On Monday I published the first devotion for the In The Beginning Series, but it all started last week when Todd and I were blessed to attend the General Conference for the PAOC in Montreal, Quebec. We were there with our publisher, Warren Benson from Word Alive Press, promoting our books, but mostly our Church Challenges to pastors. http://www.takethe40daychallenge.com
‘La Belle Province’ lived up to it’s name as God did so many beautiful things there. One of the most rewarding is how he reconnected me to friends and teachers from Bible College. It was as if life hadn’t taken that crazy turn and my journey didn’t skip a beat. I was back joking, discussing and living life among friends, and I got to introduce them to my husband Todd. It was like God hit the reset button and I’m back in the beginning, ready to fulfill the call of God on my life. Actually, I remember the day God hit that reset button.
In the Fall of 2011 I went to a reunion for the Bible College I attended, now called Master’s College and Seminary. I was nervous going to the reunion. Ending up divorced was not a part of my life goals when I left the halls of Bible College. I had dreams of raising my family in a healthy, Christ-centred home filled with peace and doing great things for God in ministry. Sadly, my plans were derailed for a couple decades, but God wasn’t finished with my story.
At the reunion I was so inspired by the messages spoken through Craig Burton, a I guy I sat in class with, then Chairman of the Bible College Board and some younger guy named Rich Janes. I’m sure Rich will like that one! The most life-affecting message came through the words of another friend from Bible College, Kevin Johnson. Kevin’s message was powerful. He talked about how God had hit the ‘reset’ button on the life of the Bible College since it moved back to the Peterborough campus, and how God was doing the same in people’s lives. I felt Holy Spirit speak to me and encourage me that God had hit the reset button on my life.
Now, if only He had hit the reset button on my skin…
Seriously, this was a Word from the Lord that changed my life and began to set in motion God’s plans for my future. Over the past 5 years God has allowed me to remarry the kind of man I dreamed about as a teenager. I’ve written a book, with my second releasing in October. God has opened up the doors for me to preach across Canada and in the United States. Through radio I’ve been able to encourage believers in England. God’s reconnected me in relationship with so many of my College friends. Now we’re doing life and ministry together; just as I had dreamed of back in the beginning.
At Conference last week I was so thankful to be a part of the PAOC. Our Superintendent Dave Wells, did an amazing job. He strategically picked the speakers. I was so proud to hear my friend Patti Miller address the Conference.
Dave gave a powerful closing message at the final communion service where he talked about how God intended for everyone to “sit at the table” in reaching Canada and the world for Christ: young and old, male and female, rich and poor, citizen and immigrant. He made this clear by having someone from each of these groups sit at a table on stage and take communion before us as we all did together. Completely powerful!
Last week I went home and read through Genesis 1-2. The truths of these passages hit me. It became abundantly clear that what had taken place at General Conference was honouring to God’s original plans for men and women to work together
In the beginning
Over the next weeks as you read the devotions in this series, I pray you’re encouraged and that your eyes are opened to the original plans God had for this world, in the beginning.
In His Grip,
~Sherry
xoxo
[imic_button colour=”btn-default” type=”enabled” link=”https://sherrystahl.com/productive/” target=”_self” extraclass=”” size=””]Devotion #1 Productive–In The Begininging Series[/imic_button]
