Last week, in my article, 'Oh, What a Summer it was,' I mentioned that I experienced a complete restoration of my wandering soul following the Air 1 Positive Hits Tour on Aug. 2. That wasn't the whole story. What follows in this article is though.
August 2, 2016 started just as every other day did prior to that date, rough, but unlike those previous days, it didn't end that way.
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In the weeks just prior to Aug. 2, I was dealing with an intense spiritual battle, and on August 1 and the morning/afternoon of Aug. 2, the battle finally hit it's peak within me.
I've been working on improving my patience, growing closer to the Lord and determining my calling, but as the weeks trudged on, each of those tasks proved to be too hard for me to accomplish, not because they are impossible (Matt. 19:26), but because I was going about each of them the wrong way; without God's help.
Following the Air 1 Positive Hits Tour concert (or greatest night of worship as I call it) Tuesday night however, each of those tasks, the improvement of patience, the closeness of God and the calling, were all achieved and I experienced a complete restoration of my spirit. Hallelujah! (1 Peter 5:10)
One of those task that I want to focus on for right now though is the calling because all summer I've watched as my friend, as well as several of my church family, lived out their callings, and now that mine has finally been revealed to me, I can join them on fulfilling it as well.
On my drive home from the greatest worship service ever, the Air 1 Positive Hits Tour concert, there was an array of songs that played on the radio and throughout each of them I felt God tugging at my heart, trying to tell me something.
At first I couldn't make out what He was trying to say, but after a text from my brother when I arrived back home, the words finally came out crystal clear.
Brother: "How was the concert?"
Me: "...Renewal, eye-opening, phenomenal, so many words can be used to describe it, but the only one that I found/find to be most fitting was Restoration! God finally allowed this wondering soul of mine to find its purpose/calling (for now till He calls me to greener pastures)!"
"Lead the lost, one boy, or man, at a time."
Brother: "solid"
That last line in the message I sent my brother, 'Lead the lost, one boy, or man, at a time,' is when God said to me that the Royal Ranger ministry that I'm currently leading in will be a stepping stone to a bigger, much grander plan.
For the past three summers now, I've helped lead an all-boys ministry called Royal Rangers at my home church, Oologah Assembly of God.
I first started attending the ministry in 2005, and after completing all the requirements necessary for becoming a junior commander in 2012, I, along with four (if my memory is correct) other fellow brothers in Christ, received our Gold Medal of Achievement and began to serve in the ministry. Well, actually some of us did that is, others just said 'peace out' and went their own way unfortunately, but, no matter because the faithful remained ready to serve.
Throughout my time leading in the ministry, I've watched boys grow into Christ-like men through the leadership of us commanders and the teaching of God's word, and it is been an absolute blessing to witness as you'd imagine.
I've also watched as boys go there own way and leave the ministry before even giving it a chance to shape their lives and that's what makes me the saddest. It also makes my calling to lead the lost that much more meaningful as well, especially since it was one of those boys that left the ministry earlier on in my time attending Royal Rangers who actually got me involved with the ministry back in 2005.
As far as the bigger, much grander plan that I mentioned earlier goes, I believe God is going to widen my horizon far beyond the boys in the Royal Ranger ministry itself, and possibly let it reach to other guys, or girls, my age or around my age.
When He will do that is still uncertain, but through diligent prayer, patience and trust in the Lord above, the calling of leading the lost, one boy, or man, at a time that I received the evening of one of my roughest days spiritually wise, Aug. 2, remains in the Royal Ranger ministry; the mission field that I've been blessed to call home since 2005.
