When We Obey God

Extraordinary acts of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience. Craig Groeschel

These words (as I shared a few weeks ago) have rung through my mind for weeks now. As I’ve been sharing, God has called me to step out of my comfort zone, to trust Him with my future.

For many years, I have wanted to move from my job to a coaching business. My heart is to see peoples’ lives transformed by God’s love and grace. I’ve poured out my heart on these pages, shared my faith, prayed for God to move in mighty ways.

But my job has always taken so much energy that I have nothing left to pour into building a coaching business. It has consumed my energy and creativity, and the pressure of a job left my passion for what I know God has called to me waning.

In so many ways, I have found myself empty. Drained. Nothing left to give.

Last year, I felt God stirring within me again, pulling me toward His purpose. In my eyes, the timing was not right. You see, my plan was to work until my daughter graduates college in two years, and then we would have a little more financial margin.

Of course, that was my plan, not God’s plan.

Friday was my last day at my full-time job. It has been hard, certainly bittersweet, as I leave a team that I absolutely love. So many times I felt this tug to just stay, to continue for a few more months, to keep the paycheck and the security. But the pull of God on my heart has been so much stronger. I’m not sure I’ve ever been more certain of God calling me to something than I am right now.

The truth is that the environment in which I found myself had become oppressive. It wasn’t the people, but the situation was not right for me. As I looked within myself, I knew it was not what God created me for. And, when we aren’t functioning in our strengths, in our purpose, it becomes oppressive. Certainly there were aspects of my job that I absolutely loved! I love having a team that I can support and care for. I love being an encourager and a safe place for people. I love being a sounding board and having a voice for others.

But there were other expectations as a leader that I simply found did not fit with who God created me to be. And honestly, I am totally fine with that because I am fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image (Psalm 139:14).

Here’s the crazy thing: In the last two weeks as I have been tying up loose ends on my job, God has been moving in extraordinary ways.

I received an unexpected email from a friend asking me to start writing for his organization. This opportunity will increase traffic to my blog again and provide a small amount of income.

I received an email from BibleGateway asking me to sign up for their affiliate site.

I’ve had no less than three women reach out to me about their situations dealing with adultery and divorce.

Conversations are ongoing with opportunities for me to coach.

You see, that one step of obedience is opening doors, doors I never sought and never imagined. It’s a step of faith. A step of obedience. A step that opens the doors of God’s blessings to lead me into His purpose for my life.

I don’t know where you are, what God is calling you to do. Do you hear Him? Is He calling you to step out in faith? Oh friend! If so, please walk in obedience! I can’t see the final picture of this crazy journey God is leading me on, but I know I can trust Him! I am going to walk with Him into this unknown future and wait to see His extraordinary work through my ordinary act of obedience!