Learning To Be Salt and Light

 

By Contributing Writer, Terry Covey

When God calls us to be salt and light, it opens up a wonderful opportunity to get out of our comfort zone and be His ambassadors to the world around us.  It calls us to a place of newness and openness to whatever He has in store for us, and moves us away from what is normal and easy.

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.     Matthew 5:13

Our family has always grabbed opportunities for growth and adventure, but we’re about to embark on something only God could have conjured up!

We’ve been dreaming about “doing something” to help strengthen marriages for many years now.  It’s been so long that friends and family’s eyes begin to glaze over when we even speak of a potential move or our vision of a ‘cabin ministry’!  We were beginning to wonder if we ever could do anything but stay holed up in our safe, ‘happy’ little home, enjoying our children’s visits, and growing old.  I know that sounds morbid, but that’s how we felt.  Now we understand that God gives us those feelings for a reason.

 

Are You Ready For God’s Timing?

Alas, God is the Author of invention and surprise!  On a recent trip to visit family in Arkansas, we were just “checking out” the area to see if it we liked it.  We knew it had mountains, which is huge plus in my book – I love mountains!  And it has running water – ah, much nicer than our stagnant creek filled with water moccasins  :o(.  But the big question – how would we ever know when and where God wanted us to go?!

But in the blink of an eye, God began revealing our adventure!  We happened upon the most amazing property, complete with an 1843 cabin that still is in working condition (yep, we’ll really be living in it for awhile!), two 1938 intact cabins, and ½ mile of river frontage – just asking for cabins to be built there!  And with our family already involved in Civil War reenacting, we have the historic costumes and accessories to recreate the historic feel of the place.

The best part of this adventure is that we’ll have plenty of opportunity to be salt and light!  Our vision is to build several couple’s retreat cabins, possibly a wedding/banquet deck overlooking the waterfalls on the creek, restore the cabin for tours, and re-open the gift/craft shop on the property.  Whew!  Lots to do for a family that’s been sitting for so many years, just wondering what’s next, and all of it happening in only a few weeks!

We look forward to discovering the many ways we can bless those around us, and uncovering the many avenues God will use to refine us and build character as we discover our lack and total dependence on Him.  But if our heart is purely seeking to do His will and make His name known, we have to believe He will provide.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.                    Matthew 5:14-16

Transition and Trusting God

When God calls us, we must be ready for transition, for that place of newness away from our old comforts.  Our move comes with much of that!  We currently live a half mile from the road, with cattle grazing on two sides of us.  Our Arkansas home will be 30 feet from the road, with many travelers walking along the historic bridge that borders our property.  My father is wondering how we will handle all this ‘people traffic’, but I assure him that God has prepared us for this adventure, and we are excited to simply trust God for whatever He has in store.  We are literally walking on water and trusting Him for the next step!  And only He will reveal exactly what those steps will look like.

So why do I write this?  I want to encourage each of you to pray, to wait on the Lord, to hope in Him and His ways.  He desires us to make His name known and to help the lost.  Have you been waiting and wondering what God wants you to do?  Maybe in some small way, our story will inspire you and give you courage to move out of your comfort zone and rely on Him as you walk on water!  Remember, we do our work – He creates the outcome.

In the last nine years, from leaving the comfort of 18 years in California to the trials of our Tennessee move, God has truly seasoned and simmered us.  To the point that we feel ready to move into uncharted territory again, being salt to others for His glory.  We are ready to serve Him, to wait on His timing, and like our daughter has always said, “trust Him to work out the details” in our lives.  (You can read about God’s lessons for us at  Becoming Christian In An MSG and Fluorescent World.)

And if Paul Harvey were still alive, I’d love to hear him say, “And now you know the rest of the story…..”, but for now, we’ll leave that to our children and grandchildren to speak!

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