Rescue Shops Where?

***Hey ya'll. Nice to be back. Looks like my break lasted a little longer than expected. But anyway here I am ! Blessings of peace & all that is good.***

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Callings

Ruth Bell Graham received her calling early in life.

She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was calling her to the mission fields of Tibet. She was born and raised in China where her parents were medical missionaries. Her calling was accurate but the location would be off by just a little.

During a crusade years later-- looking across the New York city skyline-- she came to the realization that this concrete jungle was her mission field--and her calling was that of being the wife of Rev. Billy Graham and mother to their five children. At her funeral service in June of 2007 Franklin Graham (her son) was quoted as saying his father would not have been who and what he was had it not been for his mother.

In 1975, shortly after I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and while on fire for Him as I possibly could be, I quoted the following statement during a testimony service at church.

"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bells; I want to run a rescue shop one yard from hell." ~C.T. Studd~

Fast forward thirty-six years. It is late at night and I am once again lamenting to my husband the trials and travails of working on the detox unit. There is a pause in our conversation when he takes a deep breath and says to me--well you asked for it.

I say--pardon me? What? How and when did I "ask for it"?

He says--don't you remember? Thinking he has lost his mind I say--no, as a matter of fact I don't remember! Enlighten me please!

He says--years ago you stood up in church and said something about wanting to run rescue shops close to hell. Don't you think that is what you have been doing all these many years? Aren't those addicts in hell? Mentally, physically and often times spiritually? Haven't you been there to at least try to rescue them? You asked for it and God gave you what you asked for.

It's not often I am left speechless, but as a matter of fact, I was. I could not believe my husband remembered that long ago, heart felt quote I had made during a testimony service in church. I had to admit it-- God had indeed given me exactly what I had asked for.

So often we visualize our calling in life one way and God determines that we carry out that very same call in a different kind of way.

Ruth Graham felt called to the mission field of Tibet. God called her to be the wife of Rev. Billy Graham and not only Tibet, but the entire world would be their mission field.

I felt called to help people and apparently as close to hell as possible. God chose a detox unit for me to set up shop in.

Have you ever thought maybe your calling in life has never come to full fruition?

I challenge you to do three things. Give God time, pay attention and look closely.

Remembering is helpful as well.