The Dream God Never Forgot: A Story of His Faithfulness
Hello Dear Ones! Today I want to share a personal testimony about what has been happening in my life lately. It will explain why I have been silent these past few months.
But first, I need to share a bit of back story. When I was young, I always wanted to be a pastor, but my life ended up following a different path. I married my dear husband right after college, and we started a family soon after. I chose to stay home and raise our five children. I found a way to participate in church ministry by leading the women’s ministry at our local church for more than a dozen years.
When God called Steve and I to plant a church, we sought the blessings and covering of a ministry network. It was the policy of this network to ordain couples for ministry together. So although only Steve had the theological training, we were both ordained, and I became a pastor through no effort of my own! It was such a joy and a surprise that this could happen! I felt like Father God remembered my childhood dream of becoming a pastor — a dream I had long ago put away “on the shelf.” God remembered, and in His timing, He fulfilled that dream for me.
Wonderfully, as we planted and pastored the church, I discovered that although I lacked formal seminary training, God had prepared me for my new role through my mothering and my past ministry experiences. Without my knowing it, He had been working in my life to prepare me to serve as a pastor, and I enjoyed that role very much for the years that we led the church.
Fast forward to a couple years ago. We handed the church leadership over to our associate pastor and his wife. Then Steve asked me to help him with a business project. An online university located in our city asked to use his business coaching course as a Capstone course for their Master of Organizational Leadership degree. Only our curriculum needed to be rewritten as a master’s level academic course. We worked on it for nearly a year, and the university was thrilled with the final product.
Then, to my absolute surprise, I was asked to be the professor for the course. At first I brushed it off, letting them know that I was not qualified to teach a master’s level course. But they insisted I was the right person and were willing to welcome me onto the faculty as a Subject Matter Expert. So here, again, God opened a door of opportunity for me that by the world’s standards I was unqualified for. And yet, He placed me there! And, once again, He fulfilled a dream of mine: I have always wanted to teach in higher education!
I remember Paul’s introduction at the beginning of his letter to the Ephesians: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” I am Barbara, a professor by the will of God! What an amazing and surprising gift! And, once again, I am discovering that my background and experiences in other places have prepared me to be a great professor! As I completed my resume to apply for the faculty position, I discovered that I had considerable experience through a variety of opportunities I’ve had to teach and lead throughout the years. Although I lack the formal educational degree, I am actually quite well qualified for this position. God did it again!
The plan is to launch our course in January, but in the meantime, I have been teaching a couple bachelor-level classes to learn the ropes. It has been a huge learning curve, not only adjusting to the role of professor, but also with a completely asynchronous, online learning model. I feel as though I have been stretched in all kinds of ways, and some days, my brain just hurts! But also, my new role has been so fulfilling. I absolutely love the work and my students. And now, as I feel like I am finding my feet, I am able to make time for my other interests, like writing!
When the Vice President of the university reached out to ask me to teach, it felt exactly like when I was offered the opportunity to be ordained. I just knew this was God’s doing. I am amazed that through the years He has remembered my dreams and, in His perfect timing and perfect way, He has made them come true! Only God could do this! And I am happy to serve Him anywhere and everywhere He calls me!
Perhaps, you too, Dear One, have some dreams sitting on the shelf. I encourage you to place them in God’s Hands and trust Him to work things out as He sees best — in His perfect timing and perfect way. And then, get on with faithfully living the life that is right before you. Your faithfulness and obedience aligns you with God and lets Him work His perfect will in your life.
I can’t promise that God will do for you exactly as He has done for me. But I can promise that He will be true to His word, which says that He has good plans for your life (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He will fulfill His purpose for you (Psalm 138:8). Trust Him. He knows the desires of your heart. He is faithful, and He is good.
Please join me in prayer:
Lord God, thank You that my life is in Your Hands. Thank You that I can trust You with the desires of my heart, for Your plans for me are good and Your ways are perfect. Help me to rest in Your faithfulness and to recognize when You are opening doors of opportunity before me.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
