Trust and Obey: The Judah Story

06 Sep Trust and Obey: The Judah Story

I’m coming up on my 1st year anniversary of the launching of Judah: The Busy Woman’s Prayer Journal and I wanted to share my story of how I got started for those of you who don’t know and for those of you who are new here.

You see, five or six years ago, I felt led to create and distribute a prayer journal. A prayer journal that would provide busy ladies, like me – an aid that would help them to be intentional about their prayer life.  I even sent out a survey about it to over a hundred women. I was torn about this instruction, because:

1) I didn’t know if my conscience was speaking or if it was God and
2) I was struggling with consistency in my own prayer life; how dare I create and distribute the very thing that I’m a novice at.

Flash forward five years, I’m in a new season of life (wife, mom, supervisor, employee, sister, friend) and I’ve been seeking purpose. I’m also motivated to go a different direction in my life career-wise, but I keep getting stuck in the details and direction.

I was coming up on my 37th birthday and I had considered fasting, to get wisdom from God. But it was confirmed in church on Sunday, September 2nd when my Pastor spoke about fasting while preaching. During this fast, I eliminated social media, television, secular music and podcasts. Basically, anything that wasn’t edifying to my spirit. Until my birthday, I only listened to audiobooks, business podcasts/sermons, and Christian/Jazz music.

While fasting God told me to go and create the journal again!  He even started to give me the words for a letter that should go in the front journal. I find this extremely funny because my Pastor will always say, “God will never promote you beyond your last instruction.”

So look, my original response to God telling me to do the journal was, “no!” I didn’t have the time, the money, capacity, talent or resources. I really felt unqualified and I knew the journey would have to be a transparent one, that would be uncomfortable. Then in three separate messages (including one from Pastor) that I listened to during the fast, I was reminded of David in his shepherding season and how he was groomed for his promise while following his last instruction (more confirmation).

I was met with discouragement about the project from some, the quotes that I received from printers was astronomical, my spirit was continuously tested. At one point, I said to myself, “God you surely don’t want me to go into debt behind your assignment”. But while things were falling apart, they also started to line up. I got enrolled in a free training at work to teach me how to compile books in Adobe InDesign, I got a bonus at work and I found an online printer that could print non-bulk orders for me at a reasonable price.

So, I surrendered my plans to God and in faith created Judah: The Busy Woman’s Prayer Journal.  My husband helped me to create a video for the journal and I put it online on Thanksgiving Thursday. In 7 days, I had orders for all the journals that I had in stock. Within 3 days of having the second order, I had sold 75% of that one I’ve since then had to order an additional 400 journals. At this moment, I’m currently waiting for another order.

So, with that, I’d like to encourage those who may be struggling with obedience.  These are five tips that I’d suggest:

1. Just Do it! Qualified or Unqualified

We often think we lack the strength, the wisdom, the intelligence, the money, the pedigree, the experience, the education, the organization, the time, the connections, or maybe even social media presence.

We feel like Moses when, from out of the burning bush, God called him to speak for him before Pharaoh. And Moses answered, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent… I am slow of speech and tongue… Please send someone else” (Exodus 4:10-13).

Sis, just as God gave Moses what he needed to achieve his purpose, He will prepare us in the same way.

2.  Move swiftly.

You don’t want to lose your momentum!

Dale Carnegie said, “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

Did you know you can ‘think’ something to death? The longer you think about it without action, the more likely that you will not do it.

3. Girl, Shhhhhhh! 

Don’t tell others about your vision. Your vision is only one that you can “see”.  You can’t be concerned about what other people are doing, or thinking, you don’t have the same instructions as everyone else.

If you remember, not long ago we talked about the seed of a woman.  Something that we tend to forget about, is that the seeds that God gives us, whether generational or purposeful, are covered. Just as a seed in the womb is protected by the uterus, placenta and various bones and muscles of his or her mother, a dream/purpose/destiny seed is covered, as well. We are to cover our seeds (in the Word and our faith), keep our soil nourished and let God grow it in his time. Keep watering that seed, your child, your vision, your spiritual gift with your mouth.

“But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” Luke 8:15

4. You will be met with discouragement. 

Satan is against you and the purpose that you’ve been assigned to fulfill on this earth. Also, people will not always be happy for you, even when they really want to be.

We need to consider that walking in obedience or purpose isn’t always about the success of the assignment, it’s about your faith and commitment. God wants you to be obedient, in your faith, so that He can increase you and your faith.

There will be challenges and this may not be fun to hear, but when something is given to you by God, and you are obedient to His instruction, you will not lose.

As Romans 8:31 says, “In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

5.  You will be tested while completing the task! 

The test is coming, keep your resolve and your eyes on the one who gave you the assignment.

Just as Peter was called by Jesus to get out of the boat and walk on the water (Matthew 14:22-29). If we stay focused on him, we will be able to go anywhere and do whatever is required of us. If we take our eyes off him and start to look at the harsh winds, at the failure or potential threats, we will sink.

Woman of Judah, I really do believe that we all have been called to greater purpose.  And although we can easily recall the ways, God has shown up for us, through our blessings and the grace that He has repeatedly extended us, we all have had a “is that really you God?” moment, when we find something to be afraid of or an excuse to quiet the voice that He has placed within us.

Today, I encourage you to lean in and reflect on the things that God has shown or instructed you to do, write them down and challenge yourself to create momentum by making the first step towards obedience. And remember, seed placed in the ground is never wasted!!!