To sign or not to sign...

I've been seeking wise counsel about the decision of signing a contract for next year or not. I met with Pastor Chuck and he explained to me that God doesn't always want us to go directly from point A to point B. We may be on our way to point B when God causes us to go in a zig zag. But sometimes in moving towards point B we end up where God wants us to be. He reminded me that if I didn't end up raising all my support and serving in Vienna it wasn't the end of the world. In fact, that might be how He gets me where I'm suppsed to be. He asked me where my heart was and I told him serving the Lord. He asked me why I was so scared of not signing the contract and I told him I was scared of not having a job next year if I didn't raise all my support. He then asked what I loved more, job security or serving the Lord. Am I more in love with my job or Jesus?

After this meeting, I talked to a retired missionary from my church on the phone. He told me they had a missions meeting where one of the elders talked about his cell phone. Having a cell phone was convenient, he could call people on his way home from work, and people could get a hold of him on the golf course. However, it cost him $65 a month and he thought about how much that would benefit a missionary. Then another elder talked about how he had cable and he wasn't sure how much TV God wanted them to watch anyway. And he, too, wondered what that money would do for a missionary. This really encouraged me and showed me that God could bring in the money in ways I never dreamed of!

It was after much thought and lots of prayer, that I have decided not to sign my contract here at Lewis Central. I'm moving towards Vienna and if He chooses not to bring in the support, I'll be interested to see what He has for me next. I'm putting my total trust in Him. Jesus has my heart; and I'm going to serve Him wherever He leads me.

Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.