I want to be known as a woman who follows passionately and wholeheartedly after Jesus. A woman whose life is marked by the leading of the Holy Spirit. When He calls, I answer. When He says stay, I stay. And when He says go, I go. That’s been the story of my life and I want it as my legacy. This passion began when I was 17 years old. In the second semester of my senior year, I remember falling to my knees on my bedroom floor and telling God, “If you can use me and my story to help anyone, then use me”. That simple and raw prayer started me on an adventure of a life time. At times I’ve felt like I’m a cat with nine lives (although I hate cats so I don’t like to compare myself to one…sorry to any of you who like them). I’ve lived and moved all over the country and had the widest range of jobs due to the Holy Spirits prompting. When I interviewed for my last job, my resume had five different jobs represented on it with five different states and most of the references were not in the same states. The Chief of Staff said, “your resume makes you look haphazard and inconsistent”. My response was, “All I can tell you is when Jesus tells me to go, I go”. And it’s true.
This season is no different. In July of 2018, after working at a large church in Southern California for five and a half years, I felt a prompting from the Holy Spirit that it was time to move jobs again. I didn’t know where or what, but I knew He was calling me to go. For months I prayed, fasted, and met with mentors. God was not making it clear where to go, but I knew something was in the works. In November of 2018, I went on a solo retreat to the mountains of Utah to seek Jesus fully on what to do. I felt so strongly in my gut I was to leave, but I didn’t have a job or direction. I started my solo retreat with another simple prayer: “God, if I’m to quit my job, I want to see a Moose”. In the past, God has used owls to answer prayers, so I figured when in Utah…ask for a moose. The days went by as I faithfully prayed, read, and journaled. On hikes, I was constantly aware of any movement or sound in the woods in hopes that a moose would appear. Everything I was reading was saying “get out of the boat”, “take a step of faith”, “walk with blind faith”, but I still hadn’t seen a moose. On the second to the last day of my time in the mountains, I got frustrated. “God, you keep saying ‘go’, but you’re not bringing me a moose and I know you can do it”. My eyes filled with tears as I looked out the and watched the snow fall. All of a sudden, the sun pierced through the clouds and illuminated the chimney flue of the house next door. It was a moose! Immediately I got chills all over my body and started sobbing. I dropped to my knees in complete surrender, knowing God had brought me a moose and was calling me to leave my job in total blind faith.
I came home confident to put my notice in at work.
The night before I was to tell my boss I was resigning, I went for a walk in my neighborhood to rehearse what I was going to say. As I was walking, I saw the cutest little puppy. I NEVER ask to pet anyone’s dog, but this puppy seemed to lure me in so I asked the owner if I could pet him. She agreed. As I knelt down the puppy began to jump all around and lick me. Immediately the owner said, “Moose. Moose, get down”. My head jerked up. “What is the dog’s name?”. She responded, “Moose, his name is Moose”. I burst into laughter and said, “You have to take a picture of me and your dog!!”
Sometimes God answers our prayers instantly. Sometimes clearly. Sometimes He takes His sweet time. And other times, He brings us chimney flues and puppies to answer our requests in the most hilarious and unexpected ways. Wherever you find yourself today, know He will lead you. He will answer. He does speak. And I don’t know about you, but I want to be one who listens and obeys. Because in doing so, He takes us down exciting paths that build, develop, and shape us for whatever adventure lies ahead.