This week’s prompt is WILLING
This post was prompted by the gang at Five Minute Friday Each Friday we take five minutes to write on the same prompt. It’s a lot of fun to see what others are inspired to write from the same prompt. Give it a try or click and do a bit of fun reading.
I’m reminded of my husband’s first wife, JoAnn. I never met her but she loved Jesus and served Him faithfully.
I’m told she was willing to rise up early every Sunday morning to call people. “Are you out of bed getting ready for Church? I hope to see you there.“
Willingness to Give All To Jesus
When they were dating she was willing to take a stand, “If you see me on Sunday or Wednesday nights, it will be because you are at church with me.”
She was willing to adopt two of her sister’s children so they wouldn’t end up in the foster care system. At this point, she had been raising them to about 9 years.
JoAnn desired for everything that she did to glorify God. In February 1989, The church was preparing for revival services. She sang a special song that Sunday, just before the Revival began on Tuesday… Whatever it Takes.
WHATEVER IT TAKES
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There’s a voice calling me from an old rugged tree
And it whispers
“Draw closer to Me
Leave your world far behind
There are new heights to climb
And a new life in Me you will find”
For whatever it takes to draw closer to You, Lord
That’s what I’ll be willing to do
And whatever it takes to be more like You
That’s what I’ll be willing to do
Take the dearest things to me
If that’s how it must be to draw me closer to You
Let my disappointments come
Lonely days without the sun
If in sorrow more like You I’ll become
I’ll trade sunshine for rain, comfort for pain
That’s what I’ll be willing to do
For whatever it takes for my will to break
That’s what I’ll be willing to do
That’s what I’ll be willing to do
On that Wednesday morning, she rose from the bed, kissed her husband goodbye, and headed out to drop the children at their various schools.
The Worst Phone Call Ever
What seemed like just moments later at the parsonage the phone rang.
“Rev. Farmer there’s been an accident on the bypass, there are school books here with your daughter’s name in them. You better come”.
That was the beginning of a very long week. Two Funerals and a son in a coma. What was a man to do?
Are You Willing to Trust God For Good
God worked in the lives of many after that. The phone calls JoAnn made turned into decisions for Christ. Michael was willing to get back in the pulpit as soon as his son came out of the coma in about three weeks. He felt if he gave up preaching, what would it say about all the things he had preached… How God would carry you through the worst storms.
Another Difficult Phone Call
Later that same year, Michael made a difficult phone of his own. Well, let me back up a bit. You see, a pastor’s wife one state away (my pastor’s wife) carried a burden for this lonely father of two and pastor of 100. She prayed, “How can this man continue to serve You, Lord, with no wife?” God answered, “Mandy is the girl for him.”
Long story short, she “drug” me to Georgia to meet this preacher. The next week, he called me up and that was “the beginning of the end”. Now nearly 30 years later, we have served together in five different churches. Raising his two boys and another boy and girl. If you were to meet our family, you would easily see what a “God thing” it has been.
Are You Willing to Accept “Whatever It Takes”?
- JoAnn was willing to do whatever it took to bring people to Jesus.
- Michael was willing to continue in ministry with his wonderful wife.
- I was willing to move to another state, take two boys (9 & 14) as my own, and become a pastor’s wife myself.
- God was willing to take care of the rest.
Are You Willing?
This story inspired by the Five Minute Friday Community on the prompt:
Caring is Sharing
Pastor’s Wife (retired) & Chronic Pain Warrior blogs about how to make it through anything by relating her own life experiences to her writing. She is passionate about her love for the Lord and desires to spread that passion to others. She has a great desire to encourage women who are following behind her.
Such a precious story of God’s nearness in your family, Mandy. That hymn also had a huge impact on me as a teenager and young adult. Thank you for sharing.
It’s a beautiful song! And a great God story. Thanks for dropping by