I am sitting on my couch with a sleeping cat draped over my abdomen, while reflecting on how significant this new Women’s Sunday School class is to me.  After three weeks, we now have twenty women.  God is filling this class with women who want to grow in their relationship to God, and I can’t thank Him enough!  This teaching ministry erased months of feeling frustrated, under-utilized, and unsettled.  After twenty months of applying “go until you hear no”, I knew May 15^th would decide whether I would remain at Riverbend or move on.  With twenty women now enrolled for my Sunday School Class, it’s clear that it is God’s will for me to stay where I am. 

My journey to find where God wanted me to teach turned out to be deeper than “Where does God want me to serve Him with my teaching gift? Here, or down the street?”  I felt frustrated because Austin didn’t feel like home to me until three weeks ago, and I’ve been here twenty months.  When I’m not teaching, life doesn’t feel normal for me.  Serving God through a teaching ministry has always been the centerpiece of my life.  Leading a weekly bible study isn’t just another commitment on my schedule.  Teaching Scripture is where I find my purpose in God’s kingdom.  How do I know this? 

My life choices, commitments, and how I manage time are organized around my teaching ministry and always have been.  Most people look forward to Fridays and the weekend, but the pinnacle of my week is Sunday morning.  When I get home from work, I begin working on the next week’s lesson.  That is not work to me.  That is FUN.  I am a regular student of those who communicate God’s Word effectively.  I have books on my shelf to help me improve how I teach.  I am always looking for a class or two sharpen my skills.  I pray that teaching will never be a burden, but always a joy and a passion.  I pray that the Lord will show me ways that I can improve as a teacher.  I pray that what I teach makes an eternal difference for everyone in my small groups.  I pray that He is glorified in my life.  It is my deepest desire to be faithful to use the gifts God has given me and to hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”(Matt 25:21) 

I bet I’m not alone.  Who doesn’t want to make a difference in the lives of others?  Don’t we all want to know that our life counts?  God created all of us with a purpose in mind.  He wants to fulfill our need to make a difference.  We are not on Earth to take up space for awhile.   Eph 2:10 says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  He not only designed the blueprint of who we are (Psalm 139:13-16), but He has also predetermined the good works He wants us to do for Him before we were ever born!  We exist for Him.  So if you’re asking, “Why am I here?”, then know that the divine answer is simpler than you think!  If you “peel the onion”, you will find at the very core that you and I were created for a relationship with God through Christ Jesus.  It starts with your heart.  Do you desire to know God?  He is not hard to find.  He tells us in Acts 17:24-28 that He created us so that we would seek Him.  In fact, we are told that those who reach out to Him will discover that “He is not far from each one of us.”  He gives us His promise in Proverbs 8:17(b), “Those who seek me find me.”   Embrace the love relationship He offers you.  He will be faithful and show you what He has ordained for you.  God wants to do extraordinary things through ordinary people like you and me.  

My heart overflows with gratitude to God when He answers prayer.  He knows that I find my life purpose in teaching His Word.  I also want to thank everyone who prayed for this new ministry.  Thank you to those who called, texted, and emailed me to hear how the first class went.  God is going to do some special things in this class as we grow.  I am going to ask that you continue to pray for this new ministry and that I would always seek the leadership of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct my preparations and my teachings week by week.  It is a blessing to be in God’s family and know that I am supported in prayer.  Please keep them coming!  

Life is good, but all the sweeter when I am in the bullseye center of His will.  I now feel connected in Austin.  I’m home now. 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

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