Hello Everyone!
One Sunday morning during worship at church I looked down the row of perfectly aligned chairs to see three beautiful faces and three redeemed stories. They had each freely decided to drive across town on an early Sunday morning and each were worshiping the Lord. The Lord reminded me of their stories, of who they were just a few short years ago, of who they were when I met them and how far they have come. In that moment I found myself with uncontrollable tears of joy silently running down my face. It was such a beautiful moment with the Lord filled with encouragement. I was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Those faces were of three girls that I have been walking with for 2, 3, and 4 years now. I met them before they had met the Lord. To see them from not knowing the Lord to being in love with the Lord is the most beautiful thing to see.
It has been a journey worth walking with each one of them! Some were easier to walk along side of than others but there was a beauty revealed all its own inside each one. Their is nothing more fulfilling or purposeful than watching someone meet God and get to encounter the Lord in a way they have never known before.
It has been a journey of discipleship made up of countless hours and filled with tears of joy and sorrow. These are girls that I have invited into my life. I have shown them my life and how I follow the Lord. I have had the opportunity to teach them the way of following the Lord. They have been entrusted with the truth of the Gospel and each one been sent out into the world that surrounds them and challenges them to invite those around them to be a part of their lives as I have done to them.
Call, Show, Teach, Entrust, Send
Those are, what we would call, the five steps of discipleship and that we have found Jesus use all through the book of Mark. We call the friends around us to be a part of our lives, we show them the way we live, we teach them why we do what we do and who we are doing it for, then they are entrusted with the truth of the Kingdom of God and sent out to their world.
It has been a process and a process worth the patience it takes to get there. It is so fulfilling to see these women worship the Lord with genuine and passionate hearts. My heart was so full that Sunday morning and so encouraged to see how God had chosen to use me. I was very humbled and honored to be a part of what God was already doing in their hearts. I can’t wait to see who they will now invite to come along side of them and watch as they come alive in their understanding and experience of following God.
In the same way, that is how He desires to use all of us in the lives of those around us. If we take opportunities to genuinely live our lives for the Lord and invite others around you to do the same you will get to see the beauty of discipleship revealed in your own life.
Thank you for passing on the heart of God to the next generation!
I would not want to do this without such a wonderful support team!
- Alyssa
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