Before My Feet Touch the Floor.

1999 seems like such a long time ago, yet time flies... 

I was 38 years old, and God was asking me to do something that was way outside my comfort zone. 

In thirteen years a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. Some of those years the water was a steady flow, not too fast, not too slow... just peaceful and calm; kinda like the lazy river at a water park. Other years the waters were rushing and splashing and anything but relaxing. But most years have been a mixture of both, a lazy river today, and rushing waters tomorrow. With God's help, I've learned to navigate the changing currents fairly well. So, do you find yourself dealing with changing currents? 

Let's take a walk down memory lane...

1970, I'm 9 years old and with my brother I pray asking Jesus to be the Lord of my life. I can remember the day Billy and I walked the aisle at First Baptist Church Zion. There was this one lady who actually shouted for joy! That was scary at the time, but pretty cool to think about now. Imagine being that excited to see a child come to know the Lord! Maybe we need to take this lady's lead. 

1993, Jenni is 8 years old and Andy is 5 years old. Ronald and I, with both kids in tow, along with my parents jump in the car and drive to Zion, IL for a little visit. I was so excited to share my "birthplace" with my husband and children. (Of course Ronald would have enjoyed it more had he been able to see the baseball stadiums and wherever it is that the Bull's played - sorry, I digress) It was during this visit that I had my first memory of a physical "God moment". This feeling caused me to step back and re-evaluate my relationship with Christ. As we were walking through my church, we walked through the baptistery and as I did, an emotion overcame me that I never saw coming. My eyes welled up with tears and God bumps came up all over my arms and neck. I remembered my baptism as if it were the day before. I decided I never wanted that feeling to end, and my passion for Christ has grown and grown since that realization. 

What happened in 1999? God called me into an interim ministry. That is when I made the decision that before my feet touch the floor every morning, I need to give that day to God. I was so scared and nervous about this new "thing" God had asked me to do, I knew I couldn't take a step without Him. So I began to pray, "What are we going to do today?" And then I'd get up and follow His lead. 

2002 God says, let's take this up a notch. Full-time ministry became my new calling and now more than ever did I need God's guidance before I ever stepped on the floor!  

2005 God says, let's move and broaden your ministry territory. This meant leaving my home, my kids and my husband behind. It was one of the "rushing waters" times in my life... yet it was peaceful because I had my families support and I knew I was absolutely in the middle of God's will. I continued to dangle my feet over the side of the bed and have my moment with my Father before I began the day. 

2012,  my passion for my relationship with Jesus Christ is strong and more powerful than ever before. My passion for sharing Jesus with others and serving Him is my hearts desire. Yet, there is an uneasiness in my soul. I can sense the "lion prowling around ready to devour".  I agree with my pastor, Change is coming... something big. What? I'm not sure. 

I do know this... God will continue to use me. I know that He has called me to be bold. I know He wants to use me to hold the people around me and in my ministry area accountable to their walk with Jesus. I know that Satan will continue to use my insecurities and people pleasing issues to try to bring me down, discourage and disappoint me. So I have to stand firm. Be strong. Remember that God said it's HIS fight and the victory is already mine. So, I will pray. I will pray like never before. I won't care who is looking, I'll get on my knees and fall flat on my face in worship. I'll lift my hands in praise and let God fill me with His love. And I will try everyday to live up to HIS standard. As "the world" continues to push through the doors and hallways of the church, I'll fight it with every ounce of strength God gives me. I'll be able to do this because every morning, I'll wake up, swing my legs over the side of the bed, and before my feet touch the floor - I'll have a little talk with my Father.