Reaching the world from home
Proverbs 31: 20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
Recently I received a phone call from my church, asking if I would make a meal for a family who had members unwell and the mother had been in hospital.
This is the first time I’ve ever been asked to do this by any church I’ve belonged to. I felt both honoured and pleased they asked me. Perhaps it’s because I’m always seen as a very busy person and I am, but I have the privilege of working for myself in my own home office and if I want to take time to do something for someone, then I can. I answered ‘yes’ without hesitation and set my Outlook reminder to 4pm that day so I could go out into the kitchen and prepare an evening meal for this lovely family that my husband and I have begun developing a friendship with over the past few months.
When I delivered the meal I didn’t want to stay long and intrude on the family but I was invited in to chat with the husband and wife for a short period of time. They were delighted to see me and very grateful for what I’d brought them and acknowledged they knew how busy I am. That brought us to a conversation about my business and how things are progressing. And then Janet said something that I later repeated to my husband and didn’t fully comprehend until I said it. She said ‘Some women return home to escape from the outside world. You returned home to reach the world’.
Graham and I discussed this comment and he mentioned that he felt that Janet often had very insightful comments. It is true that through my business, my writings and through speaking at churches and seminars that I have reached many, many people and yet that had not been my goal or my intention when I first came back home to work over 14 years ago. I was fed up with the corporate world and I was anxious to be home for our 5 daughters. But God has turned that into something really special. All those years of experience, trial and tribulation have brought with it lessons I can share with others.
Our senior pastor has been preaching a series on ‘church without walls’ and I can truly say that through my working at home, and in sharing with and caring for others online I have truly reached out beyond my own walls. Puts a whole new slant on the verse above doesn’t it? As you’re reading this right now it means you have internet access. How many people do you think you can reach and touch through the ministry that God has planned for you?
September 1st, 2008 at 11:02 am
Wonderful Kathie. This actually means a lot to me. It seems as though the Lord is calling me and my husband into a ‘church without walls” ministry. There’s a ministry called Bikers For Christ (http://bikersforchrist.org/). Maybe you’ve heard of it in Australia. They’re all over the world.
In a couple of weeks we (my husband & I) will attend an event near us to meet the founder, Paster Fred Z.
Kimberly
September 1st, 2008 at 11:06 am
Yes, I’ve heard of them Kimberly – how wonderful for you and your husband. Thanks for dropping by. Bless you.
September 6th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Perhaps that is why God has called some of us to work from home – so he can give us the scheduling freedom to be available when he needs us. And that brings blessings back to us that you might never imagine. I started working from home so I could care for my father who had Alzheimers. And like Kathie, I found myself increasingly called upon by my church. I did not want to refuse but I had my dad and so I just started taking this “old country” Catholic to a very contemporary evangelical church. I expected he would feel out of place, but the reached out to him with welcoming arms and hearts full of love and acceptance. And so God worked his plan for our lives – I was free to care for my dad and help my church, the church had another member to do service for them – and my found a loving and church family that helped support and sustain him until he passed away.
September 7th, 2008 at 3:05 am
Kathie,
I love the statement, “Some women return home to escape from the outside world. You returned home to reach the world”. This describes you so well. You have touched my life in so many ways.
Blessings,
Betty
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:13 am
This is a wonderful story Kathie and says so much, i feel that the reason i have been through the things i have been through is to help others later down the track. Thankyou for sharing.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:22 pm
God will use all of our experiences, Belinda, if we’re willing to share them. Sometimes there’s a healing processing and time required, sometimes it’s simply suddenly waking up on our behalf. Thanks for sharing.
April 10th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Praying to God to bless your wonderful ministry Kathie.