"It Wasn't My Faith"

“It Wasn’t My Faith”

 Hebrews 11:1 King James Version (KJV)

 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”

 

          It wasn’t my faith that brought me to this destination.  That would seem to be a contradictory statement.  I always lean on my faith; whatever faith mode I maybe in.  Sometimes my faith is weak in my sorrow. Then other times my faith is bold, in my witness. It never falls below the size of a mustard seed, because mustard seed faith is all you need. 

          This journey began because I was forced into writing, my twelfth grade English teacher Ms. Bentley forced us to journal every day, that was our daily assignment.  She allowed us to write on any subject. Boring, I hated that class.  I never like writing and wasn’t fond of reading either.  But the more I began to write, I found it to be a way to release anxieties and frustrations.  I could say whatever I wanted; (she never read them anyway) at least that is what I thought.  Until one day she wanted to see me after class. Busted, I had written a love story, of a damsel in distress captured by a giant who couldn’t speak.  Frighten by the unknown she remembered her Sunday school teacher discussing how to love your enemies and the people who deceitful use you.  She responded to the giant with love and melted his heart. Once the giants heart was soften he smiled as she had smiled at him and his tongue was loosened and he was able to speak.  What a story, right?

          But that’s when I saw the power of my pen and the gift God had placed on my life.  I wanted to hide the gift because none of my friends would understand my desire to entertain people with my stories.  But the more I wrote the more I wanted to write.  English, journalism and speech were my favorite parts of the day, not only did I want to write it I wanted to tell the stories.  I wanted to portray the characters; I wanted to capture my audience.  That was high school. 

          One Sunday afternoon at a three o’clock church program our special guest was the late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan.  I didn’t want to be there, Lord knows a teenager has better things to do on a Sunday than be in church.  But I heard a voice that dotted every I and crossed every T.  I was drawn in and listen to everything she said.  She was a politician and I wasn’t interested in being a politician.  But what interest me was her presentation, her captivating voice, I wanted to sound like her.  I wanted to speak and be heard.

          What could I speak about? God said ‘Me”. No God, something different, why do I keep getting pulled into this situation.  So God allowed me to write what I wanted, poetry, short stories anything I choose.  He waited for me and I kept being busy.  Then something changed all that, my faith wasn’t an issue I believed I could and I did write. I had faith in my ability, but my writing even to me was empty.  Even before I realized it I saw that everything I wrote was orchestrated and motivated by scripture.  He had placed an unusual calling on my life.  He had anointed me with a voice, not always verbally; he had placed a word, his word, to share his word.  It was his desire for me to spread a message of hope, inspiration and salvation.  It was his plan for my life.

          When you walk in God’s will, sometimes he will place assignments on your life. These assignments must be done.  What has God assigned for you to do?  He will cause restlessness in your spirit until you fulfill your calling. It wasn't my faith, it was my calling.

Jeremiah 29:11New King James Version (NKJV)

^11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”