damaging to some relationships, way beyond what I felt “qualified” to do, as well as outside of what I felt to be my natural abilities. Basically, the “calling” was nothing short of “God-sized”! I ran from this “calling” for 3 ½ months due to all the reasons I just mentioned. In my “running”, the Lord had brought me to a place of feeling “miserable” in what was clearly my “disobedience” to Him. My lack of acceptance, for what I knew to be His will for me in ministry, was wreaking havoc in my soul. It was the morning of Sept 21 that I fell on my face (literally), begging God to affirm for me one last time, this particular“calling” in a new ministry. I pleaded with Him as I had decided that looking like a “fool” in the eyes of man was nothing new for me. I had resolved my fears of intimidation, failure of ability and lack of qualification…what
I had not yet resolved was the probability of damaging and loss of relationships in conceding to this new “call”. After much time on my face in prayer, I opened my devotion book dated that date. The scripture was “Through the proof of this service, they will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 9:13 I can’t say the scripture immediately spoke to me. However, the paragraphs that followed hit me smack between the eyes. As I read them, I immediately began to cry over the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus, and my unfaithfulness to Him. Based on my response until that moment, I had been entertaining idols (a couple of friendships and my own insecurities)…an “idol” being anything I place in my life above God. I not only cried but I hung my head in shame from this recognition of doubt and “idols”. Quoting Beth Moore in Believing God Day by Day, she writes, “We could think of many examples where obedience comes from faith. Sometimes, for instance, we have to exercise faith to believe that obedience to God in a difficult situation will ultimately bear fruit, even though it looks as though it might immediately cause hardship. We also have to exercise faith to believe God can handle the consequences of our obedience if someone important to us is not going to approve first”. OK…so many of you are thinking…”I didn’t think Sarah really cared what other people thought!”…well, you’d be wrong! In that moment I knew what I needed to do…if this God I serve is really who He says He is…”all knowing”, “all powerful”, “all sufficient”, “holding my best interest in the palm of His hand”, I had to surrender my idols and accept His “invitation to ministry”/ “His calling”. I once heard it said, "If we believe God is "GOD", we will let Him do His job!"...so, I accepted His invitation. Instead of continuing to focus on my inabilities and the potential consequences I couldn't control, I decided to see the abilities of God, as well as His abilities He chooses to use through me. The outgrowth of accepting His “invitation” is the start of a new ministry, “ekissa”. You can visit www.ekissa.com for specific details but here’s an excerpt from the site. 
ekissa (pronounced etch'-uh-sa) is a Christ-centered, nonprofit ministry engaged in partnering with individuals, churches and organizations to provide care and support to the most needy in the world through short-term mission trips of service. It is through these short-term mission trips that we facilitate long-term relationships with the people in Bweya Village in Uganda. ekissa seeks to serve orphans and widows by demonstrating the love of Christ through practical ways. This is accomplished through building relationships with people in the community as well as the members of the local indigenous church. Activities may include assisting the local indigenous church build a church there in the village as well as a school, medical clinic, assist with agricultural training, mentoring, etc. SOO, while I’ve been serving in Uganda and leading mission teams for orphan care through another venue, God has put a very specific calling in my life to bring together like-minded groups of people to adopt Bweya Village and build a lifetime relationship there with the people of Bweya as well as a local indigenous church, Gaba Community Church through a new venue. I love the way Paul, in the book of Ephesians (3:7-8), simply lays it out there…Paul says, “This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message…When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities.”…Paul says in verse 8…”And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ…(verse 12) When we trust in him, we’re free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go.” (The Message) --- I can relate so closely with Paul’s words. They speak directly to my inner being… …so, I ask you, are you running from anything He’s calling you to? If so, let me encourage you to stop and surrender to whatever it is He’s inviting you to. His way is much more scenic! “I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.” (The Message, Ephesians 3:15-19) …and be mindful of when you respond in such fashion, “God can do anything, you know---far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gentle within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!” (The Message, Ephesians 3:20-21) Blessings as you respond to His leading!
