A Testimony on Tapping

The universal prompt for someone needing or wanting something from you is a tap on the shoulder. It's nicer than a tag, which is someone hitting you and then "running away" w/o any answers or pass down to give you and it's a lot nicer than a poke, which just plain hurts sometimes, depending on who's offering it up. A tap is usually a subtle way of someone getting you attention in order to help them out. It's also a way that the Lord uses people in order to enact service for Him. It's been my experience that a gentle tap on the shoulder from a friend at church, ministry leader, or Pastor, usually means that the Lord wants you to do something for Him, which will ultimately lead to a persons spiritual growth and maturity. A lot of people get tapped and never turn around to see what is needed, some get tapped and turn down a blessing because they are scared of what is expected of them or uncomfortable with the gifts and abilities that God has blessed them with, and still others get tapped, unsure of the path that is before them, but rise to the occasion in spite of their insecurities. But I don't have any gifts!, or so you claim. Well not according to the Lord; 1 Corinthians 12:4 "Now there are diversities of gifts, but Spirit." Not everyone is you, not everyone is me. No one can do something as you do it, the little touches that make an event or lesson special. God gives us abilities so that we can glorify Him and help the rest of the church body (1 Corinthians 12:1-31).

Most often I find myself in the last category. That's not to brag. It's just a fact. The Lord has blessed me tremendously with a willing spirit, and I don't do everything perfectly, but I do approach the tasks willingly and try my hardest to improve in areas where needed. It's the tapping that has given me some of the greatest joys in my walk with the Lord. It started for me pretty soon after I joined BBC, when our choir director asked me to join the choir. I've always enjoyed singing and having been a part of different choirs in the past that was an easy "Yes". It had been a while since I had read music, but it was nothing that I couldn't overcome, I'm still not that great at it. I know the note, flats and sharps, I know about forte's and mezzo piano's (the volume of the music), but other than that I'm not very knowledgeable, don't ask me anything about a timing signature. Then almost 5 years ago I was tapped, by my Pastor, to teach in a young ladies Sunday School class, which made me nervous like you wouldn't imagine (trust me girls can be scary), but I knew it was what the Lord wanted since I had been asking Him to place me in a ministry since I had returned to civilian life. Now you couldn't ask me to give it up ministering to young ladies, unless I get married and move away, the Lord calls me home, or something earth shattering happens in my life, I'm hear to stay. I couldn't imagine another ministry I could like more.

Finally withing the past 2 months I've been tapped 2 other times for service outside of my norm/comfort zone. First, was after our Bible Institutes 'Women in Ministry' class, when my Pastors wife asked me to pray about bringing the devotion at our Decembers ladies meeting. She told me what she was thinking about for the topic, which was the matter of dress and how it affects our femininity. We had just finished reading Dress the Heart of the Matter and she and I were discussing the book and I was sharing what the Lord had laid on my heart as I was reading it. The SPG girls had already been tapped to host the monthly meeting, i.e. creating the theme, decorations & refreshments, but she wanted to continue the theme with having one of us bring the devotion. The "praying" about it was really just me going back and re-reading the portion of the book that the devotion was to come from to see if I could give a cohesive presentation of what the Lord had laid on my heart, and even as I was reading He impressed upon my heart some other things, which I felt compelled & scared to share and that was how I knew that I should say yes. Speaking in front of people doesn't really scare me. I blame that on years of drama and speech classes. It's more making sure that I do a good job for the Lord. In the end though people response has very little to do with me and everything to do with their own willingness to be obedient to God's word.

The second tap came this past weekend after our annual church leadership retreat. A time when the leadership of out church can get away and pray about the direction that the Lord would have us to go in for the coming year. 2010 for BBC should be an exciting one! We're finally sending people over into Twisp to continue further evangelistic efforts and to start a church over there. This has been a 3 year long project planting the seed of the Gospel along HWY 20 and though "success", defined as a future church starting and then sending out it's own team of Preachers to plant a church, is still a work in progress the Lord is opening some amazing doors for the families that will be moving up and over the mountains. So what does this have to do with me being tapped? Well I was asked to be our new video editor at church. Last Valentines day the SPG's hosted the Sweethearts Banquet and I put together a 15 minute DVD, set to the musical stylings of Jim Brickman, of the photos that I took that evening as the "official" photographer. This effort is what cemented my fate, although I had no inclination a year ago that this door would open for me. Tim, the SPG leader, has said that it's his "favorite movie", which is nice to hear, but truly it was just fun to do. (I haven't figured out how to put it on You Tube or here since the sites don't seem to support Windows Movie Maker, but if I ever do figure it out you know it will go up) Anyway, there seemed to be much support behind putting me here and so though I've never worked with this kind of equipment, I'm eager to learn and do my best for the ministry. So what will I be doing? Initially I'll be putting together a DVD for presenting the work and vision to other churches that we may be visiting and contacting. Without a church, or team of men there yet, there have been churches that have already presented themselves with a desire to support BBC's work in that area of WA. Beyond that I'll also be editing other videos for the church, but I'm still waiting on the official ministry meeting to find out the particulars. Eventually we'd like to be able to have the videos stream on our church website as well, but that's a little ways off I think.

This particular tap is really exciting for me. See when I was in HS, and pretty much while I was growing up, my whole goal in life was to become famous, or at least well known for something. And being the movie addict I was back then, I was obsessed with the process of how they were edited and cut together and so that was what I decided in my heart that I wanted to pursue. Obviously that didn't happen. Life had other plans for me. So to have this desire come full circle is really only something that the Lord could bring about, He tends to work like that in my life. Beside the glitter of the Hollywood lights, that once called my name, have since dimmed and I can't think of a better way to use this desire than in service for the Lord.

Pay attention to the taps because you never know how the Lord wants to answer the desires of your heart. You just may miss out if you hide behind your fears.

~ Psalm 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."