Odd One Out - Church Girls in a Club
Good Morning. I'm just about to get ready for church today, before I go, I would like to share an eye-opening event from my past with you.
Well, here goes... Have a blessed day!
By the time I was 18 years old, my main focus was to try and figure out what career path I should take. As I was still living at home with my parents, I continued to attend church on a regular basis and I even managed to attend Sunday school and conventions. I was doing just enough to blend in with the crowd at church.
In my mind, I thought that everything was ok with God and I because I was doing all of the basic practical things that pleased Him. Strangely enough, I believed He understood that this was just not the right time for me to make a commitment.
After asking God to help me with my driving test; I passed on my second attempt. Not only did He answer my prayer but He also blessed me with my first car.
My friends and I were planning a big night out, it was supposed to be amazing. What made that night out so special, was the fact that we now had our own transport. We were going to be traveling in style to the club in my second hand, 1 litre, metallic blue Nissan Micra.
The evening for our wild night finally came and I just couldn't wait for the church service to be over so I could make a sharp exit to get home, get changed, pick up my girls and hit the road. There was definitely no time for an altar call that evening.
““That night we weren’t labelled as those three girls from church. We were just Chantelle, Geneetta and Michelle.””
When we got to the club were having great time and by looking at us, you would never know that we were daughters of an Elder, a Minister and a Youth President. We were feeling good because that night we weren't labelled as those three girls from church, we are just Chantelle, Geneetta and Michelle - 3 young ladies who were out to have a good time just like the other ladies in the crowd.
So, there we were in the middle of the club having the time of our lives when all of a sudden we heard loud gun shots. People were screaming, panicking and trampling on one another to get to the nearest exit. We grabbed a hold of each other and raced to the car as quickly as we could. We jumped into my car and instantaneously started praying. Now, I'm not talking about a small prayer like: "Thank you Lord for keeping us safe. Amen." I mean we are really praying from the bottom of our hearts.
We ended the night by sitting in the car talking about how good God was to us. Not long after, I found myself tucked up in bed hours earlier than I originally planned. So much for a wild night out!
Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
St. Matthew 5: 14-16 (The Message)
That night we realised that no matter where we were or how we were dressed, there was something different about us. There was something deep down inside that we couldn't shake off. We looked like all of the other ladies in the club, but something told us that we were different.
Sometimes you may feel as if your the odd one out, but please don't feel bad about it. There's a reason why you can't just blend in with the crowd and it's simply because your not supposed to. God has put something deep down in you too. Start a closer walk with Him today so you can figure out what your purpose is and then you'll know what God has actually called you to do.
Today Michelle (left) is the author of Dead Man Walking and she is going strong in her walk with God. Michelle is founder and Director of Toolbox which is a company that specialises in healthy relationships. Geneetta (right) was the first one out of us to start her walk with God and Michelle and I followed shortly after. She is currently setting up her ministry and business ventures with her husband in Scotland.
Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:2 (The Message)