Wednesday, September 19, 2007

In the Right Place at the Right Time

Have you ever wanted to find someone from your past that you've lost contact with? I know I have, and with the internet at our fingertips it is much more possible now than it was a few years ago. There was a young woman I met when I was a child who was instrumental in my becoming a Christian. I wish that I could find her and tell her how she helped me.

I was 11 or 12 years old -- every summer my sisters and I would get to go visit our grandparents and spend a week at their house. During our visit that summer, my grandmother told us she was going to have another visitor staying at her house and she warned us to be on our best behavior. The other visitor was a college student who was serving at my grandparents' church as a summer missionary. This young lady, Ginger, was going to be in charge of the Vacation Bible School, and of course my grandmother took us to it each day. As kids we loved VBS because there were fun things to do, crafts to make and snacks to eat. Notice I left out the most important part which is Bible stories, but I think as a child, it was the fun things that drew us to VBS. However, it was during the Bible story time when Miss Ginger was teaching at that little country church in the middle of nowhere Alabama that the Holy Spirit opened the eyes of my heart to the truth of salvation. It was right during that lesson that I realized for the first time that I was a sinner who needed forgiveness and that could only come through faith and belief in Jesus Christ. I didn't tell Miss Ginger what had happened and I didn't tell my grandmother. But after I was back at home, I told my parents that I was ready for our pastor to come and talk to me. They arranged for him to come to our house, and the next Sunday I went to the front of the church at the end of the service to make my public profession of faith. Miss Ginger never got to know that the Lord had used her in such a way to water the seeds that had already been planted in my life. I wish that I could find her and tell her what a difference it made in my life for her to work in that little country church that one summer.

Do you ever wonder why God has placed you where you are? For example, do you wonder why he has you in a certain job situation, or why you have to be in contact with certain difficult people on a regular basis? Maybe it is because God chose you to be the person to make a difference is someone's life and it requires you to be in that particular place. I remember always questioning myself when I had my first big job after graduating from college about whether I had chosen the right job. There had been another job I could have taken that was in my field of study. I prayed for God's guidance to help me choose the right job, but I always questioned whether I made the right choice. But now I realize that God did guide me, and maybe I made a difference in someone's life at that time.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3: 6-7

7 comments:

Frasier said...

Hi Kathy
Good post.I am dying to meet Sue Monk Kidd and I know she lives in Georgia.She was instrumental in turning my life around

live love laugh hope said...

Hi Kathy, Thanks for stopping by my blog. I really enjoy yours as well, and will stop by often to read your thoughts. It's always good to find a great blog, that shares Christ!! Blessings!

Missy said...

I often wonder if I am in the right place, but God's plans are so much bigger than my own.

Thanks for sharing your testimony. We don't always know if we're the one sowing, watering or weeding.

Amel said...

GREAT post, Kathy!

I'm glad for all the Ms. Gingers in the world.

When it comes to wondering why I'm here, yes, I have that question sometimes, too. I think at least for the time being I know why God has put me here. ;-D

I LOVE the verse!!! Sometimes we forget that we're only His channel, not that important at all. We're but dust in His eyes, but He loves each and every grain of dust and that's SUPER awesome. ;-D

Kathy said...

Frasypoo, I hope that you can meet Ms. Kidd one day and that I can find Ms. Ginger. Of course, if not here on earth, we'll get to see them in heaven!
Liveoutloud, thanks for stopping by!
Strawberry, yes, sometimes it's hard to know God's will at the moment, but years later it fun to look back and see how all the puzzle pieces came together.
Amel,I'm glad to know that others wonder the same things that I wonder about. I love that verse too -- it is so encouraging.

Anne K said...

Hi Kathy

Looking forward to reading your blog. I have a similar site. Would like to know how you put the ads on the side etc.

Are there many of us out there?

Love and God's best Anne

Lori said...

I have to say, I wonder things like this a lot. I sometimes wonder what my futrue will be like, what my children will be doing or will we live in the house we are in forever. This was a very thought provoking post.

Thanks Kathy