Faith-full Follow-Ups

  Have you ever felt like God asked you to do something…and you ran the other way? If I am being honest with you, I know I have. In fact I like Jonah had ran away from my calling to be in ministry several times before I surrendered to God's call on my life. So I relate to Jonah in this way. I am just glad I did not have to get swallowed up by a giant fish before I realized I needed to do what God wanted me to do.     Maybe God's call on your life wasn't a direct command to preach to a notoriously wicked city, but a nudge to share your faith with a friend, invite a neighbor to church, or speak up for what you believe in. If so, you're in good company. You like me are in Jonah's company. And his story in Jonah chapter 3 isn't just an ancient tale; it's a blaring alarm clock for our lives today. One we would do well to wake up to and stop hitting the snooze button.       Think about it: God gives Jonah a clear mission – go to Nineveh, that sprawling metro...

      Have you  Ever felt that gentle nudge, that whisper in your soul, urging you to do something – something you knew was from God? Maybe it was a call to forgive, to serve, to share your faith, or to make a difficult change.  We've all been there. It's a moment where our inner compass swings wildly between "yes, Lord" and a thousand "buts."        I remember one pastor years ago tell his congregation "God needs your hands, heart, mouth...but God does not need your but's" The truth is, God's promptings are rarely convenient. They often disrupt our carefully laid plans and push us out of our comfort zones. But what if those moments of divine urging are the very hinges upon which our purpose swings? What if our obedience, or lack thereof, holds the key to unlocking God's greater plan? Let's dive into the story of Jonah, a man who learned the hard way that when God's "now" demands our "yes," there's no roo...