Gisela Yohannan shares with the graduating class on what it really means to graduate. We graduate from a program or a time, but our learning and growing never ends. In our pursuit of the Lord our heart must be seeking to grow in Him and never come to the place that we think we know enough.
A few days ago a friend and I went to goodwill so I could attempt to find some clothes for a talent show As we were exiting this store we heard this quiet “excuse me,” but we ignored it thinking it wasn’t directed at us. Then twice we heard the “excuse me!” but a little louder this time, I turned around and discovered this pregnant lady trying to get our attention. So I walked back over to her and she looked rather nervous and kinda surprised that we had acknowledged her call. I asked what she wanted and she proceeded to tell Katie and I that the car she was using ran out of gas, and someone dropped her off at the Goodwill so that a church friend could pick her up and take her to another friends house so she could get money for gas for the car she was borrowing. She asked if we could maybe give her a ride to the CVS down the street so she could meet up with a different friend there.
We of course said that we would give her a ride and asked if there was anything else she needed. As we walked to my car, she kept repeating “thank you Jesus” and “thank you so much girls” and such. Once in the car she started talking a lot, and said that she was talking so much so that she wouldn’t cry. So in an attempt to keep conversation going and encourage her, I asked what church she went to. She answered and asked why I asked about church and if we were Christians. I gladly answered, “yes we are Christians, and I asked because I noticed you saying ‘thank you Jesus’ and was just curious”. She smiled and kept talking a bit more and then asked where we went to church, so I told her about the church I attend and about Gospel for Asia. By this time we had reached the CVS and her friend wasn’t there. She was starting to get really nervous and panicky and without thinking I offered to take her where she needed to go and help her out in whatever way I could.
She was overfilled with thankfulness and happiness that she was literally speechless. After she regained her composure, she asked if we could stop by Taco Bell to get her some food for the baby. We of course went to Taco bell’s drive through and paid for her meal. I gave her my contact information and kept encouraging her that it was the Lord’s answer to my prayers that I am able to help her out as one of my sisters in Christ. She kept marvelling over how calm and peaceful Katie and I were the entire time. After Taco Bell, we drove to her friends house so she could get her friends debit card to get gas, but she needed $25 so she could get gas. We didn’t have cash on us, so we went to an ATM and I got her some money so she could fill up the car she was borrowing. After that we went back to her friends house, she got the debit card, then we drove her, I’m guessing to her house.
I invited her to Gospel For Asia’s prayer meetings on Tuesday night and she said she might come. I’m hoping to hear from her again, and I’m so glad that we were able to be there to help her out. God is so good! I had been praying for an opportunity to obey Him without hesitation, and He gave me this! I’m glad this sister is safe, and I’m glad we could be a light and encouragement for her. God’s timing is so perfect. 🙂
I would like to share with you a passage of scripture that has been impacting my life and thoughts. I believe that for the past several weeks the Lord has proposed this question: can you live a life of no guarantees? Will you give up everything and trust me and allow me to be your only guarantee? To be honest there were aspects in this question that were hard for me to take but many weeks before this the Lord spoke to me through Numbers 18 and Ezekiel 3:18. I would like to share that lesson with you because it was those passages that prepared my heart to say “Yes.” Numbers 18 is an outline of promises and duties ascribed to the priests,
As I began to read it I was reminded of my priest hood under the new covenant and it seemed that it was said of me to pay attention because these challenges apply to my heart and life.
“All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the first fruits of them which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I given thee.” Numbers 18:12.
The very best of the things offered to God was given to the Levites; it was their portion for God had said He will provide for them because they had no inheritance. The best of my life I freely give to God and here He promises me the best in return!
“And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.” Numbers 18:20.
He is my inheritance and now between these two verses a beautiful picture of provision is painted for me. The road I may go is not easy or full luxury but it is full of my Lord, He will be everything I need and He will provide for me. The reward I work for is not for earth nor is the return from the Lord; those things are before me laid up at my Kings feet.
“And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.” Number 18:1.
Here I pause for is not Christ our sin bearer? The answer is yes and it was impressed that I bear not the sin but I am accountable for their life, there blood is required of me.
“When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” Ezekiel 3:18.
The gospel is in my mouth and if I refuse to speak it to those I know need to hear it, then indeed there is a responsibility placed upon me. What does it mean that there blood is required of me, I do not know but it seems to be a great challenge given with such a grave responsibility. We all have been given the gospel message, will it be uttered or will those lifesaving words be held in? So many are entering into an eternity without Christ? It is a sobering thought and I invite you to think with me; know this, what God has called you to do He will also provide. There is blessed promises given for those who walk the narrow road and carry the burden of souls, it is a joy. Christ never promised luxury in this fading world and the best I expect is to live as my master lived, poor on earth rich in heaven. There are billions of souls crying out for truth, let’s open our mouth by the power of Christ and reach the lost and stem the tide of untold billions washing away to Hell.
Almost every day I go to work at Customer Service. Among other things it involves helping people with their questions, taking returns and keeping items tagged and ready to be sold. There are days when Customer Service is clean and organized. There are no piles of things to do and equally wonderful all the people are pleasant and easy to help.
Inevitably however there will come that day when disorder and chaos take over . Your once clean counter is collecting a pile of returned clothing, and the small back room becomes smaller because broken coffee makers are dangerously stacked. And guess what that same chaos has hit the rest of the store. No one can seem to keep up, so all your carts are full and there is no where else stick the stuff people keep returning. In addition to that bundle of “fun,” all those once happy customers have turned into angry people who are dissatisfied with the store.
To me it is like a mirror image of life. One day there is unity among family and friends, your health, job and house are all in tip top shape and your breathing easy. Then much like the chaos that erupts in the store you find out you have some painful health condition, your car brakes down, and there is drama and discord among you and your friends.
James 1:2 -4 says
“Dear bothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, let it be an opportunity for great joy. For when your faith is tested your endurance will have a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is full developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything “
James says “when” not “if.” We are assured that troubles will come and our faith will be tested. However we are also told that these are opportunities. Life here on earth as a believer was not meant to be some easy, pleasurable experience. We will face trials and pain.
Now our struggles here may not seem as massive as that of  someone else, but they are our struggles. The enemy knows how to drag us down and make us useless, but more so our Heavenly Father knows how to use those same things for good. So next time troubles come your way, be joyful! and thank God for allowing you be refined. Then endure by the power of  the Holy Spirit and the guidance of God’s Word and get ready to grow.
I have many discouraging thoughts at times. What keeps me hanging in there is that Jesus is my ultimate example. Knowing His love for me and having faith in His sovereignty.
Jesus used scripture when satan was temping Him, we also need to do the same.
“However, I consider my life nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Acts 20:28
It doesn’t matter how old or young we are, we will either be an encouragement or discouragement to the people in our lives. We rub off on others, so we need to be careful with the choices we make and how we live our lives because are all accountable for our actions. We can make it more difficult for others if we live our lives in selfish ways. The decisions we make really do affect others especially through us justifying our own thoughts and actions. Often we don’t feel the need to try to be careful in those areas because the other person doesn’t seem to care. This is how Satan gets a foothold.
I have been encouraged to spend more time with the Lord. Even though I don’t understand everything, I ask God that He would give me more knowledge for what He wants me to know and do.  He wants us to grow in our faith as we rely on Him and His promises, even though it doesn’t always make sense.
What is so great about our God is that He knows our heart and when we are trying!  He doesn’t condemn us, but rather desires a relationship with us so He can guide us. When we spend time with Him we will know more of who we are. We see life and others from His point of view.  We can only know more of the truth in life when we spend time alone with Him and are obedient!
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
I was at Gospel For Asia for a week of interviews. I was confident I was ready to be on staff. Thursday morning I was praying, and God said “Wait.” “Wait? For what? I’ve been waiting for over six months already.”
I went into my last interview with David and he asked me how I felt. I answered “I feel like God is telling me to wait a little longer to get some more life skills.” This answer was not easy. In fact, the whole day I cried about it. I felt like God had abandoned me though, in reality He was a lot closer than I felt at the time.
When I got home, my parents were getting all over me for my decision, just as upset as I felt.
The next couple of weeks were tough. Satan kept on taunting me for the decision, even though my parents came to realize I had made the right decision. I honestly did not feel that way at the time.
During this time God had to keep on reminding that He is in control not me. There were a couple of verses that kept on popping up at the time. The first one was Philippians 3:12-13, where Paul writes about pressing on and keeping our eyes on Jesus despite our difficulties. The other one was Philippians 4, where Paul writes about bringing our prayers to God.
Almost immediately I started looking for jobs. I applied for one job, and I got a rejection letter.
The second job I applied for at a nursing home to do food service. I got an interview for this job.
I was in church this past Sunday, and the pastor did a sermon on Ezekiel 37:1-14 about the valley of dry bones. He talked about how when things seem hopeless God comes and renews us by His spirit. The past two weeks I had felt like a bunch of dry bones walking around. I didn’t know what God wanted me to do next and nothing seemed to be happening.
On Wednesday of this past week, I got a call from the employer from the nursing home I applied for. She wanted to know if I had a third reference, since she couldn’t get a hold of my references. I gave her a name and she said she would call me back after getting a hold of the reference. That same afternoon, I got a phone call asking me to do a drug test the next morning, which I agreed to do.
A few hours after the drug test, I got a phone call. I didn’t get it till around 4:20 when my mom came home because I was in the pool.
I called back once I got it, and found out I was hired for the job at the nursing home.
It is amazing how God has been working this past month. God has taught me so much about contentment and what it means to seek Him.
God knows all our needs and will provide for them in his timing. We just have to continue to seek His kingdom before anything else.
I am thankful to God, because he has given me a job I never expected to have and I’ll get to share His love with the nursing home residents.
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