It has been too long since I last wrote a blog and where I am in life. I want to make sure I am continually doing it.
I have decided to write this blog as a sort of update on where I am and what God is leading me towards. So…buckle up your bootstraps, because here we go!!!
The Life Update from the Past Year
This past year, just in general, has been quite the year and that goes for everyone. But it is a year I will never forget! And that isn’t because of the hardships or challenges (and we all know we have had our fair share of them) but it is because of the transforming power of the Gospel! I’m not sure I could narrow it down to one piece of scripture, but God, during last summer, began to illuminate the scriptures like they had never been for me. I remember how I started reading Romans and Ephesian a lot and it is specifically Romans 10:5-21, which is the Message of Salvation to All, that blew me away!
Just to go over something that I have talked about before, I have grown up in church my whole life. And I am beyond grateful for that, but it wasn’t until this past summer where things started to change. (I mean that in all the best ways it can!) For 22 years I had walked and talked like the ones I surrounded myself with. And no this isn’t a bad thing, always, but I did this for that long without actually truly knowing what it is that I believed. I did it because everyone else did. We read in Galatian 5:1 how we are supposed stand firm and not go back to a yoke of slavery. It was this and many other verses that began to challenge and convict me. Because for 22 years I claimed to be a true Christ-Follower, yet I continued to walk in darkness. (Ephesians 5:8)
All this being said, to God be the Glory!!!
Time Wasted, Life Gained
I now understand that if I kept living like I had, I would continue to be unsure, I would walk through the motions of life and ultimately, I would be standing in the middle when God calls us to be for Him or against Him. (Matthew 12:30)
Now, looking back I am sad that I wasted so many of my years walking in darkness. On the other side I am beyond grateful that I serve a faithful God, who loves enough to send His Son to die on a cross, the debt that I fully deserved, He PAID IT IN FULL! And it by this that I choose to walk in the light and not the darkness.
What does this mean for my life then?
Where too now?
This might be the most exciting and terrifying part!
God Works In Ways We Can’t Comprehend
Again, my whole life has been spent running after what Zach wanted, not committed to what the Lord calls me to do. So, as the Gospel began to transform my life this past summer it was that very thing that got exposed. And I couldn’t believe what God did next!
If you know me, you know that I am terrified of a lot of things and one of those things is speaking in front of people. I grew up always joking that there was absolutely no way God would ever want me to become a teacher or messenger of the Word of God. Basically, what I mean is Church ministry. But that is exactly what He has called me to do!
I was definitely in a sort of awe and shock as He was revealing it to me in my life. I still sit here in some shock, because I don’t really know why me! But then He always reminds me of literally every person He has used throughout the Scriptures and past. He takes the most unlikely and uses them to bring Him Glory and proclaim the Greatness of the Gospel! (1st Corinthians 1:27-31)
A New Beginning
I am excited to begin this call to ministry, but I am also terrified. It is something that holds a very important place. It isn’t something that can be taken lightly or run into so fast that you aren’t ready. For me there is this understanding of all of it, but I couldn’t live with myself if I messed up in a way that lead people astray. Because the only thing I want is for people to know the Gospel, to know God!
First Life Question
First question, what am I doing right now to pursue this call?
A few things actually. I’m not going to school for it yet, but it is obviously something on my radar and that I am looking at. But currently, I am taking opportunities to lead. My uncle who is a pastor encouraged me to lead in my church’s youth group and that opportunity fell into my lap. Thanks be to the Lord for that! So I co-lead 7th and 8th grade boys community groups and so far that has been great. I also was recently asked to lead my college/young adults community group and that went amazing! Then I am also, getting involved with another thing to help sharpen this call to ministry with others who are being called to it as well.
So, all that being said, God has been faithful to put the opportunities in my life and I know I need to keep taking them. I can say they do terrify me a little…ok a lot! But God is my strength, He is my portion as the Psalmist says, and I will find comfort in that! (Psalm 73:26) I will trust Him above any other! (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Second Life Question
Second question, what area of ministry?
Now this one is a little more challenging for me to give you all a solid answer. But where I am being tugged is towards young adults. I see the need there, and that in part is because of my own life. I see young adults as being forgotten. We are sent out into the world and instantly we run away from what we once believed. More young adults run away from the church and the Good News every day and it breaks my heart. So, this is kind of the area that I am investing some time into.
What I Really Want You to Know
So…yeah, I am beyond excited! I mean I have this blog and I also have a podcast where I believe God is beginning to use in ways that I don’t even realize. But none of this is for me!
This is for the Gospel!
This is for the Glory of God!
It is all done for Him and through Him! I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for Christ! I am just beyond thankful that He chose me. Chose me for a purpose, a purpose that I likely will never be able to comprehend!
Going from this place, yeah, I could use prayer and encouragement. But what I want more than anything is that after reading this blog, you wouldn’t hear me or my story! I want you to walk away transformed by the Gospel. I want you to walk away proclaiming the Gospel. So please…Go! No more should we as Christ-Followers walk in any darkness but let’s walk in the newness of life! (Romans 6:1-14; Read it all)
Here is my podcast if you are a listener kind of person.