We sang recently in Ohio at a great church we’ve been to probably five times. It was Homecoming Sunday and the congregation was torn between thoughts of Jesus and fried chicken, a powerful combination indeed.
After the morning service was over, most grabbed their potluck dishes and dashed out the door while some lingered behind to browse at the product table. I greeted a lady who had picked up our “Stages” CD and asked if I could help her. She asked, “Well, is this the one with the song about Maggie on it?” I said, “Yes, the song is called ‘The Broken Ones.’” She said, “Oh, there it is. I really loved that song.” She purchased the CD and as she started to walk away, she turned to me with a pensive look. She said, “I’m not a member of this church. I heard about the concert from a friend who invited me to come. When my friend told me about it, I had already planned to do something else today.” She continued, “But when I got up this morning, the Lord spoke to me and told me to come to hear the Talleys sing this morning.”
I was quite surprised and immediately thought, “Well Lord, thanks for one more person in the seats!” But her story wasn’t finished. She shared, “For the past few months God has been sending me on assignments. He will tell me to go somewhere and there will be an opportunity for me to minister. I don’t usually know exactly what I’ll be doing until He shows me. I’ve planned to visit a homeless shelter this afternoon. I’m going to serve them lunch and just talk to the people there. But today, when I heard your song, ‘The Broken Ones,’ then I fully understood why God sent me here to this service this morning. I am supposed to take that song to that homeless shelter and share it with them. I am supposed to tell them that even though their lives may be broken, they are loved and Jesus wants to put their lives back together.”
How many opportunities does God have for us that we miss?
What could God do through us if we were willing to follow Him?
I suspect that most of us, myself included, are too wrapped up in our own plans, our own lives, and our own circumstances. We, in our flesh, have cast ourselves in the starring roles of our lives, behaving as if life were all about us. But God does not see it that way. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus tells his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
We must learn to deny our flesh and submit ourselves to God before we can be used to serve Him. God has a rewarding, victorious, powerful Christian life waiting for each one of us that has accepted Jesus, if we will humble ourselves enough to listen to what He has to say.
What’s your next assignment?
If anyone has a story of how God placed an assignment in your path, we’d love for you to share it with us!
Lauren, Thanks for that encouragement. In I Thessalonians 5:11 Paul says, we are to encourage one another and build each up, and THAT Roger, Debra, and Lauren IS WHAT YOU DO SO WELL. You guys are some of Paul’s DEDICATED and BEST encouragers ! Thank You.
Reply to JeffWhat a wonderful testimony! God bless that woman for being willing to be used of God. God bless you for your wonderful music.
Reply to Elaine HarcourtWE HAVE ALL BEEN BROKEN AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIFE,BUT THESE THAT ARE HOMELESS ARE THE MOST BROKEN .
I KNOW THE BEST THANKSGIVING I HAVE EVER HAD WAS SPENT WITH THE HOMELESS, OUTSIDE AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS 13 DEGREES,I WAS MOST HUMBLED AND BLESSED.
THANKS AGAIN TALLEY’S FOR BRINGING US ALL TO THE REAL “PURPOSE”.
MUCH LOVE TO ALL,
Reply to Mary CampbellMARY
God certainly does work in wondrous ways! Thank you, Lauren, for sharing such an encouraging article that has touched and blessed my heart this afternoon and thank you, Roger, Debra and Lauren, for bringing the wonderful music that continually ministers to the heart and soul of many time and again, and in more ways than one! Many blessings to you all!
Reply to AngieAwesome.
Reply to RJ HendersonThats a great testimony of what the Lord can do through each one of us, if we will take the time to listen! Thanks for sharing that story, Lauren!
Reply to Stanley ThompsonHello Lauren
Reply to Mette Vestberg SørensenWhat a great story. And so good for you to experience such things! You have had a lot of stories to that song, and I know why. There’s a lot of broken ones in our midst. So I’m gonne look out for my next assignment!
Klem Mette
Thanks for sharing that Lauren! I love to hear different ways that God is using people to minister to others and it sounds like this lady understands exactly what Jesus has called her to do..to be a servant to others!
Reply to MelanieIf anyone has a story of how God placed an assignment in your path, we’d love for you to share it with us!
Reply to Lauren TalleyHi Lauren!!!!
you guys sang at my church (Jones chapel). I also got my picture taken with you. My name is Holly Whaley. My aunt is Carol ownby and my Grandmother is Judy Ownby. My mom says that you know them. I just thought that that is pretty cool. When you sang at my church it was 12-29-08.
Reply to Holly WhaleyThe Lord certainly spoke to me about an assignment. My assignment these past couple of weeks was to reach out to a recent widower in my church. I kept forgetting about it, going about my regular days and allowing other things to occupy my time… until this past Friday. The Lord spoke to me so strongly during devotions. I was finally obedient and wrote a letter of encouragement and sent a small gift to her anonymously. She sobbed at church wednesday evening as she praised God for how good he had been to her. He had met so many of her needs this week in ways she never imagined. I say that only to say this…. when the Lord lays something on your heart to do… or gives you an assignment… it is so you can show you love for him and for others through your obedience…. and the blessings will shower down on all of those around you including yourself. It’s as simple as writing a note to someone who is lonely! God is so good!
Reply to ValerieThat’s a pretty cool story Lauren. Things like that really make you look at things from a different perspective. It’s so easy to get sidetracked with the day to day things in life. I’ll see you guys at the concert in Danville tomorrow night. Have a great day!
Sam Kerfoot
Reply to Sam Kerfootsamkerfoot@intergate.com
Three years ago my wife, sister, mother and I went to a Homecoming concert. We had 6th row floor seats!!! I NEVER carry a hankerchef, but I did that night. It was one my mother in law gave me years ago for Christmas.
At the end of the concert was a tribute to Vestal Goodman and Jake Hess. Facing us on stage was Sheri Easter. She began to cry during the memorial and had nothing to wipe her tears with but her hands.
All of a sudden I felt a very physical tug on my chest. I knew I was to go on stage and give her the hankerchef. However, I fought the tugging for fear of getting in front of all those people in the arena until the tugging went away. I knew instantly that I let God down. The guilt was undeniable and over whelming.
Eight months passed before I was able to see the Easters in concert. I rode my motorcycle 250 miles in the July heat to fulfill His desire. When I arrived I saw their bus, and without fear I knocked on the door. Jeff Easter came out of the building and I shared my story and why I was there. He then gave the hankerchef to Sheri.
I got a chance to meet Sheri after the concert and explain what happened. A few months later I got a wonderful note from her.
I am so grateful our God is a God of 2nd chances.
Reply to JessGreat stories guys! I think that feeling you have when you run from something God’s telling you to do is one of the worst feelings there is.
Keep ‘em coming-
LT
Reply to Lauren TalleyHey Talleys, I know I dropped you a line the other day already, but I forgot to tell you I’ve been listening to the new CD the past couple of days. Good, good stuff! I think you’ve got a winner. If you don’t chart with some of those songs I’ll be very surprised. I have a feeling “Winds of the World” will do well. I’m predicting in the top 5 in the Singing News top 10. It’s hard to say though. It’ll be hard to top “The Broken Ones” as far as impact. I think that’s probably one of the best songs you’ve turned out. The other songs came out great too. The new cut of “Hallelujah praise the lamb” I think was exceptional too. You guys should be pretty proud. Have a great day!
Sam Kerfoot
Reply to Sam Kerfoot