We have not been plopped on this earth to fumble and stumble through life. We are not players in some cosmic Monopoly game where life is a dice and all is up to chance. Instead we are guided by an intimate God who never sleeps, who knows our lying down and our getting up! He collects our tears in a bottle, inclines his ear to us from the ends of the earth, and has given us everything needed for living a Godly life. (Ps. 121:4, Ps. 139:3 Ps. 56:8, Ps. 61:2 and II Peter 1:3)

Sheep must be led because they make very poor decisions on their own. I am no different. I have enjoyed the leadership of my Shepherd for 57 years. My very first recollection of His leading was when I was three and reached into a ladies purse (while she was at the altar praying) and relieved her of her red lipstick! As I sat by her on the pew that evening, all I could do was stare at her and think how beautiful her lipstick was. When she went forward for ministry time, I helped myself to a little glamor. Needless to say, God spoke through my parents that night. As recent as this morning, He led me regarding some plans I am finalizing. There are many ways God leads us.

One is through discontent!

I can look back on my life and see many times God allowed discontent to grow in my heart and it became an impetus of change. Peace is wonderful and we love those seasons of enjoying the goodness of God, but when a season of discontent descends on us….HE gets our undivided attention!

In 1979 I was a pastor’s wife serving at a wealthy, suburban church in the suburbs of Kansas City. We had a fat salary, great benefits, gorgeous home, and a brand new church building with savings in the bank. It was larger than the last church we pastored and the ladder climbing had begun! That was how success in ministry was “scored” and we were living the A+ life.
All of it came with a price. The board ran the church, they were against any evangelism to needy areas, only wanted a white collar membership, the service had to end at 12:00 sharp or they would simultaneously slap their Bibles shut in a symphony of leather, only hymns could be sung and don’t forget their mission statement…

“This is how we’ve always done it!”

I was not called to babysit…I was called to disciple. After two years of playing church with them, a friend called and told us of a group of 30 people meeting in the city of Detroit and would we consider moving to the inner city, with our three boys, for $100.00 a week and no benefits? Someone had given this group a little church that leaned to the left and when you were in the basement you could see outside because of a shift in the structure and the ceiling still had bullets in it from where they were held up at gunpoint during a service.

I BEGGED God to allow us to move to Detroit. Of course that was right where He was taking us and I fell in love with a city, a culture, and the people in such great need they would worship for hours and were insulted if you didn’t feed them from the Word for at least an hour. I loved children’s ministry in the projects and in the church. I loved the sounds, the smells, and the rawness of inner city life…but mostly I loved how my Shepherd knew exactly where I would thrive…where my heart could touch lives and I would be happiest in His service for 25 years.

I would never have been able to make the leap of faith to trust Him with my little boys and financial future had I not been so miserable… that anything was better than “that”. God can even use discontent to lead us to the next step on the path! He’s that good to us!