My dear friends in Christ,
The Lord is teaching me things, as He always does… in his gentle and subtle way that I am usually too slow to catch on to. And yet, He is patient. He doesn’t give up on me. I often visualize him shaking his head and smiling as He opens his arms to me.
When Josh and Malcolm asked me to step up as the next Region V Director, I was completely shocked. I usually see myself as someone on the sidelines, someone who commits to things for a while, and then drifts away. But the Lord was asking me to do something new. In essence, He was asking me to repent of my vision of myself and to see myself as He sees me.
When I first began as a discerning (associate) member in 2007, I was on fire! I read everything I could get my hands on about healing in the name of Jesus, I watched videos of teachers in different streams of Christianity, attending their workshops and conferences, joining various groups where I could fellowship and practice healing prayer with others who were committed to being agents of healing. The Lord transformed me from a bashful Christian to a bold one.
And then life got in the way. In other words, the enemy distracted me. I found it inconvenient to go to meetings. I became disenchanted with some of the teachers I had followed. And when family issues seemed to take over my life, I let them. I allowed myself to become overwhelmed rather than reaching out to the body of Christ.
People disappointed me, and I disappointed myself. It took me a while and quite a bit of wallowing before I finally got back on track and tried to be an active part of the Christian healing community again.
So I understand how we can drift away from something the Lord calls us to. I have done it over and over in my life. And yet God continues to beckon me to go “beyond” with Him.
I tell you this because as I have chatted with conveners and members over the last month, I’ve sensed a spirit of resignation and disappointment. I recognize it. I understand it…
And I’m here to tell you that the Lord does not agree with it. God is doing amazing things… big things… things beyond our understanding. I am asking you see beyond what is in front of you, the “reality” that plagues you, whatever it might be… family issues, illness, lack of help and enthusiasm at your church or in your healing community.
Lift up your hearts! Lift them to the Lord! Allow yourself to see things as He sees them. See yourself as He sees you. You are His ambassador. You are His agent of change. He is ALWAYS doing something new. Our heavenly Father has the answers to all of our concerns. If we are feeling that we need to give up, perhaps we should… give up our negative thinking, give up the little box we’ve been living in, give up on the path we have worn down, and listen for the new direction the Lord wants us to take. Perhaps our cocoon is getting a bit cramped, and it’s time to fly.
I am praying for you. . . that you will see yourself as God sees you, and that you will step out into the next thing that God is doing. He may be shaking his head and smiling, but His arms are open to you.
Your sister in Christ,
Jackie Doss OSL Region V Director
Sister Jackie, this is an EXCELLENT message! It is very true for me. I, too, was on fire when I first joined the OSL in 1996. I read everything I could, went to every conference I could. I would have watched DVDs had they been in existance last century. Then life happened and stuff happened and the blaze died down to a warm glow. The fire never went out, thank you Jesus, but it wasn't the same. Would we burn out and burn up if that roaring fire burned so intensely for years?
The Holy Spirit is blowing. The fires are growing. These are exciting times! We were born for such a time as this.... and we are living it…