A New Hat for Karen

Well it is official.  If I said I was not scared I would be lying.  As of today I am the official supply pastor(certified lay speaker - not licensed) of Midway UMC.  This sweet little church is a short distance from my home in Rock Mills.  It is midway between Roanoke and Wedowee.  Frank and I attended their Sunday night service, I taught their Bible Study on Wednesday night, became their pastor on Thursday and will be working VBS Friday and Saturday night and Sunday morning will deliver my first message to them.  I have met a lot of my congregation....that sounds funny saying....and they have all been wonderful.  Some of my readers may be saying bout now, "What?"  Well...let me tell you about my road between Karen....the Spanish teacher to Karen the Spansh/English teacher/part-time preacher.  It has been quite a ride.  In the Spring of 2007 I had a dream that Frank and I were living in Texas and he was attending seminary.  I shared my dream with him and unbeknownst to me he had been fighting a calling for a long time.  The next thing I knew we were off to be ministers (me as the pastor's wife) at Waverly UMC.  Now...funny thing here.....I have always loved the town of Waverly.  They have a musical road and gorgeous old houses.....and TA DAH....here I was...part of this magical town.  I loved it.  We were there for three years.  Being in Waverly was a definite God thing.  My father died during our tenure there, my mom was diagnosed with alzheimer's, and the congregation of Waverly loved me through it all.   I would never have made it without them.  While we were at Waverly I got to continue my ministry with the Arbor Service at FUMC in Alex City where we lived.  Life was great....and then God spoke to me and told me he had something else for me to do.  I could not imagine what it could be.  In 2010 we moved to Rock Mills, AL and once again I was in a town where I actually accepted Christ as my Savior when I was 8 and Uncle Leon was the pastor at Roanoke First United Methodist.  We would be living in a parsonage and I would have to give up the Arbor Service, but life goes on and it changes as it goes.  It was not as hard as I thought it would be to leave the Arbor because I knew God was directing me this way.  Oh I miss them all....but  I had a new church family and once again I fell in love with a congregation.  They would hold me up in prayers, love, and hugs when my mom died.  I love living here.  I think I am a country girl in a city girls body.  Rock Mills gives me peace.  I love being the pastor's wife, singing in a traditional choir, teaching Sunday School, working with the Youth program, and being a Porch Person....yet, even though I thought I was doing what I was supposed to do I still felt a tugging from God. Come on God.....I thought this was enough.  That is what I get for thinking. The whole issue here is I was doing the thinking and not doing what God wanted me to do.  I guess if you want to hear God laugh out loud tell Him what your plans are.   About a year a go I began having dreams about my retirement from teaching and believed God was preparing me for my next adventure...to be a traveling sales person for school books.  In the Spring of 2013(What is it about Springs?)  I taught a Sunday School lesson and one of the scripture verses, Isaiah 6:8 knocked me to my knees...literally.  God spoke to me in a clear and audible voice..."⁸ Then I heard the Lord’s voice saying, “Whom should I send, and who will go for us?”  I said, “I’m here; send me.”  I said nothing to Frank and we left the next week for the beach.  On our way to Panama City we passed three churches with that verse posted on their sign.  Talk about being antsy....I was as antsy as a cat in a room full of rockers.  The next week we went to Annual Conference for the church and once again that verse was spoken to me.....this time I did not walk...I ran to the District Supertindents wife....told her the story....we both cried...and went to find her husband to tell him.  We found the incoming Superintendent and told him that I needed to be used .....somewhere.  All the churches had pastors...so I did not know what this was leading to....after our trip to South Carolina I found out....there was a church who needed a pastor....and after prayer and discussion I knew it was to be me.  When I met with the D.S the first time....in the room where we had our conversation about what had been happening ....was a book of artwork with scriptures....and yep...you have got it....Isaiah 6:8 was the page it was opened to.  I knew right then and there that this was a God Thing!  I broke the news to Rock Mills on Tuesday and Bro Lewis and I met with the PPR (Pastor Parish Relations) and they handed me the keys on Thursday.  I am not perfect...I am forgiven.  I am not a seminary graduate even though I do hold a Master's Degree.  I am not young but I have a fire within me that says..."go and preach the word."  Nowhere does it say in the Bible that I have to be a seminary graduate to do this.  I may never be seen in a long black robe...but I will be seen on Sunday morning speaking(with shaking knees) the Word of God to the people of Midway for as long as He needs me.  "I am here, send me!"