This past weekend, some of my favorite girls and I attended a Priscilla Shirer event at Central Church in Memphis, TN. I have seen her once before in Southaven, MS, with my mother in law, and I just loved her! She speaks truth in the most encouraging way. Both times I have left her speaking events, I have been convicted and motivated in BIG ways!
Friday, it was just my mom and I that got to see her. We have really never attended many women's conferenced together, so this was definitely a treat. Priscilla spoke of God's patience and how we can never be out of His reach. She encouraged us to understand that sometimes as the Holy Spirit changes us from within, those old relationships don't always hang around. They don't always stand through the heat with us. But we always, always have a Father that hangs with us no matter how long the process takes (our whole lives….). She explained that the Holy Spirit chips away at everything in our life that doesn't look like Jesus. How exciting to know that we have something alive in us that is guiding us along the way of this life. Our God is alive and working! He is never absent, no matter how quiet it seems. Just when I feel like I can't stop saying or doing that sinful thing, I remember that God is patient with me. He is guiding me and I can turn that thing around with His help. He won't ever say "that was one too many times, I'm done. I can't take it anymore!". Nope, but that sure sounds like something I would say.
The other big thing I took away from Friday night was the word "location". Priscilla reminded us to "take stand in the location God puts us in". She told us that the enemy tries to downplay how we influence those close to us. That we are just the mom's who take care of the babies, that those new military wives are older and wiser in this military thing, they don't want this newbie to encourage them when their husbands are gone. What do I know?? The enemy wants me to think I'm not skilled and eloquent enough to talk to my new friend about Jesus. The thing is…I'm not! But God is. He is so ABLE. He will speak through me. Maybe even just by my actions in the beginning of a friendship.
We are given this "sphere of influence" by God. He is ENTRUSTING these lives to Nick and I. He knows that through Him, we can plant seeds and encourage our military friends. I want to look back and see the blessings through our obedience. He is specifically placing us in San Diego for a reason. This isn't by chance. He didn't work out every small detail of our living situation within ONE DAY of arriving in San Diego to house hunt for some small reason. I will always look at new ladies I meet as seeing God's hand pushing them towards me, saying, "Here is this precious life I made".
He is sending me across the country for a purpose. He has you at this location for a purpose. Be present where you are. Be intentional where you are. He placed you there. HE did.
I guess I will have to save Day 2 for another day since I just went on and on today! I'll leave you with a picture from that night of my mom and me before the conference! Ain't she cute??
Victoria
2 comments:
So sweet! and so glad you got to share this with you mom! Again, your words are so encouraging as I am in my first official week of "military wife life". It is initially intimidating, and definitely not what I had planned for myself, but I know God has us here intentionally even if we can't always see it.:)Thanks for sharing!
Love hearing what you learned this weekend. Wish I could have been there. You were just a few minutes away from me! Keep encouraging those in your sphere, like you encourage all of us that read here! I always need to be reminded to be intentional.
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