When God chooses you

Personal Photo: Everyone meet our surprise rescue pup, Jersey :)

To be totally honest with you all, I had a completely different goal in mind when it came to what today's message would be on this blog platform. However, a certain type of a curveball was thrown my way on Friday afternoon. I showed up at work as usual, and Fridays are typically busy days because we have information to send out before the weekend hits. I worked through my lunch so I could leave an hour early because my parents were coming over to help us with installing our kitchen countertop. About halfway through the afternoon, I heard someone mention something about a dog that was found. I poked my head out of my office and I asked what all the commotion was about and I was informed that one of the administrative assistants had found a dog on the side of the road when she was on her lunch break. She picked the dog up because the pup was so sweet and gentle and she brought her into work to see if someone wanted to take her home.

Now, I am not in the market for a dog, and Clay and I wanted to hold off on having any pets so we were free to visit our loved ones with pets, to save up on some money after buying our house, and so we could travel. However, when no one in the office could take this dog, they asked if Clay and I could take her. Long story short, I was sent home early with the little canine.

Without a collar, without a home, and without food and water for a very long time, this poor animal was malnourished. We fed her and she drank some water and Clay and I gave her a bath before my parents arrived with their two rescue dogs (although I consider them mine as well), Maci and Oakley. When they got here, they gifted a spacious kennel, some dog blankets, food, treats, toys, a dog bed, and a leash. We were set up to be dog owners in the span of an hour. After a quick trip to the store to get some treats for Maci, Oakley, and our new addition to the family, we settled on the name Jersey for her. After the chaos of the day I looked at Mom and we both knew what the blog would be about this week: When God chooses you.

The reality that God is in charge is almost always a comfort to me; we do not need to worry about where our next steps will lead us, as He will guide us to where we need to go and take care of us along the way. All of the sin and evil that corrupt this world belong to the world and we, as believers belong to Christ, and are saved and chosen out of this disturbing place because we are His children. The questions we all have will be answered, the heartaches explained, and the blessings evident, all through time and faith. However, the hardest part of God's all-knowing plan is what He has in store for us that we are not seemingly ready for; The stuff we didn't get to plan, the things we really don't want to do, the areas in life that we want to avoid, etc. Philippians 2:13 lets us know that "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure," but it can still be hard to accept when a curveball is headed straight for you and you either have to swing or step aside. Stepping aside does nothing for the Lord, and whatever it is that we think we are stepping away from is really just a delay in our own acceptance of the Lord's plans for us. God's plan is almighty, and we sometimes think that we were chosen incorrectly for a job, but truly it is our own lack of understanding that prevents us from immediately accepting how God is making us a vessel for His glory. Truly, attempting to avoid the calling of Christ's mission for you in life is like standing in a pool and trying not to get wet; we are still amidst the Lord's plan for us and we are called to do things that He deems we are capable of. Eventually we will end up exactly where God needs us to be, prepared or not.

My example of our new rescue pup is really applicable here. I didn't want to have a dog right now and neither did Clay. We both wanted our freedom to go where we wanted for however long that we wanted. However, somehow God had determined that now was the right time for us to help the pup out and make a difference. Even after one short day with Jersey, she has wiggled her way into our hearts and we are grateful for the chance to welcome her into our family. Something we were not ready for is taking us on a journey that God knew we needed to go on. This is one very small way that we can all be called to do something we seemingly weren't ready for and we, as Christians, are able to step up to the plate and know that God will not let us fail. For me this week, it was a dog, but it could be the people you are called to help, the place you are called to go, the job you are supposed to take, and more. It is the leap of faith that you were not expecting, but they make a difference. God does not call you if you are not going to make a difference.

When we feel as though we are incapable for the job laid out before us, we can remember that in Luke 1:37 we are told "For nothing will be impossible with God.” Because this is true, we do not have to fear that we are unable to make a difference in a place He called us to be in. We will be able, with God, to make a difference in the world, change people's lives, and create a lasting impact that has God's glory all over it. Ephesians 2:8 explains to us "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." I love this verse when we think about the times in life that God chooses us, when He calls us, when we are destined to step outside of our comfort zone and face the unknown. We are crafted each and every day by the Lord in order to give Him glory during our time here on Earth. We can grow, learn, change, and shift all because He is working on us and in us to ensure that when He calls us, we can step up to the plate.

When God chooses you, you may feel unprepared, like you are not the right person for the job, or like it doesn't make any sense. In these moments, we are often tempted to try to run from it. I could have said that Clay and I are not ready for a dog and we cannot help her. However, we can only imagine where this little pup would have ended up. For some reason beyond me, God chose me to bring her home. I scrambled, I leaned on the help of my parents and Clay for support and supplies, and we are learning about what the next steps are to get her healthy again. However unprepared I felt on Friday and will feel in the coming weeks, I am grateful that I can help her. I am not sure why we were chosen and what impact this will leave, but I am positive that Clay and I will grow from it, that Jersey will never go hungry again, and that she will touch many lives as a part of our family. Because we did not run away from the challenge, we have a chance to give glory to God for this gift. It works the same way in every other scenario of God calling us. If it is a job that we end up taking, we can learn from it and find out if it is something we like or dislike. If it is a place we move to, we might find some opportunities exclusive to there, meet people who help shape us, and gain experiences that we would have missed out on. God choosing us is an act of love; Him choosing us gives Him glory, but it also is a way for Him to continue to shape us into who He designed us to be.

When God chooses us, we have been given a chance to listen, to recognize a blessing, and to practice our faith in Him and His plan for us. Even if we feel unprepared, or we do not like what we have been called to do at first, we are told in Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." When we trust in God, we can find the faith to leap into the unknown, step up to the challenge of what He calls us to do, and more easily recognize the blessings that are abundant within His callings. We are often given chances to make a difference and God calls us to do so. When the chances come that we can make an impact for God, regardless of how scary it may be or how unqualified we feel, we are equipped with the Lord's amazing love and His almighty plan to help us each step of the way. This ensures that in the wake of each calling we leave behind glory for Him and take with us the gratitude for the opportunity to be God's vessel.