Day 3: Dare to dream: Where to start?!

So, you’ve made yourself available to God… but he hasn’t delivered a set of instructions about what to do next… Where do you start?

Of course, there’s no one right answer. Sometimes, we are called to pray and wait. At other times, I would encourage you to be bold and start with something, even if it’s small.

One option is to notice who is already serving in an area that interests you and join them. Ruth served God by deciding to stick by Naomi’s side. For a time in Bristol, I worked with the Salvation Army, where I learned spiritual and practical lessons about ministering to the poor. I also became friends with SisterAnnaliese, a Nun working in the same locality. Later, I would forge my own path, but at the start, it was good for me to join with and learn from others.

Secondly, think about using what you already have (like David and his slingshot). It might be a monetary gift, time to volunteer, or the use of some property. I have seen miraculous provision happen when someone offered themselves to God, and he directed them to contribute practically. I’ll never forget a man turning up on my doorstep, saying, “God’s told me to give you a van!” That bright yellow van became an absolute cornerstone to our work with marginalised women.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask someone how you can help. I went out with a questionnaire to women working on the streets at night. This was fairly scary - and it wasn’t thought wise by everyone who heard about it - but it felt like the right thing, so I stepped out. After once causing a fight over sleeping bags at the Salvation Army, I’d learned not to promise anything I couldn’t deliver, but I asked what they needed, and nearly all of them wanted a safe space they could go to. I put my effort into finding somewhere – and that’s how our work was born.

Reflect: What opportunities could you identify to start doing something for God? Make a list of practical possibilities, then gently begin trying them out. God might nudge you one way or another or indeed guide you somewhere completely different!

Prayer: Show me where to start, Lord. Help me have just enough courage to do the next thing. Bless my efforts, and make clear where you want me.