Preparing For The Forth Quarter

I'll never forget the night i walked the aisle during a Youth Revival at Westwood Baptist Church in Adamsville, Alabama and surrendered my life to the ministry. Jesus had gotten my attention earlier that year when someone got me thinking by telling me that "God had a wonderful plan for my life!" Those 8 words rocked my world then and 40+ years later they still rock my world. 

Early in 2007 the Lord began to stir in my heart that I was going to spend the rest of my life putting into younger leaders. I have to admit that I don't always fully understand what things mean. Sometimes I am told something for me to know and then I have to trust the Lord to give me the next step to walk it out. About six months later God led me to resign my church of seventeen years and embark on a new assignment. That assignment led to what has been some of the most fruitful times of ministry, not just in a local church but also throughout the body of Christ that I have ever experienced.  About eight months ago the Lord began to prepare me for another part of my journey.  Several years ago I read Bob Bufford's book Halftime about moving from success to significance. It's a great book that I highly recomend for anyone to read especially if you are in your 40's or 50's. Back in March I began to ask myself some questions about if I was truly pursuing significance in my life and using my gifts, talents and abilities the way that I should in the forth quarter of my life.

I love football. There is nothing like the feeling right before the start of a game when you see the crowd, take in the atmosphere and run through the  big sign the cheerleaders made and start the game. Then there's the first quarter, then the second then the halftime. The halftime is the difference maker and gives you a second chance to run back out there (this time with less fanfare and no sign) and just get to work being more intentional and getting what needs to get done, done! The best I can tell as I try to decern my life, it's late in the 3rd quarter and I want to enter the 4th quarter with my head and hands lifted high with 4 fingers up chanting 4th quarter!

Several years ago I learned that in order for me to allow the Lord to lead and order my steps as He has promised to do in His word, I had to think in steps. I'm not sure why I'd rather think in leaps and jumps but it's the steps of the righteous that are ordered by the Lord.
A few weeks ago I took a step that I believe was ordered of the Lord to resign my staff position at World Outreach Church. I am curently coaching 45 leaders in Infuse, + all the other ministries and services I offer through Jim Wideman Ministries. I am also building some partnerships with some other ministries and churches throughout the US that I believe in to consult and work with. I am not retiring, I'm re-focusing. I have been amazed at the way God has opened doors for me to use the gifts He place in me for His purposes. I am so thankful for saying yes to the call of God on my life years ago and also today and look forward to seeing what Jesus has in store for me in the days ahead. I know in my heart, God is not done with me! My best years are ahead and Jesus is going to build His Church and I am thankful that I can be a part of what He is doing in these last days!

More to come...