Living in your sweet spot

Serving in your “Sweet Spot”

Earlier this month my wife, Darla, was ordained as a deaconess at Mt. Gilead. I am so proud of her and her willingness to be used by God in this way. This level of commitment is only going to strengthen our family and our marriage, and I can’t wait!

January 12, 1997 is when I was ordained into Christian Ministry at Little Prairie Christian Church. I remember my friend, Danny Wolford, preached the ordination sermon and there were so many people there to celebrate this occasion in my life.

I remember when I was in Bible college and preparing to be in full-time youth ministry (I had done part time ministry from 1993-1997) having a set of goals and dreams that I wanted to accomplish in ministry. 1) I wanted to write a book, and 2) I wanted to be in a “mega church” youth ministry.

I sort of came to the realization a few years back that I was going to “settle” for being a youth minister in a small town in southern Illinois. This realization convicted me to the core. YOU NEVER “SETTLE” FOR WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO!

Southern Illinois and small town youth ministry is a different calling. The mindset and culture is different than big cities, metro areas, or inner-city…but people are the same wherever you go. I love where God has placed me and would not change it for anything. Here are some realizations I have come to over the years:

1) God calls you. God has a call on the lives of everyone and His call is on your life. God is depending on you to do something for Him, but it is up to you to answer that call.

2) Gods call is specific. If you look throughout scripture you will find that everyone that God called (Abraham, Moses, Samuel, etc…) had a call that was specific, whether it was to a specific place or people, God was clear in his vision for their lives. God is clear on what he wants to do in your life, too. I think sometimes we don’t hear or see Gods specific call on our life because we have something different in mind and we see what we want clearer than what God wants.

3) Gods call is life-changing. When you answer the call of God on your life to serve and minister where he wants you to be, and to the people he wants you to be with…then you are living in your sweet spot! There is nothing like a basketball hitting nothing but net, there is nothing like the sound of a baseball hitting just the right spot on the bat, and there is nothing like being exactly where God wants you to be doing just the thing God wants you to do!

Thanks for reading!