Set on a Path

Good Morning Everyone,

No this is not a typical message. God has changed the direction. Today is about a testimony of being set on a path and giving away roses to those that deserve them.

You've read the thank yous I've given to my pastor, Rev. Medric C. Mills, III, assistant pastor, Prophetess Melvinia Williams and my church family recently. But there were others who God has used to put me on the path that would lead to the email devotionals and book Get Your JOY In The Morning! Those of you who have the book know I said I ran from God. Many of you don't know how.

The summer of 2006 I was asked to help out with Vacation Bible School (VBS). I agreed. I was hoping to be placed in the kitchen for dinner duty or the clean up crew. But no, I was placed with the teachers. The first day I knew something was happening in the atmosphere I just didn't know what. I kept saying, "God I feel like you're about to do something drastic but I just don't get it. Something feels really weird." Sure enough, I received a call from the church while at work the next day to say I had to take over the VBS fourth grade class because the teacher had a sudden leave of absence. Panic attack and high anxiety ensued me.  A minster at the education company I worked for, Letita, was there to calm me down. She laughed at me and said, "Get ready because you're being set on a path."  If you all could've heard the self-talk going on in my head at that moment; I was literally crying inside. I kept saying to myself, "What path? Are you serious? Is this a joke? If it is, God, it's really not funny! I knew you were doing something but did you have to do this?"  Letita continued to tell me that she was set on path to teach in a similar way. Truthfully, I didn't really want to hear that. I just wanted to hide. I got through VBS but had no idea it was just a set-up for the call I would received less than two months later.

I remember the day Mrs. Esther Marsh, a principal of Christian school and once head of the nominating committee of a former church, left me a voicemail saying I had been nominated to teach children in Sunday school. Personally, I thought she had the wrong number. I called back and made every excuse in the book for why I couldn't teach. Mrs. Marsh mentioned that everyone took notice of how I handled taking the reigns of the fourth grade VBS class. Like I said, I was set-up! She asked me to pray on it so I did. I was praying that God would change His mind.  Now many of you are thinking, "you worked at an education company so this isn't far fetched."  For years I wanted to work at that particular education company in Baltimore but not as a teacher. I wanted to be in the marketing department. God granted the desire of my heart. There I met a wonderful educator, Mrs. Jerrelle Francois also known as former Commissioner Francois. Ms. Jerrelle, as many of us loving call her, has been an educator for over 30yrs of young children and young adults. She really has the heart of a teacher and mentors many. I went crying to her about what I should do hoping she would tell me I wasn't equipped for it so I could be let off the hook. My hopes fell short. Ms. Jerrelle said, "It's an honor to teach and they're asking you to teach young children. It takes a special person with a lot of energy to keep up with young children. They nominated you so they see something in you."  I love you Ms. Jerrelle but at the moment, I wasn't really happy with you because it wasn't what I wanted to hear. That night I was on my friend, Pastor Atiba's, Bible study conference call and he was teaching on Isaiah 58 and how people ask God for things yet don't want to help meet the needs of others. At the end of the study he said a key phrase, "when you meet the needs in the body of Christ, God will meet your needs."  At the time I was in need of something. And it hit me God had a need and I needed to answer Him.

What does any of this have to do with Get Your JOY In The Morning? Well, God placed me at that particular branch of Zion at that time to bring out of me what I didn't realize was in me, the ability to teach. Three years later, the daily devotionals, which teach God's word through writing, came to pass. To every name I have mentioned in this testimony, I love you and I give you a rose in the spirit to say thank you. The path God has set for each of you reading this is a unique one. It's your path and as much as you may try to run like I did, I hope you see that you can run but you can't hide from God. He will continue to poke and prod away at you til you move on the path He has set for you.


P.S.  The Leap of Faith Show and the Leap of Faith Network will relaunch in January 2013 so get ready for new music, topics and Get Your JOY In The Morning segments!