Can God Really Use Me?

Compared to Those God Uses

Comparison is one of the enemy’s favorite and most successful traps for women, isn’t it? We look at other women and the way they’re enjoying a wonderful marriage with a healthy, happy family unit. They’re well taken care of and smiling brilliantly as they do so much for the glory of God in their homes, churches, kids’ schools, community, and outreach. Well, good for them. Good for the Beth Moores and Lysa TerKeursts (you should definitely visit their sites btw – they are amazing!). But I’m here to tell you – God really can and really will use you.

If you’re anything like me, you compare your everyday, normal self to all the amazing women you see in ministry and think, “There’s no way I fit in that class. I’m just not there yet.” You want to make an impact but you can barely keep your head above water during the day to day. Have you ever actually forgotten to brush your teeth or wear deodorant in the busyness before? Feel like you could never have it all together enough to make the kind of impact these amazing followers of Christ do? You’re wrong. Just wrong. Remember, I love you! 😉

God can use you. Whatever it is, God can use it.

Lost, on Fire, & Used

I never imagined I’d end up going across the world. I felt a tug of the heart as my church continued to talk about this trip a team was going on but was even terrified to bring it up to my ever logical, realistic husband. But then when I actually did, he was game! Wow! God thing!

A mundane yard sale brought in exactly the amount needed for two deposits, myself and our oldest of four. Let me tell you, I am not good at planning out or worrying about money. I’m good at saving and being frugal but planning and adding and coming up with extra money? Big fat no!

We made bracelets out of paracord for the students we’d be sharing the gospel with. I leaned over to get one I’d dropped and got too close to the candle used to seal the ends. I set my dreads on fire!

Last to sign up, I had to rush order passports. I got left behind by the entire team in a four-story shopping mall, got left at the hotel (thankfully they realized I was missing!), got lost in the Hong Kong airport and almost missed my flight, and got carsick going up the mountain!! The locals thought I was hanging out the window to be nice. I was just trying (unsuccessfully) to keep from vomiting in the crowded van!

God used it!

Despite all of it, God used it. A little girl from a small government housing village named Chesca was forever placed on my heart. A love that will last forever blossomed out of one day of her hanging on my arm and lots of smiles and giggles and hugs in the name of Jesus.

He gave me the chance to share my story about a broken teenager saved and restored by the Living God to hundreds of teenagers. Many of the girls struggled with feelings of worthlessness directly tied to their gender. Many of the boys struggled with not knowing what gender role they should be playing. I never in a million years thought my past of rebellion and God’s saving grace would be used for His purpose. I’d carried around quite a bit of shame regarding it. I knew it happened in the Bible but never fathomed it would happen in my life.

God used my (still so limited) knowledge of the Bible to tell a Bible story to children in a remote village of poverty. Sandals that I bought that ended up a tad too big served as provision for a woman would had gone no telling how long barefoot. A simple meal shared in the name of Jesus brought smiles to little ones who desperately needed the nourishment.

God used simply sitting by a single mom in church service to speak to her heart. A few weeks after she professed her faith publicly by being baptized, even though that was a struggle in her mind months before!

A friendship was formed between two women across the world from each other. Prayers for the orphans in her orphanage are lifted up to Abba Father.

He used it to pour insight into my teenager. She witnessed lives changed forever and I believe hers was impacted forever as well.

No Matter…

I screwed up so many times preparing for my first and only (so far) mission trip. But you know what?My God doesn’t need me to be perfectly put together to use me. He uses my hot mess every day! Some of those ways still just astound me. Honest confession – I balk at what God does sometimes LOL. Guess what? If He can use me, He can use you! It does not matter how broken you are, how different you are, or how young and undereducated you are compared to the women you look up to. God will use a willing heart. That’s all you have to do – be willing to follow and be prepared to be amazed with what God does! 🙂

Have a story like that – where God totally surprised you by using you? I wanna know!!! Comment below and tell us all about it. I can’t wait to hear it!

Eagerly waiting,