Dear Allen Temple Family and Friends,

 

We are in week two of our "I Believe" Faith Journeys. Special thanks to Rev. Phil B-D who reminded us so powerfully through his testimony that God causes all things, even the most devastating things, to work for our good. What a great midweek reminder!

This week's faith journey comes from one of our newer members. Meet Tiye Scott. She is active with the LYFE Choir and serves as Assistant Teacher for Sunday School Class Number 5. Tiye also works professionally in the field of graphic design and marketing communications.

In 2003 I was working at a really challenging job. But while there, I was developing skills that would help me in my career journey. In the fall of that year, I sensed the Lord was telling me to leave my job and start my own business. Up to that point, I had never worked for myself and never considered it.

At that time in my walk with God, I hadn't had a lot of experience making big "faith leaps." So when leaving my job to start my business came up, I ignored the idea at first. Even after the Lord used people to give me the money to purchase my business equipment and started to send me clients, I hesitated.

But one of the things I learned during this time was that God will continue to speak, until you hear it. It got to the point that everywhere I went, God was speaking. I even went to a concert where the artist said, "Some of you out there are supposed to start businesses...just do it!" I couldn't do anything but laugh.

The following year, I finally made the decision to quit. I was terrified and excited at the same time. I felt a sense of exhilaration and adventure - I was going on this exciting journey, I was stepping out on faith!

Then it happened. My first big client wrote me a bad check for a project I did for them. I was devastated and panicked. Had I misheard God? What was I doing? How was I going to take care of myself?

But God sustained me (the client eventually paid) and during the first six or seven months that I was in business, I had very few regular clients, and yet my rent was never late, and all my bills were paid.

I'd like to say that I never wavered during those early days. But there were a lot of moments of anxiety! Still, the Lord was faithful and I can look back on that time as benchmark in my walk with God, when what I learned about God in study, I began to experience with God in real life.

If I could share anything from my experience it would be recognizing that God is our source -- not a job, not people, not money - and we can trust Him to supply our needs. In my case, it was only when I didn't have a steady paycheck that I could see it was Him doing it all along. The other thing I would share is keep reminding yourself of what God has done for you. Because life can sometimes make you forget (even if temporarily) your experiences with God.

"Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; and I will bear you and I will deliver you." Isaiah 46:4 (NASB)

It's good to know that God will sustains us! God will keep you going, not just materially, but in every way we need. I pray this reminder strengthens and encourages you to just believe.

Blessings to you,

Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson
Assistant Pastor