“Listen to God” by Stacey McCartney
This isn’t a jaw-dropping story. It’s an everyday example of what we should all do to listen to God….
I was heading to workout with a friend, and I asked God what I should listen to in the car on the way there. The first thought that came to mind was to listen to a sermon by a pastor out of Birmingham, Alabama. I turned it on, and it was a message on stress, joy, and taking advantage of the gift of the Sabbath.
I have been careful with resting over the past few years. I have realized that the constant go, go, go of life exhausts me, and I don’t have the energy I need for my family or to teach my students with joy when I don’t rest. I already knew this, so I didn’t really feel like this message was for me. I was a bit confused as to why God wanted me to listen, but it was good nonetheless.
When I arrived at school, I found out that one of the other teachers was suffering with a terrible migraine. I had a few minutes before my class began, so I went to her room, laid my hands on her head, and begin to pray. Yes, her headache was healed, and we both thanked God, but that is not the point of the story.
As we began to talk, we asked the Lord to share the root cause behind her migraines. I asked how much rest she was allowing for herself. She’s such an amazing woman who gives to others constantly, but she doesn’t take time to rest herself. I shared the message on the gift of the Sabbath, and she said that this was the third time in the past week that she was reminded to take this Sabbath rest.
I didn’t initially understand why the Lord wanted me to listen to the Sabbath message…until that moment. It wasn’t for me. It was to minister and to confirm His Word to one of his other beloved children.
~ Written by Stacey McCartney ~
Stacey is a wife of 20 years to Ryan and a mother of two teenage, basketball-loving boys. She taught 4th and 5th grade in Michigan and also worked on her church’s staff as the Children’s Creative Programmer planning and organizing children’s church services. She has been teaching 4th grade at Whitesburg Christian Academy for 8 years and is now also teaching Bible classes to middle schoolers. Stacey serves on her church’s worship team and loves to lead others into the tangible presence of the Lord.
She enjoys spending time with family and friends, running, laughing, and drinking coffee, but more than anything, she loves spending time with and hearing from Jesus. She is consistently amazed at the work He does in her and in others.
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