Where He Leads Me, I Will Follow

My heart was very tender toward God, even as a young child -- so much so, that whenever a missionary came to our church and talked about the missions work they were doing, I wanted to join them. At the end of the service, when a plea would go out to those who would be willing to go and serve in the foreign fields of ministry, I would raise my hand high and pray "Lord, send me!"

While I never joined a missions team, besides our local ministry involvements and being my daughter's travel companion during her "traveling" ministry days reaching out as far as South Africa, my passion was pacified when my husband and I did missions work in Mexico, Trinidad and Belize. It was such a privilege. We sang an old gospel song that represented my surrendered heart as a child, and our hearts to be used by God in however He chose. This was the chorus:

"Not what I wish to be, nor where I wish to go.
For who am I, that I should choose my way?
The Lord will choose for me, 'tis better far I know.
So let Him bid me go, or stay."

I've endeavored to put down solid roots since my move to Frisco. Yes, I purchased a lovely home to come home to, and I'm so thankful for it. But I received a clear message from God last week about "settling". I was in Austin, and since I'm an early riser, it was quiet in the Wuerch household. I took my devotion books and sat on their back patio and found myself being utterly romanced by my Heavenly Father. Of course, He knows my innermost thoughts and desires, so I didn't even have to express myself, except that as I was "delighting in Him" (Psalm 37:4), I began to sing that old gospel song (above) that I had not sung in years and years. And, when I sang those words, I could hear my Lord saying "Let me choose for you. Listen to my voice....when and where to go and when and where to stay!" I began to weep at the clarity of His message to me. My ways were to find a fixed spot and settle, but His ways are for me to "leave the plans and places to Him".

I went into the house and found my son sitting at his kitchen table having his morning devotion and, in tears, I shared with him about my "romance-time" with my Father. It resonated with him AND me. I'm going to answer the call of God that I heard as a child, and unless He tells me otherwise, I'm going to be "on call" to respond to His call. I know of family members that I'm supposed to visit, friends that God is directing me to encourage. I said to my son, "And even if this is 'my farewell' tour, so be it, but if not....I'm going to be on a mission to fulfill assignments He has for me -- to "go, when He says go".

I thank God that, throughout my life, He has been so evident in every season. My new proclamation is this: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

Be on the lookout.....Donna Wuerch may be coming to a city near you! Where He leads. I will follow. This weekend -- it's Tulsa, OK!

Time to Recalibrate

The navigation system on my phone and in my car is one of the greatest technologies to be invented. I can't even begin to tell you how many times that the sweet lady's voice saved my day when I'm trying to find a particular address.  Oftentimes, she’ll tell me to turn at the next exit or the next street, and I’ll miss the turn.  That’s when she’ll say “recalibrating” – which means I got off course and she needed to give me the new directions.  And, then there are those times when I think my way is better than hers so I’ll just ignore her directions, and she has to “recalibrate” again.

So here we are.....five days into this exciting new year of 2016 – and I’m starting to recalibrate – make course corrections and go in new directions.  Shawntel and I were laughing yesterday as we talked about our mindset over the Christmas holidays.  It’s a “go ahead and eat up, enjoy yourself – eat as much as you want, because soon, you will be on a new track.  It will be 'sensibility again'".  So, we enjoyed our pizza, chocolate chip cookies, popcorn, and Brennan’s world famous chocolate shakes the night before.  LOL!  Yesterday morning it was a new conversation, “juicing, Daniel Fast, nutritious eating, etc.”.  Recalibrating.

Recalibrating – time for setting goals, resolutions and some real aspirations for this new year.  Here are a few of my recalibrations: Drink more water, be consistent with exercise, eat less sugar and make healthier food choices, connect more with old and new friends, purposefully laugh out loud even when "it's just not that funny", play my piano more, AND above all else spend more time in sweet fellowship with Father God.  That last one is the BIG ONE, Martha!  Keeping Him as our Moral Compass, our DUE NORTH, our Central Focus, will keep His voice the ONE we hear when we need to recalibrate our journey.  Here’s the way to know we’re on course throughout this year – from our daily walk of faith to the life-altering decisions we must make, If all directions begin with Him as our "due North",  we’ll know we are ON COURSE by:

1)  Having an overwhelming, supernatural peace that goes beyond logic.
2)  Abiding in His Word and listening to people who are on course (are tight with Him) and we love and trust the most, who will help us stay on course.
3)  Recognizing providential circumstances, open doors, aha moments, divine encounters, and a sense of knowing when we're on or off track.

Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my shepherd” chapter is a perfect example of how to stay focused on Him.  Sheep are dependent on their shepherd – just like a baby is dependent on his parents or caregiver.  The faith that says…”Where He leads, I will follow.”  I love this song by Twila Paris:

Lord, I'm keeping my eyes on You.
Following You. Following You. My Lord.
I won't look to the left or right
My only goal is keeping You in my sight.