is open and my YES is already on the table as I seek out an opportunity to serve You in my community, outside of the local church. Here I am Lord, send me. Father, be glorified! In the sweet, sweet name of Jesus ~ Amen.

Happy 13th Birthday

Happy

13th

Birthday!

Thirteen years of praying. Thirteen years of waiting. Thirteen years of God teaching me that His ways are far better than I ever could have hoped or dreamed.

Thirteen years ago our faith became sight as God placed you in our arms for the very first time. Just a little over a day old when we first met; but conceived in our heart long before.

It was New Years Eve 1996 when with quiet resolve that your Dad and I knelt beside our bed and said a prayer that would forever change our lives. It went something like this, "God, whether You ever bless us with a child or not, You are our God! We lay down our wants, our wishes and desires at your feet. Above all else, may your will be done in our lives today, and forever."

No more wanting what we wanted, more than we wanted what God wanted. No more trying to bargain. No more wrestling with God. No more infertility treatments. That night, we layed it all down.

January 4th, 1996 we received a phone call that to this day still blows me away. On the phone was a lady that my husband had met a couple of times out in the community. She represented a private adoption agency not far from our home. Her question, "Would you and your wife be interested in adopting a baby?" She told Randy that she just couldn't get us off of her mind.

At the time she didn't know if we had any children or were even looking to adopt, but felt compelled by God to call and ask. Yes they had a waiting list. Yes they had many couples already approved and just waiting to be matched up with a baby. But as always, this godly lady committed the selection of parents for each baby to prayer. So she placed the call.

January 5th we met her at a local restaurant and we shared and cried together. Overwhelmed by what God was doing in all of our lives, how He was orchestrating the entire thing. To see Him working everything out, according to His plan was like nothing I had ever experienced before. And by the way, this special gift would be arriving within a matter of weeks.

So many details to work out. The home study, the adoption expenses, the attorney fees, the medical expenses. We had made no preparations. How in the world would everything be completed in time. When it's God's timing, all of the paperwork, all of the details, everything is under His control. Everything was completed without a hitch.

On a Wednesday night I came home from church to a ringing phone. A familiar voice was on the other end of the line. Her words, "Your son has been born! You can pick him up tomorrow." I sat down on the chair, no breath in my lungs, nothing would come out. Totally speechless!

We named you Jonathan which means, "God has given" or "Gift of God". In our lives, outside of Jesus, you have been the greatest gift that God has ever given to us. In giving you, He did the impossible, the improbable, the miraculous. He poured out His love for us in a tiny bundle of joy that filled our hearts greatest desires.

Thirteen years later, you continue to bring us tremendous joy. I am so proud of the young man you are growing to be. I can't wait to see where God is going to take you in the next 13 years of our lives together. I love you with all of my heart! Mom