My Journey with Jabez:Part 3

"Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!"

Oh that you would enlarge my territory to me means enlarging my little world. New experiences, divine appointments with others and revelations. These are harder to see than the blessings, for me anyway, but when I really started to pay attention, I was astounded to realize just how much territory He had enlarged for me! Some are subtle and some are miraculous.

I revealed in another blog (I think, didn't I? Hmmm, anyway...) that I don't enjoy cooking. I never have and believe me, my mom truly tried to make me a cook. She even gave me a night that I had to cook the meal when I was in high school. I made Parmesan Chicken every night that it was my night until she finally gave up. (It just hit me, I don't make that anymore...hmmmmm, I make Chicken Parmesan but not Parmesan Chicken....OH sorry it's the ADD) Well, for Christmas, my in laws gave us a waffle iron for Christmas. We made some waffles, ya know, they were tasty, no biggy. I got an email from church and they were having a waffle dinner for Relay For Life and I signed up to help. I actually didn't even think about it, I just signed up. I'm thinking I can mix up some batter or make sure we have plenty of syrup on the table. THEN the email came...they were needing waffle irons. Cool, I have one and it makes 6 waffles at a time. Still, no problem, there will be plenty of people there to do the cooking and they can use my waffle iron :) I'm so generous, pat myself on the back and hit reply. The night comes and as I'm standing there cooking waffles for a horde of people I just burst out laughing....God was using ME to cook for a crowd!!!! Don't tell me the Lord doesn't have a sense of humor. He's put me cooking for church two more times since that, I just had to bring a covered dish but still there's enlarged territory right there.

I can think of two divine appointments with two different people. The Lord just put words in my mouth that were a revelation for them and ME cause wherever did THAT come from? That's enlarged territory, for me.

The Lord has shown me what true joy is, he's shown me what true peace is....enlarged territory.

He's enlarged my study of His word. I started this with the intention of reading some of Jabez and keeping a journal. That was MY idea, HA! The Lord had other ideas, I currently do a devotion, read some out of the bible, journal, and pray out of "Thy Word". That's every night but the past two nights he's given me MORE to do, I am also doing a worksheet on "the enemy" that Chele brought back for me from the Jabez bible study. Some nights He says it's time to study for the Sunday School class, some nights He just wants me to read more out of His word. So I guess letting Him lead me closer to Him, now THAT's enlarged territory right there!!

Chele and I have finally started our Emmaus reunion group (if you are wondering what Emmaus is, let me know and we'll discuss it cause it's AWESOME!!!) The Lord is using that to open up my borders and helping me discover new things I need to go to Him for and there was once that it was my divine appointment.

Then there's the one that He tried to enlarge but I didn't listen (head hanging down in shame). I was doing my study one night and I thought, I need to start going to the Women's Prayer group. Then I thought, that's a great idea, I'll talk to my friend about it and that was that. The next morning was the morning they meet and while I was in the shower, my friend that I wanted to talk to about it called. We played phone tag all morning, I missed prayer group and guess what? That friend NEEDED me desperately that day. I was supposed to be at prayer group!! I didn't hear the idea from myself, it was the LORD and I didn't listen...shame, shame...Lord, forgive me for not hearing your voice...and I know He has. BUT I will start going to prayer group and I'll have to be there by 8AM, two enlarged territories right there!

I've sent get well cards...okay, I've sent one, BUT it's a start right? That's rather big for me cause I'm such a procrastinator that generally I think about doing it but never do.... Okay, fine, I have to confess, remember the wise friend we have....it was her idea BUT I did it....Enlarged territory AND my friend met her divine appointment; me! :0 Beautiful!!

I started this...not sure if it's helping anybody, well, possibly Chele or Marci? Maybe it's helping me to write it all down to see just how the Lord is growing me? Anyway, that's enlarged territory, for me. We'll see where the Lord takes it.

Okay, I think I'm through, I've written a book and I'm sorry. I've said all this to say...Ask the Lord to enlarge your territory; you'll be amazed at where He takes you :)