This past weekend, the girl fellows had the enjoyment of going on the highly anticipated Church of the Apostles Women’s Retreat in Wilmington, North Carolina. I had heard awesome things about this retreat from some of the women at church, so I was eager to experience it firsthand. We stayed at a beautiful beachy hotel right on the shore. Over 90 women came to the retreat. It was crazy. And let me tell you, Apostles has some hilarious women. They did skits each night that were ridiculous.
The keynote speaker for the weekend was Courtney Lancaster, the Young Life area director for Raleigh. She spoke on Isaiah 55, breaking down a couple verses each session. The biggest kicker for me was when we looked at verses 3-5. Isaiah talks about how God prepared David to become a leader, better yet, a king. And what was David before he became a king? A shepherd. Despite how vastly different those two vocations sound, they both tend, nurture, protect, and guide. God prepared David for his role as king through his job as a shepherd.
It made me reflect on my own life, and how I hold on tight to my own plans. I’m holding on so much that I am not fulfilling everything that God has intended for his plan. His good, pleasing, and perfect plan. Corrie Ten Boom said to “hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.” God has been preparing me for his mission’s purpose. My eyes were open, however, to the selfishness of my plans for my life. I am learning to hold everything loosely because God has a wonderful purpose for my life, and your life.
John 15:16 says, “You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” I was chosen to bear fruit. Even though God sees all of my brokenness, he chose me anyway to bear fruit. That’s my purpose.
-Kate