What does it mean to be called?

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

When I first was saved, I kept hearing people say things like "God called me..." or "God told me.." I have to admit, I was a little confused. As far as I knew we could not hear God audibly. So I began to try to figure out how to know when God is talking if my ears can't hear his voice. After reading about this (hey, I'm a teacher, so I always read about stuff first) and talking with people who told me that they had heard from God, I began to realize that God speaks to our hearts, individually. God has a personal conversation with us that no one else can hear, just like when I got saved...it was God who was talking to me and saying I needed to give my life to Him.
When people say they have been called by God to do something, only them and God know for sure. It is not for the rest of us to sit around and speculate whether or not we think that God has called someone to accomplish a specific task that He has placed upon their heart. We can not interfere with the call of God...we will be held accountable for our actions and He will accomplish His task with or without the support of people. God does not need us, but He does want us to be a part of something greater than ourselves.
As Christians, we are held responsible for sharing the gospel of Christ...this is our primary task. We must not allow our lives to be filled with selfish desires, but we must turn to God to understand that what He wants is to have His name and His message shared with everyone, not just the people we know or see everyday. This is a God-sized task that only He can accomplish, but if we open our hearts and minds, we will have the opportunity of being a part of something as awesome as this.
Please pray for our pastor and our families as God begins to move in our lives.

Healing Old Wounds

Lately, I have been working on forgiveness and not just sort of forgiving, but truly forgiving. This past week, the Lord allowed me to experience what it is like to truly forgive and to let go of all of the hurt and anger that goes along with it. My faith in God allowed me to do something bigger than myself. God placed a burden on my heart and a desire to truly let go of the one thing that I had not been able to until now.
I was listening to this song by Brandon Heath called "I'm Not Who I Was" and that about summed up the way I feel. I praise God for allowing me to be in His presence and to feel his grace and mercy. Barry and Willie both have said that they were proud of me-but the glory goes to God. I couldn't have done it without Him.