Prepared Good Works

“You can be my tutor…” the young lady earnestly asserted as she painted a pumpkin on my face. It was the fall of 2018 and we were at a Church fall festival and I was answering a question about what I do. At that time I was a homeschooling mama that worked part time at our Church as a younger children’s director. Fearfully I responded, “Ah, yeah…maybe I can.” I was fearful because even though I had homeschooled my children for 8 years I still felt I didn’t really know what I was doing. {Truth be told, I still don’t. My secret is I depend on Jesus Christ in me.} The young lady that was encouraging me to tutor was at a local girls home called “Under His Wings.” 

The home began in the heart of God and was entrusted to two ladies whom the Lord equipped and empowered to open in 2013. What was especially intriguing about this invitation to join as a tutor was not just that the young lady was asking, but also it stirred in me a call from God to this same ministry just four years before in 2014. During that time my young family and I were in the middle of selling our ‘things’ and surrendering our hearts and lives to be full time missionaries and the Lord directed our steps to my family in California. Six months before we left Alabama, I met a sweet family that had experienced great loss, and by the compulsion of the love of God, I was drawn to them. My new friend had a daughter that was in a girls residential program called, “Under His Wings.” By the stirring of God I asked to visit her daughter, even though she didn’t know me. While I visited and walked the grounds God impressed on my heart, “this is where I’m bringing you…” At the time I had no idea what He meant. I was confused because our plans were to head to a third world Country after time in California with my family. 

Fast forward to 2016 the Lord directs our steps from California BACK to Alabama. BACK to the SAME HOME and HE provided new furnishings for us! It was clear His will for our family was to return to Alabama. Even though I had experienced the love and power of God, the summer of 2016 was a spiritually tough for me and I had experienced what I call a ‘backsliding’ time of when I struggled with self-entitlement and selfishness among other things. During this time it wasn’t that I lacked faith in believing the existence of God. It was more like I wanted both. I wanted the love of God and my sinful desires. I was tired of serving God and I began to rebel. Few people knew this struggle. I’m thankful for God’s kindness which led me to repentance but I struggled to believe God still had ‘good works’ for me to walk out. I believed the lies of the enemy telling me that I was no longer part of the family of God, and that I was useless to God. I remember the words of a Pastor regarding backsliding seasons and how to get out of them—“You worshiped your way to this place, you must WORSHIP your way out.” That was true. I had made myself an idol, and worshiped myself, so I began to humble myself to worship the One True God that same year-2016. 

When I read John 21:15-25 God restored me as He restored Peter who denied Him three times. It was the words of Jesus that revived me as He asked me, “Arcelia, do you love me?” I broke because I knew I had said and done things that showed I loved myself more. I wept and dared to hear His charge, “Tend My lambs,” “Shepherd My Sheep,” “Tend my Sheep.” During that season my Pastor also approached me and asked if I would be willing to join the Church team serving in the Preschool for Sunday and Wednesday services. I knew I wasn’t worthy to this task and I cried to God sharing all the reasons I thought I was unworthy. It was then He shared, “Now, I can use you…” I knew my depravity and flesh apart from Christ and after the horrible experience of walking away I never wanted to grieve His Spirit or ignore His presence again. So I restarted as a lead learner with preschoolers. God taught us about His love and goodness and His power to equip us to do what He calls us to do. Those two years with the preschoolers were so refreshing and renewing to my soul. 

In January 2019 just a few months after the words of that young lady at the Fall festival, the Lord directed me to serve as a tutor at Under His Wings. There’s more testimonies to share God’s confirmation of leading me to Under His Wings I can share at a later time. What I wanted to share today was a testimony of the “good works” that God has for you BeLoved reader. God has good works for you to walk out. If you are sleeping, wake up! If you are entrenched in sin, call out for help—tell a fellow Christian that you trust that will not judge but gently remind you of the goodness of God. Get back in the fight and keep your Armor on and shield of faith up! Remember God’s TRUTH written in Romans 11:29, “for God’s gifts and His calls are irrevocable.”

When we first moved to Baldwin County, Alabama in 2010 I was a one year in the Lord—a new Christian. At that time the Spirit of God encouraged me to PRAY FOR REVIVAL. At the time, I didn’t know what that meant. I do now. Those who have ears to hear I share, pray for revival. Pray revival for your heart first. The Body of Christ suffers when we are not obedient to the assignments God calls us. 

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before.” Acts 3:19-20

*If you have been a reader of this blog for years than you know the journey of growth God has taken me and I invite you to prayerfully consider supporting Under His Wings as a prayer warrior or in any way God shows you. I have been quiet on this blog for sometime because God was teaching me how to be a DOER of His Word not just merely a hearer or speaker of His Word. Thank you for your prayers. Let us continue “..to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14