When I encountered JESUS at the age of 20, I experienced a new found expression in my life and personality_ I could communicate quite freely, and had so much peace and joy in my heart. People noticed the change… one of vitality and friendliness…….. some of these were neighbors of different religions, and the JWs could not compete with this reality ……… they stopped coming to our door……… something I wished for as my Mum was so tolerant. I had intentions to be a night club singer, but quickly saw through the negativity in those sheets of music when I found Jesus.
At one time I experienced a remarkable healing from severe allergies I had and also two family members I asked Jesus to heal………this was after simple spontaneous faith untaught……other answers to prayer….and two young women whose lives were changed from traumatic to joyful and victorious (on different occasions) when their hearts were drawn to the Love of Jesus through me – I had not met them before.
I had some good experiences when I attended Preaching-Praise services for some years. Looking back now_ my own expression of vitality, candor….. simplicity and faith was quenched by the demands and expectations of those who preached and visiting preachers…it was no longer my experience but their experience when it came to those things I have previously described…free for the asking and living for ALL who desire.
This may agree with some of you and some not. In 2003 I had desired to return to the Simplicity and Vitality I had in my early days with Jesus. And when a ‘Prophetic Pastor’ said you should be out ministering anyway – I was resting at that time – and spoke to me rashly for asking him not to rush the ‘breaking of bread’….I left the Local Church Scene and spent quality time with The Lord and Informal Fellowship with a few friends who are close to Jesus. It was at that time I revived my love for Nature, followed by an interest in Craft Cards and Greeting Cards. So I rested for quite sometime and found a good balance of Natural with Spiritual. At a later date, the Spirit of God led me in a different direction I had not been before in touching hearts and lives.
I am the Owner of several Web-Sites now in recent years, so The Lord can do wonders when He calls you to do something and often it starts with a strong desire or one that grows on you. Whoever said it has to be something you don’t like? I think that’s a religious mind-set anyway that can affect Christians in such a way that hinders the purpose of God in their lives….and sometimes those around them. Inspirational Web-Sites is very different to what I’ve been called to do previously. Actually, I did part-time Independent Natural Health Research 25 years and my spiritual gifting was genuine prophetic many years.
So it’s good not to limit or confine the Holy Spirit to one area or one type of calling. IT’S A NEW DAY and the Holy Spirit is doing NEW AND EXCITING THINGS! The Anointing does not belong to Pastors and Evangelists_ it belongs to the whosoever doing the whatsoever in His Kingdom with His Blessing on it. That includes many more of His children….a lot more. “Leaderships” may be taken and there’s far too many anyway…. but what’s to stop you from Creative Gifts and Lifestyle Evangelism with God’s Acknowledgement? “where the Spirit of The Lord is there is Liberty”…. … the song says…….. “where the Spirit of The Lord is there is Life” and it won’t run you dry. We need “eyes to see and ears to hear“ those things The Lord is really saying – not the pastor and not the next person. What is He saying to you TODAY? Blessed to be a Blessing!
JANET
