Do you ever wonder how God could use you? For so long, I could not imagine God could use me. But then I joined a Bible study…my very first Bible study. In this study I learned powerful truths I had never heard.
I learned God created me for a purpose.
I learned that every event in our lives, good or bad, cannot enter in unless our God first allows it. It must pass through His holy hands.
I learned that no matter what has happened in my past, He promises to work all things (even the most terrible of things) for good for those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.
I learned He is able to redeem us from the deepest, darkest pits to do amazing works for His Kingdom.
So as you read this wondering if God can use you, sweet friend, I assure you He can. Nothing that has happened to you, no choice you have made, can ever keep you from serving Him!!!
Our God, through His Son Jesus Christ, redeems all things for His glory.
Do you know that you are God’s masterpiece?
You were created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for you to do. Ephesians 2:10
God will equip you with everything good for doing His will. Hebrews 13:21
God knew you before you were born. He formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, He set you apart and appointed you to a great work for His Kingdom. Jeremiah 1:5
God has a plan for your life…a plan that has been on His schedule before time began. He is waiting to reveal that plan…to reveal your calling. Your responsibility is to seek it out.
To find our calling, we must first BELIEVE these truths!
Once we believe He has a wonderful plan to use us, there are practical steps we can take. I will give you a hint: Check Your H.E.A.R.T. If you would like to learn more, please visit the Tip of the Week at womensministry.net where I share these steps. (If you are not familiar with this web site, it is amazing web site whose sole purpose is equipping women to lead other women. It is one of my favorite web sites!)
Below is a prayer I wrote for the women to whom I gave this message last week at Proverbs 31 She Speaks Conference. It is my joy to share it with you today.
Heavenly Father, I praise You as the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Almighty God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. You are the Bread of Life, the Lamb of God, Living Water, and Sustainer of all things. You alone are the Author of Life and the Strength of my heart and my Portion forever.
My heart’s desire is to live my life to honor and glorify You … to become a woman after Your own heart. To live my life this way, I know it requires a deep and abiding relationship with You. So, today, as I begin this journey of abiding, help me to carve out time for You no matter how busy I think I am. Help me to set aside time each day to dig into Your living and active Word. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart to receive, and a mind to understand all that you will speak to me. Father, make my heart tender to hear Your voice. Speak a fresh word to me every time I sit at Your feet…especially in those familiar stories. Make it as if I am reading for the first time.
Father, take Your Word and penetrate my heart, soul, joints, and marrow. And, Lord, if there is anything in me that will keep me from hearing You, reveal it to me. Give me a heart of humility and enable me to see it. Convict my heart and move me to confession. Cleanse my heart and allow me to return to perfect fellowship with You.
Oh, Father, I long for Your highest and best for my life. Fill my heart with Your Truth. Plant it deep within me so that it takes root. Keep my heart tender as that I will never stray from walking in Your Truth.
Meet me. Move me. Change me. Transform me. Accomplish everything in my life that You desire. You have a plan and purpose for me, and I desire to live in the fullness of that plan. Draw me close each and every day. Empower me to live out all I have learned this weekend. Help me make my life one long walk of obedience in response to Your Word and Your Holy Spirit that reigns and lives in me. Let Your love and Your Word shape my life.
I ask all this in Jesus’ powerful and holy Name. Amen.
If you find yourself struggling to hear God’s voice, I encourage you to visit this link to see how God led me to and confirmed my calling. I also share this story in the last half of my book, Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: TheTransforming Power of God’s Story.
Also, if you would like prayer in this area, please share your prayer request in a comment, and I promise to pray for you.
Blessings to you today,
Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story 
All Things Wise and Wonderful: Applying God's Wisdom in Everyday Life (E-Book)
Wendy,
I was listening to my local Moody radio station a few days before the “She Speaks” conference and heard the last few minutes of your testimony. Your name was familiar to me and I was excited to see that you would be at the conference. Unfortunately for me, yours was not one I saw among the sea of faces.
I just wanted to thank you for this encouraging post and for sharing your story. One of the first verses that offered me hope for purpose for my story was Romans 8:28. I just love how God shines through our dark times to work for His good.
Many blessings,
Erin
Hi Erin,
I am so sorry that we did not get to meet at She Speaks! It was an amazing weekend.
You are so welcome for the post. And I too love Romans 8:28. He does work and through our dark times and that gives me such comfort during my trials and the trials of those I love.
W
Your prayers always blow my heart away Wendy. Thank you for lifting up others, helping them to be open to the Call God has in their lives! God can and does use all circumstances for His glory! Blessings to you sister
.
Thank you so much for your offer to pray. For the last few years, God has been drawing my heart to Uganda, Africa, until it has become a burning passion in me. I am struggling, though, to know what that means and what it looks like, as I keep questioning, “What can I do, God? I have young children at home and am married to a man whose passion is NOT Uganda!” I feel stuck with this passion in my heart, not knowing what to do with it or how to live it out. I would love to have your prayers for direction and discernment. Thank you so much!!
Valerie,
I sponsor a child whose parents died of AIDS in Uganda. World Vision has children who need sponsors or you could donate to a charity of your choice. World Vision also has materials to present to groups to get sponsors. They also have events where a person volunteers to get sponsors and can go to the concert for free. I will pray for you.
Elizabeth
Heavenly Father,
I lift Valerie before you now. You have placed a passion in her heart for your people in Uganda. She longs to serve and be with your people there. Lord, it seems the season in her life does not allow for that right now. I pray that you will open doors for her to be able to minister in this area from right where she is…preparing the way for a trip one day to minister in person. Lead her heart to pray for your people there. Connect her with missionaries and people who are currently in the country so she can come to know the needs and the people there better. Open her heart to fresh and creative ways to serve you in this area. I thank You that You will answer these prayers in very real and personal ways. I also pray that you will connect her husband’s heart to hers as she begins to serve you in this way…long distance ministry. Open his heart to love these people. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
I would love to connect you with Marilynn Chadwick, who has written a book on prayer that began years and years ago with a heart for the people in Africa. I have interviewed her on my blog. Here is the link, http://wendyblight.com/2012/02/meet-new-author-marilynn-chadwick-with-giveaway/. The date of the interview was February 28, 2012.
Sweet Blessings to you,
Wendy
Wendy, thank you so, so much for your sweet prayer. And thank you for the info on Marilynn’s book! I haven’t had time to watch the video yet, but am looking forward to seeing it soon. And her book sounds amazing – definitely one I would love to read! Thank you!
Wendy, its so good to hear from you agan, I have missed coming to your page and getting insight from you. Your prayer is beautiful and powerful as always. Thank you for being an encouragement for me and everyone who crosses your path. I’ve always wondered what God’s call on my life was, until I sat back and examined my life.it’s to teach his children
What a sweet gift to read this note from you today! Thank you for your kind words. They mean so much. I love knowing the Lord is using what He lays on my heart to speak to and encourage you. That is my prayer!! I love that you have found your call. There is such great peace and contentment in that. Teaching is such a wonderful calling!!
W
Wendy,
Thank you so much for the email today! It is definatly an error that I have been struggling in: knowing what I am called to do. I recently went through a divorce and thought my whole life has been shattered, but God has continually showed me that He is the one with the awesome plan. I am praying that the Lord will show me the calling that He has for me.
So please pray that the Lord will clearly reveal what His calling is for me.
Thank you!
Thank you Wendy for posting this and thank you for praying with me that day. While admittedly I’m an emotional girl, I don’t find myself often having anxiety. On that day, the spiritual warfare was thick in my mind and I was having chest pains. I was praying, “Lord, Help me to see truth”. It helped me to say my fears out loud and then audibly offer them to Jesus. So much of the conference reiterated God’s capability to use the incapable. Thank you for reposting. Thanks for praying. Thanks for serving our God.
Thank you so much for posting this prayer. I just want to draw closer to God and to find what wants me to do for him. I so desire your prayers.
Thank you for this prayer! I want this so much for my life. I just want more of God and to be obedient to whatever He calls me to do. I’m tired of all the distractions that keep ringing in my head trying to confuse me. God bless you!
Wendy!
The heart you have for Jesus has an indescribable impact on all of us. Thank you for lifting us up to God. You are a gift beyond measure. I loved reading your posting on womensministry.net as well. Thank you for all of the scriptural references. I will hold tight to your teaching for my lifetime. I love you!
Hi Wendy!
God is speaking to me about “Listening.” this weekend.
and a thought came to me to pop on over to say Hi.
Going to check out your woman’s blog you mentioned.
P.S. Your book & Bible study changed my life and it was the first time ever I didn’t feel like I was walking that journey alone. (Just wanted to say Thank You)
Love finding this today!! Thank you for such sweet words of encouragement. Praying He will continue to open the eyes of your heart so that you will hear what He is speaking!!
Blessings,
Wendy
Wendy,
Thank you so much for this posting! I am currently going through a very indecisive situation in my life. I was recently hired for a specific job I had applied for (thank you Jesus!). BUT when I started working in my office three weeks ago I was offered the opportunity to work in another capacity other than what I was originally hired for. Both departments want me to work in their section. The supervisor in the job I was hired for wants me to work in her section, of course (which is why she hired me) but her supervisor wants me to work in her section (and technically, since she is the supervisor, she can pull me into her section) and asked me where I want to work (no pressure, right?!)
I am now torn and have praying about this decision over the weekend. Do I tell the higher supervisor that I want to work in the job I was orginally hired for or do I tell my would-be immediate supervisor that I would rather work for her boss. The positions are two very different jobs and there are pros and cons to both so they are equally agreeable to me and I am open to both. I WISH I knew what God would have me do! He opened all the doors so that I may get the job I originally planned for but now, with this other opportunity, I am wondering if He planned to used me in a different way than I thought when I applied.
Is this the tug of war of two supervisors over me or is this God giving me the opportunity to be used for something completely different than I originally thought? How can I know? What do I choose? I am not strong enough on my own to be okay with upsetting one supervisor over the other. Starting out on the wrong foot by “snubbing” someone in authority (which how I am sure eaither woman will perceive my decision no matter what I choose) is not how I want to start this new job.
Sandra
Wendy,
Thank you so much for this posting! I am currently going through a very indecisive situation in my life. I was recently hired for a specific job I had applied for (thank you Jesus!). BUT when I started working in my office three weeks ago I was offered the opportunity to work in another capacity other than what I was originally hired for. Both departments want me to work in their section. The supervisor in the job I was hired for (Rene) wants me to work in her section, of course (which is why she hired me) but her supervisor (Carla) wants me to work in her section (and technically, since she is Rene’s supervisor, she has the power to pull me into her section). Carla asked me where I would rather work (no pressure, right?!)
I am now torn and have been praying about this decision over the weekend. Do I tell Carla that I want to work in the job I was orginally hired for or do I tell Rene that I would rather work for her boss? The positions are two very different jobs and there are pros and cons to both yet they are equally agreeable to me and I am open to both. I WISH I knew what God would have me do! He opened all the doors so that I may get the job I originally applied for, but now with this other opportunity, I am wondering if He planned to use me in a different way than I thought when I originally applied.
Is this the tug of war of two supervisors over me or is this God giving me the opportunity to be used for something completely different than I originally thought? How can I know? What do I choose? I do not want to upset one supervisor over the other. Starting out on the wrong foot by “snubbing” someone in authority (which I am sure is how either woman will perceive my decision no matter what I choose) is not how I want to start this new job.
Hi Sandra, first how amazing in this time to have two jobs to choose from!! But I so see your dilemma.
I will pray for God to give you complete clarity to make this decision…ask him specifically for a Word to lead you. Remind Him of His promise that He promises to direct your steps and You would so love for Him to lead you directly through the door He has for you. You could ask the supervisor to assess your skill sets and help you determine which job is best suited for you as they are very different jobs. Tell her you want to be most productive for her company. Do you feel you can be honest and explain to her how torn you feel because you do not want to disappoint the woman who gave you the original offer? Maybe through her words the Lord will direct you. Also look for a sense of peace when you make your decision…before you speak it to anyone. Peace is a very good sign that you are following God’s will.
Please let me know what you decide. I am praying for you now…for you to hear God’s voice and sense His leading, for wisdom and discernment to choose…for gratitude that you have the opportunity to choose…for another candidate to fill the other position to help affirm your decision.
Blessings, to you,
Wendy
Wendy,
Praises for my husband and myself – God is working miraculous things in our marriage! However, please pray for my brother and sisterinlaw. He has moved out (there is definite sin and he’s moving further away from God) – he’s talking divorce and she wants to seek counseling for them. Please pray – thank you.
What new Bible studies are coming on the horizon? I have heard about the “Unglued” one – do you know of any additional ones? Am praying for what God would like me to study next.
Wendy,
Thank you for this resource for women’s ministries. I am eager to check it out.
Blessings! Thanks for your encouragement.
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
I love this message! I have a copy of it on CD from last year’s She Speaks. I love you Wendy! Blessings in Jesus Name!
Sharon, what a sweet blessing to find this note from you today! Thank you!!! I love you back!
Thank you for your love and obedience to the LORD. Please pray for my husband, Donn, and me to be unified in the Spirit as I am wholeheartedly seeking Him and His will. Thank you for these prayers.
Praying now in agreement with you for unity through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Wendy