How Will This Be?

I was reading in Luke 1 recently and the encounter of the angel Gabriel with Mary. Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to a son and call him Jesus. Mary's response to Gabriel was "how will this be? I'm a virgin." I can understand how Mary must have felt. She wondered how she could possibly give birth to a child when she had not had sexual relations with her soon to be husband Joseph yet. For Mary, her question was answered immediately by Gabriel who said to her the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the Son of God would begin development in her womb. And so it happened as Gabriel said it would - that's the rest of the story.

Today is one of those days where I too am wondering about whether or not developing a discipleship ministry for women is something I can do. How can I do this at my age? How can I do this with my schedule as it is right now? Someone told me that if God has breathed this ministry "to be", and I have scripture that encouraged me to get this started, that at times like this, I need to read the scriptures again. So for today, I am writing the scripture verses God gave to me to start this ministry - I need their encouragement today:

Job 42:12: The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.

Isaiah 54: 1-5: Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the Lord. "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband-the Lord Almighty is His name- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.

Days like today, I need to remember the words of scripture that were given to me to begin this journey of ministry. God, please encourage my heart through your Word.

He is the Lord God - the Almighty is His name!