Psalm 127:3-5

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!"

Boyce College

This picture is from the "Said at Southern" blog...

Updates on New Attitude still to come, but since so many of ya'll were praying for my time at Boyce College after the conference, I decided to give you a quick update on how that trip went.

Well, honestly as I walked out of the last session of NA I felt a heavy burden in my heart to return to FW and minister to the young people at my church. I wanted to encourage them in their journey of becoming completely satisfied in Christ. So as I traveled to the Campus of Southern Seminary / Boyce College, I kind of put up a wall so that I would not become too interested in the school because I felt that because of my burden for the singles, it must be that I am not to attend school, but give up my degree.

However, God's ways are much higher than mine!!! I didn't know that God would be placing me in the home of an incredible woman who has such an amazing passion for serving women within the body of Christ. Over the next three days my deep passion for ministry to women was re-awakened as I talked with my new friend, Jessica Vaughn. As we talked, I was completely open with her about the situation I was in; trying to decide whether to continue school or not when I just wanted to be involved in ministry full time. However, God used her to show me that I had forgotten why I had originally started going to a Bible College in the first place. I wasn't just searching for a degree, but for the training and equipping that I would need to be able to fulfill the calling God had placed on my life... ministry to women.

Although I could stop school and have a ministry now, my hands would be tied because I really don't know much about how to really minister to women. How should I counsel them? What can I do that will best bless them? How should I lead them in serving the Lord? When they come to me with questions, what should I tell them in each of those areas? The list could go on...

I must say though... the other thing God really revealed to me is that my decision should not be "either school OR ministry" but I should be able to do both! It would be a sad mistake to spend the next two years in school learning about ministry, but not being involved in it!

So what am I to do with my desire to serve the young people and women in FW and other areas? Honestly, I believe that God gave me that deep desire at the conference (I was crying through every song after that session!!!) to reawaken that passion within my heart. I think I had really lost sight these last few months of where my focus should be. Then I got so caught up in if I should get a degree or not... looking at it from an educational perspective and not from an "equipping for the ministry" perspective.

Something that Jessica said to me as she drove me to the airport yesterday was encouraging; it was something someone had told her as well. The time that we/I spend investing in school right now, is time I am investing in the future church with whom God will place me to serve. All the training and equipping that I will be given in school, is preparing me for the specific group of people God has already ordained for me to minister to. So... I am already investing in them! How encouraging that is to me when I want so badly to be having an influence now... not just in the future!

Also, I want to add that I was really hoping to have a woman mentor me on how to minister to women, if I did not start school back up, thinking that it would be even better training than just going to school. Something that I am very excited about at Boyce is that I will be required to intern in women's ministry at a church of my choosing each semester I am attending the college. I am then held accountable for that at school. How amazing would that be? (Yes, hard work... but so rewarding!!!)

I really believe that returning to school (Boyce College) is probably the best way that I can become equipped to serve women in the future! I have no idea how God will provide financially for it... but I truly believe that if He wants me there, He will provide! Thank you so much for your prayers as I visited the school and have been praying for direction from the Lord. I believe that He is beginning to guide me... however I still need to be patient to see His will unfold... who knows what He will do? But at least I can rest in the fact that His will is perfect and complete... not lacking anything!

Here is my new friend... Jessica Vaughn and I at Boyce....

The view from Mullins Dorm... the girl's dormitory...

Most of the campus buildings form a square... there is a beautiful green lawn in the middle of all the buildings... perfect for frisbee, tossing a ball, etc...

From what I hear, in Kentucky you really get to enjoy all four seasons... it's beautiful there!

May God's will be done in my life as I seek to serve Him with all that I am...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen! I am so proud of you. You are amazing! God bless you
solange

Michelle said...

Thanks Solange! You are so sweet! Thank you for the e-card you sent me too! It was so encouraging!!!

Anonymous said...

Michelle, I'm so glad that your time at Boyce was productive and that you received some clear direction for this next season! The pictures of the campus are beautiful!!
Lindsey

Anonymous said...

Hi Michelle it's good talking to you!!!NOW!!

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