Jesus. Yep, He's the reason for the hope that I have. But some have asked "why title this blog" the way I did?? It came from a verse that was once prayed over me at a ministry leadership conference I went to. At the time, I had no idea what it really meant for me, and why God would have impressed it upon this fellow ministry-leader to pray it in such a way that I knew it was from Him, and yet wasn't yet sure of the application until a few months later. I eventually knew, and it was confirmed through circumstance and those who know me best, that I was to move in to a new arena of ministry - Biblical Counseling, and most recently also Women's Ministry.
1 Peter 3:15 tells us to always be prepared to share the reason for the hope that we have. That is true for all believers of course. But it was during this conference that I began to sense God's calling on my life in to full time ministry. I knew that The Lord was challenging me to 'step it up', to be sure that I knew what I knew, and to be sure that I could defend it, and pass it on to others who were hurting and stuck in their Christian walk. It was a call to a higher standard, which would require me to pursue the calling with fervent prayer, passionate study of the Word, and great sacrifice of time, finances, and pursuit of earthly pleasures.
That was almost 4 years ago. Since that conference when that verse was prayed over me, I have completed my counseling certification and have logged a few hundred hours of counseling in my local church. This past year brought another call to 'step it up' and share the reason for the hope that I have to women beyond just the counseling. God has expanded my reach to women in general as I take on the task of Women's Ministry Director. I will still be counseling - that is just how God wired me and I can't NOT do it. So, I remain more than ever on my face in fervent prayer, in the Word for even more passionate study, and the sacrifice of my time, finances, and pursuit of earlthy pleasures is even bigger now.
Some have asked me WHY. All I can say is that I consider this all training ground for.......something........I have no idea what.......but I just know that it is right and that I AM called to it. There is no stopping me, short of God calling me out of it as clearly as He called me in to it!
So there you have it - the reason for The Reason For The Hope That I Have!!!
Romans 15:4 (New International Version, ©2011) "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope".
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