Equipped for Service
Published by Theresee on Tue, 02/14/2012 - 1:16pm
By: Nancy Corbridge
Exodus 4:12&15
I will help you speak and will teach you what to say…and what to do.
In 2005, a CIC sister encouraged me to apply for a job as the director of a pro-life pregnancy counseling center. Although my formal education provided the credentials for the position, I did not feel that my clinical training and life experiences had adequately prepared me to handle the challenges of such a ministry. I had never personally faced an unplanned pregnancy and the closest I ever came to an abortion experience was in college when a roommate had one.
During the mid 70’s with the passage of Roe vs. Wade, my roommate and I considered ourselves “enlightened”, intelligent women. Neither of us saw abortion as anything more than a simple quick fix to an “inconvenience” that was interfering with her completion of graduate school. Although I didn’t drive her to the abortion clinic, I never encouraged her to seek an alternative. A number of years later, after I was married and pregnant with my first child, I was blessed to experience the precious gift of life.
I am still baffled at times over how I ended up in this type of work; but God has brought me some wonderful Christian sisters and brothers whose gifts of time and talent have helped me fulfill the mission of this ministry. Together we celebrate the births of new babies with our clients. We pray together when we feel overwhelmed and question why we even bother when those opposing our work grow stronger in their ability to raise funds for their cause with full support of our government’s leadership. Yet, I know that it is God who changes times and seasons and sets up kings and deposes them” while giving “wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning (Daniel 2:21). Therefore, I stand on God’s promise that he equips those whom he has called into service, providing all that is needed and blessing us beyond measure as we obediently carry out his will.
TAKE THE CHALLENGE: How has the Lord equipped you to handle situations for which you feel totally unprepared?