The "Call of God" on Our Lives

The Mayflower II   Homeschooling at its bes

  Joy is in college courses, Levi will be soon, Sam is now 11…Kristen is doing more of my unit studies than I am. I have a lot of gray hair (mostly hidden under dye), cover up my increasing wrinkles with Bare Escentuals, and wear black clothes (they are slimming).Concurrently, I am finally aging to a point of liking who I have become in Christ (complete with my multitude of issues), know God’s hands are, and have been upon my life, and I have learned to fully trust Him – even in the dark and painful times.

 I have become –  an “older women.

 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

 I have been obedient to God’s “call” on my life for over 30 years now as a stay at home mom. It has been a blessing and a privilege to raise my children, and educate them in the ways of the Lord.  As a family we have experienced loss, been made to sacrifice, often charged [by God’s Word] to choose compassion over comfort, giving over our need, others lives over the lives of our children, work over much needed sleep, and the “call” of God, over the desires of our own heart.

To us the “call” was always to obey what we saw in God’s written Word, and apply it to our lives. Caring for widows and orphans meant just that – don’ just read about it – do it. We went from donations to orphanages to Sam. What a blessing that has been – God’s 100 fold blessing upon our giving. Many teachers emphasize give money to God to receive material blessings – we gave to God and got our son, Samuel, from Kazakhstan. He did not add material wealth to our lives – he was another mouth to feed! And he is a treasure and a blessing. We are rich in blessings, indeed.  Which blessing would you choose? Which would God?

We have had a multitude of people into our home, for meals, overnight, and sometimes staying indefinitely; gaining insight, compassion, and wisdom from them all – young and old. We have been prosperous.

Duet. 6 tell us to talk about God from when we get up, until we go to sleep –  and everything in between. Homeschooling our children enabled us to do that. There is a cohesiveness to our family that is lacking in much of society today. We have been blessed, and it has all been by the hand of God and none of our own doing.

A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,    having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work.     I Tim. 5:9

I am 51 years old now – and as I begin to approach the “sixty” year mark mentioned, I can see the experience that God has built in to me as a “home-maker” –  the works that He has caused, the love that He has grown, the experience that He has given. Even though I am thankfully not a widow, I would like to think that I would be worthy of being, “put on the list” through my life in Christ.

He has assured me that my devotion to my family, and those good works which He placed in me, and upon my heart, will not be wood, hay, and stubble; but as Rom:8:28 says, they have been according to His purposes and responsible for my “image.” And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; [emphasis mine]

As my image conforms, my “call” shifts – a metamorphosis – or so I believe. Dave and I are launching into a new world – a new “call”, as we seek God for direction in our crisis and disaster response training and missions.

Much emphasis is placed upon the “call” in one’s life among the Assemblies of God, and that is where this pondering sprang from.As I am in the midst of the credentialing process for licensing, I have had to purposefully seek to understand my life’s direction from beginning to end; and the past is always much clearer than the future. I have earnestly sought to understand the trials and testings we have undergone over the years, the blessings of family, and the many experiences by the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

Does that mean my my “call” has truly changed?

My children are leaving the nest, and we are entering into our latter years, however, our family still is, and will always be, our priority. The “call” as a mother never changes. I will always be the “go to” person, the mender, the confidante, and the comforter (at least much of the time, and with most of my children); however, all the years of ministry to my family has truly worked His purposes by training me for emotional and spiritual care to others. All the years of being a homeschool teacher, has equipped me to be an effective teacher of crisis and disaster response – and God’s Word; all the years of serving in my home and around my home, has taught me how to serve outside my home, and outside my comfort zone.

You learn compassion by being compassionate, you learn love by being loving, you learn how to serve, by serving – all things moms must learn; and as a home-educator, you become educated in all things pertaining to life, by educating your children in those things.

So, to all my younger friends who are in the midst of homeschooling your children, serving within your home and communities – keep up the good work. God is working in you His good pleasure. You are in His mission field, being conformed to His image, doing His Kingdom work. 

Remember to – “show hospitality to strangers, wash the saints feet, and assist those in distress”, and never, ever think you are not fulfilling the “call of God” upon your lives.  

 In Him,
Jamie