Sign Me Up To Serve!

I'm sorry for not posting in a week and not posting about "Through The Night" truth is, I thought since what's been in the news I would tell you a bit more about me and that is, "Sigh me up to serve." Before I get into further details let's get you back into the church going experience and I guess a brief through the night look. As I have previously mentioned the I AM SECOND series that we did at Cottonwood, I may have told you the story, but why don't we look at other people's stories (and a shorter 100 word version of mine) here. Now with that being out of the way for today, I think we can get back to "sign me up to serve" --quick comment of mine here, but I assume by now you all know me enough by either reading this blog or me talking to you to much.--   Now  I'm sure with that last comment of mine <-----  I'm almost sure by now I've made it more then evident what are my interests, goals, and even the things that annoy me; and what exactly are those things.

As I was thinking today what to title this post before I came up with "sigh me up to serve!" I had put down on the notes on my iPod, "The Day Disaster Strikes I Want To Pack Up My Bags and Do Something." (Yes, quite frankly I don't like sitting on the sidelines.)
As I had started to write out a rough draft I found myself starting to type this "Since 2008 I've seen a variety of natural disasters that have occurred." Well yes I have seen a variety of disasters since 2008, I've seen forest fires here in New Mexico, a hurricane in Alabama, earth quakes in Haiti and Japan, tornadoes in Missouri, flooding in the Mid-West, Super Storm Sandy, and the most current in the news in Oklahoma; I'm sure there are others, but that's all that came to mind. As I sit here and think about it, I wonder, "will the depressing news ever stop?" not in this life time it won't. . . I think of my favorite song lyrics. "This world is empty, pale, and poor compared to knowing You my Lord. . ." that right there is dead-on truth. As 5 years have come and past, my heart has started to break, not only has it been heart breaking continually, but it has been basically an inclination; a desire to get up and go. Now when I say "get up and go" I literally mean get up and go; there are no ifs, ands or buts about it. Meaning in these cases I want to ditch whatever it is I am doing and get the heck out of New Mexico and rush as fast as I can to where ever it is that needs relief. If by now you're wondering if I have done disaster relief the answer in no. Yes, it is unfortunate,and yes, I am exasperated at the thought of how I have done pretty much nothing to contribute to helping physically.
The beginning of this individual passion begun at the age of 13 or 14 as one of the couples at our previous Church had done Samaritan's Purse, and every time there was a story they brought back it just gave me more of a desire and a reason to go. With that being said it is certainly time for a story. (Yes I know I have so many stories, but really I just like sharing them)
Now, as afar back as I can remember well how much I loved the thought of serving, and anytime someone brought up on how they had served God (or how they planed to serve God); I pretty much just had my heart jumping up to say, "I want to do that!" To this day the thought of serving fires me up and makes me lose my mind and most certainly get caught in the idea. As I said earlier how much I hate waiting and how annoying I believe it is to be sometimes. (Like I also said, "you'd have better luck teaching a dog to sit.) I certainly consider impatience, talking to much, get annoyed easily, and worrying some of my worst qualities. Even with wanting to serve it's like late 2012 and early 2013, I was annoyed, I wanted to know "where does God want me?" and I wanted change. Tell me, that doesn't mean something to you? For me it makes a world of difference. "Why?" you may ask? Well let me try to put this as simply as I possibly can. See I think even through life's demanding questions we can still ask ourselves, "am I trusting in God?" It may be a bit quaint to think through "how are questions going to help me anyway?" I understand we eventually get answers that we may or may not desire. So how does this make a world of difference? before I answer that, think of the vast number of unanswered questions in life... so many it leaves as all squirming around trying to dig deep to find the answers. Well it makes the difference because it teaches us to trust the unknown (meaning God), and even while questioning, we still have to know God puts those questions there for a reason and not just because He knows it will lead us to trust Him, but because it will lead us to our desires given to us by Christ.
Now my final few things left to say, even in my "anxious anxiety" (that is in reality is failure to trust God) takes me back at the heart and that is to serve and as I love to serve there is no better way to serve other then waiting on God. Let me put that as bluntly as I can, see waiting on God can teach trust, teach worship,instruct, and guide us.  (If you want, I can do a post of "anxious anxiety" and hopefully it will get us in the idea that we can trust God and hopefully get rid of our anxiety).
My question is how is God going to use this waiting experience (other then growing me) going to help me at all in the future of serving? I don't know.
So now with the whole 2012/2013 deal, well I have to admit as much as I love that that church we went to before Cottonwood, I was probably the least joyful person and had no joy that was the result of me not serving. I remember m mom said. "theses people are more like us then you know,"
well there's the optimistic part saying "perspective is key" oh it's key alright to a totally new world.
Now how do I feel about serving? I am serving, what more could I ask for? Sure I may want to go to the missions field, but right now, I'm right where God wants me, and so what if it's not the final destination, but you know what? it's just a roadway I will take to get there. So until next time let's have hope for what God promises in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."