When our Joshua was 10 years old, the Lord began to work on his heart about surrendering to preach. While on deputation, at a meeting in Ohio, Joshua went forward and gave his life to preach the gospel. So exciting!
God gave him many opportunities to preach as a young kid. He preached whenever he could and won many preacher boys contests. He dreamed of the days when he would serve and work in a church and be a staff member. Would he be a Youth Director? A Music Man? The Pastor? He didn't know. He just wanted to work at church!
The teen years came and he preached on. He battled his calling some and looked into going into law and being a christian lawyer, but God directed him that that wasn't His will for his life. He was to be a preacher. And the dream grew.
Soon, our Joshua graduated high school. It was time to look into college. What a weepy time for a Momma! He chose Golden State Baptist College because he knew that they trained preachers going into the ministry. And the dream grew and grew.
When God called our family to High Springs to plant VSIBC, Joshua battled coming home from college to help us here. He loved college, but knew God wanted him work here in Florida. So, he came home, and I honestly don't know what we would have done without him!
He looked for a job and found one at the hardware store in Fort White. He really enjoyed working there, but his heart was for the ministry and to preach. As the church has grown, his duties at VSIBC have grown as well. He really is my husband's right hand man! He leads congregational singing, leads the choir, is the youth director, preaches and leads in junior church...and so much more.
His desire and dream to be "full time" in the ministry has grown. But, being a new church plant, that just wasn't possible. I remember the day the church was able to give my husband a full time salary. It was a blessing! We began as a church to pray that soon the church could take Joshua on full time as well. We've prayed and prayed and prayed. All the while Joshua worked hard at ACE Hardware. He became the manager there and has met many, many people from our area. The Lord has really used his job!
And we kept praying. And Joshua's desire to be a full time staff member kept growing.
After much prayer, about 6 weeks ago the Lord showed VSIBC that it is now possible to take Joshua on as a full time staff member. As a Momma, I shed tears of joy knowing that our Heavenly Father was not only answering the prayers of so many at Victory Springs, but also making my son's dreams come true. We set the start date for December 1st. Joshua gave a 6 week notice to the Hardware store. The owner was thankful for such a long notice so that he could begin training a new manager.
This morning as I looked out the window, I saw my son drive off for the last time to his job at the hardware store. God has answered his prayer, granted his desire, and fulfilled his dreams.
This Momma's heart is overflowing. Thank you Lord!
Amen and praise God for answered prayers. Not only did Joshua obey the call of God throughout but helped your husband and the church at the critical times. That is so like God isn't it? I love stories like this.
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