'Tis So Sweet

These words made famous in song by Louisa M.R. Stead have been a blessing to my soul these past few weeks. Last week, I didn’t know what it meant to sweetly trust in Jesus. Certainly, as a woman of God I trust in Jesus, I have faith that He will accomplish all He said He would, and I believe in His Word. But to get to the place where it is “…so sweet…” to trust in Jesus is a different place altogether. In fact, if you’d ask me last week I would have said it seems hard to trust in Jesus at times! But as I went about my day singing this song it struck me: “Do I find it sweet to trust in Jesus? Do I find it sweet to take Him at His Word? Do I rest (and not fret) upon His Promise?" Umm...not quite?!?!?

Before I started elementary school, my mother will tell you that I knew I was going to be an attorney. I knew God called me to be an attorney, as part of my ministry here on earth, even before I was fully committed to Him. I thought I knew what that meant and how it would manifest itself. But God, in His infinite wisdom knows so much better. I didn’t go to law school right after college and it’s a good thing I didn’t. Because if I had, I’m quite certain I would have been so focused on my career that I would have missed my first and most important ministry- THAT OF A WIFE AND MOTHER! I knew exactly where my focus and attention needed to be the second Virgil, II was born and I looked into his eyes. When Victoria came along just one year later, I thought, “What lessons do I want to teach her? What legacy do I want for her to pass on to her daughters?

You see, growing up I never thought about being a stay at home mom. The girls in my generation were taught to ‘go after your career, and don’t let a man stand in your way; equal rights for women; you CAN have it ALL- career, family, etc.’ I only knew that I was going to be a lawyer. But as you grow in Christ, God can do amazing things with your life. God never released me from my calling to be a lawyer; not after re-committing my life to Him; not even after I got married to a wonderful husband who’s in the ministry; not even after I had children- because it is in His plan. In fact, time and time again, He has confirmed His calling to me, over and over again. Right before we got married over 10 years ago, Virgil, Sr. began preaching and we knew his calling was to the Pastorate. So did I miss God on my calling? I mean how many pastor’s wives do you know who are also lawyers? But God continued to confirm His Word; even after I spent countless times 'not so sweetly trusting in God.

When He called me from being a stay at home to a law student, I thought, Lord, surely you jest! But He was serious. And again He confirmed His Word and again, He provided and made the way. You would think I would be sweetly trusting now but…

So law school is behind me now and other than teaching a few college courses at night, I’m at home, even though the kids are in school. God's promise made to a 5 year old little girl is close enough to being fulfilled but not quite. The past few weeks I’ve been fretting over it all. Like Mary, when she was visited by the angel, I asked God, “How can this be?” I don’t know how God will work everything out, but for right now, I only know that I’m going to trust God! And find it sweet to do so!

God bless you as sweetly trust the Lord for your Promises.