A New Surge of the Spirit

I had the privilege of having long-time friend,
Dr. Wayne Schmidt pray over me. 

My educational requirements for ordination were completed, and I was officially approved for ordination in the Wesleyan Church. As September 14th, my ordination day, approached I knew that becoming ordained wasn't going to change my life drastically. Dennis and I have been engaged in ministry for well over 30 years. I'm not planning to launch into a new ministry position, but plan to continue to serve along side Dennis within Global Partners, amplifying the mission of the Gospel in the Wesleyan Church worldwide.

Serving God in some kind of full-time Christian service had been a teenage desire, though I wasn't sure where exactly that commitment would land. Though I was unsettled when I began college in the Nursing program, it was the only thing that made sense at the time. I worked as a nurses aide during high school years, and then after high school, completed a one-year program to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. I worked in the nursing field for a couple years, but it was a summer mission trip to Brazil where I sensed God was changing the course of my life. That trajectory began by applying to Christian universities, and I ended up at Marion College, now Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU). I met and married Dennis during those college years, eventually switching to a Christian Education degree. This made sense, too, as I knew upon college graduation we would be serving together in local church ministry. 

The thought of ordination had never crossed my mind until several years ago when I was finishing up my Bachelor's degree (with a switch in majors, I completed a two-year degree in Christian Ed. first time around). In addition to encouragement from Dennis, several Christian Ministry professors at IWU championed the pursuit of ordination. I'm so thankful to be a part of a denomination that supports women in ministry. So, as it has been in my life, it made sense to work toward ordination. It seems God unfolds my life season by season. His Spirit gives a peace that certain things make sense at particular junctures in life. 

In my last post, I shared about the dark night of my soul, a season that, thankfully, is coming to an end. The experience I had in Christchurch, NZ not only awakened my soul to the Spirit's presence again, but paved the way for ordination. Though I don't see my role changing, I have had the delightful surprise of what I call a new surge of the Spirit in my life. Something happened in me as Dr. Jo Anne Lyon (General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church) laid her hand on my head and prayed over me. I sensed it in the moment and I've had surprises of his Spirit's voice and promptings since then. It wasn't something I expected, but I'm so grateful. I love when God decides to show up when we are unaware of what he is about to do. It's not something we can plan for. It just happens. There is no question, then, that it is not of his Spirit. I know. 

And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 

1 John 4:13