Today’s song is Others by Israel Houghton from his Love God Love People London Sessions CD.
The story goes a little something like this…
It was a Saturday afternoon and I was cleaning my apartment as Pandora played in the background when this song came on, which I had never heard before. I remember this intense feeling like I was being filled up with light. I know it sounds weird but it’s the only way I can describe it. It was like this ball of light was just expanding inside of me and I started to weep. As I made my way to my sofa to sit down, the Holy Spirit began to speak to my heart and give me the answer to a question I had been waiting seven years for.
Back in 2006, the church I was attending in Chicago was having its annual Ministers & Missions conference. This conference was a week-long event with day sessions for ministers and missionaries and evening sessions for the general public. For the past three years, I attended the evening sessions but never had any inkling to attend the actual conference during the day because I was not a minister nor was I a missionary–nor was I trying to be. So when they began running ads for the conference during services like a month in advance I had a tug in my heart to go. So I put in a request at work to have the time off and it was denied. I didn’t think much of it and just went on with my life but every time that ad ran something in my heart was telling me I had to be there.
The conference arrives and is kicked off with an evening session that I attend. As the service dismissed and we started making our way to the exits, the speaker for that evening got back on the microphone and told everyone to stop! This is what he said:
“There are some women in here who God has been speaking to about coming to this conference. You need to be here in the morning. You’re not going to be able to sleep. You’re going to be up all night praying. But you need to be here in the morning.”
I remember being conflicted when I got home. “Was he talking about me?” I thought. But it just seemed like a far stretch because I knew I couldn’t go because I had to go to work. I tried to go to sleep that night but couldn’t. I tossed and turned for hours until I finally decided to get up and pray.
“Ok, Lord if you want me to go to this conference how am I going to do that? I have to go to work. They denied my request to have the days off.” Then the Holy Spirit whispered to me and said, “You’re going to have to leave your job.” I remember sitting on my bed thinking “Now that’s extreme,” while running down the list of bills I had to pay. Rent, car note, car insurance, light, gas, student loans, and thinking “Yeah, that’s not going to happen!” But the more I prayed and asked “how” I kept getting the same answer. But when I asked the question “why I had to be at the conference” I just got silence. No answer. I was literally up all night agonizing because I just couldn’t see it or understand it. I finally surrendered and said “If you want me to go to this conference I will. I just want to know everything is going to be ok.”
I eventually fall asleep but was back up in like two hours for prayer. My best friend, her sister, and I were getting up at 6 am during that time to pray. We were about to get off the phone and I said to them, “Ladies, just keep in your prayers today I have a big decision to make.” I didn’t tell them anything about the conference or the fact that I had been up all night wrestling with this decision.
Then my best friend’s sister said, “Anji, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” I replied.
“Are you planning to leave your job?”
I let out a very slow and hesitant, “Yesss.”
“Well, the Lord wants you to know it’s going to be okay.”
I broke down in tears and told them I had to go and I’d explain later. I hopped up, got dressed, and drove to work to resign my position and attend the conference.
The conference was amazing and I learned a lot. But I still never got the answer as to “why I had to be at that particular conference or why I had to make such a huge sacrifice to attend it.” But the day I heard this song some seven years later I finally got my answer.
As I sat on my sofa, the Lord began to reveal to me that he needed me to be at that conference because that’s where he gave me his heart. That’s where He planted the seed for ministry and where He planted His heart for others in me. They were now springing forth and would bear much fruit.
My heart changed that day. It began to beat for others and ministry in a way I never imagined. I smile as I write this because I can see the progression of Him taking me from loving Him, to loving myself, and now loving others. God is so intentional and so perfect in all His ways. There is truly no one like Him!
I don’t know what God may be calling you to do or where he may be calling you to go on your journey during this season but I just want to encourage you to answer the call. You may not have all the questions answered and may not even have all the details on how it’s going to all come together. But I am a witness that He is faithful that promised. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is the author and finisher of your faith. What He started in you He will complete in you. He loves you and desires that your destiny here on this earth be fulfilled. All you need to do Fam, is just walk into it!
Until next time…Be Blessed & Go Forth In Faith…Smooches 😘😘
Well, that’s just part of the story and I’m looking forward to sharing more in my forthcoming book this fall.
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