God is Sovereign...and I am His!

Daniel 2:20-23 (New Living Translation)

“Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.”

I love this scripture. It dethrones anxiety and restores peace in God's Sovereignty.

When I find myself mumbling at the television or news articles...saying "Who do you think you are?"...feeling completely helpless, frustrated, angry and maybe a bit fearful... I remember that God put these men and women in their places of authority...for a reason. I found comfort in Habakkuk the other day...3 chapters...a man who found himself in the same place as me, frustrated with his country and his generation... but he found encouragement in the Sovereignty of God...then he says "and the just shall live by his faith" (Hab 2:4).

Now that is deep...my God is doing something that is bigger than me? WHoa! What's the promise? God will do what He will do for righteousness sake...but His righteous ones are dear to Him and will still be kept under His wing.

Selah...

I'm going to be ordained in April

So, tonight I had to write a bio for ordination...and this is what came out...so many things to say, but this is what I felt needed to be most prominent...it's weird summing up your life in something..

Name: Rachel M. Leonard
Education:
BS Church Ministries, Missions-Southeastern University-Lakeland,FL 2006
Certification in Spanish Language-CINCEL Language Institute-San Jose, Costa Rica Summer 2003
EVe Center-Cincinnati,OH-Biblical Peer Counselor Training-Spring 2009
KSOM Ordination Level Courses- Fall 2009

Past Positions:
KY Women's Ministries Intern-Summer 2006
Youth Minister-Full Gospel A/G Newport, KY- Fall 2006-Fall 2008
Residential Staff Priscilla's Place, Louisville, KY Summer 2007
Residential Staff Mercy Maternity Home, Erlanger, KY-Winter 2007-Fall 2007 Volunteer Prayer Team Member/Small Group leader Church 922-Erlanger, KY Fall 2007-Spring 2009

Present Ministry: Pastoral Care/Young Adult Ministry-Full Gospel A/G Summer 2009-Present

Other Info:
As a daughter of this beautiful state, there is a very special place in my heart for Kentucky and her people. I once was a ten year old little girl who responded to the Call of God at an altar in Crestwood, KY. It was at that point of commitment that my faith truly began to mature and deepen. I am thankful for my parents, Mike & Leisa Leonard, and many other men and women in this state. I would not be where I am today if you had not encouraged me and invested your time and energy into my journey of faith. Dave Amsler always said that you cannot tell the fruit of one moment of ministry until five years down the road. Well, here we are, fifteen years later, all of the seeds of discipleship and love for the lost, beginning to bear fruit in one life (Luke 8:15).

I’ve spent most of my short life preparing to live overseas as a foreign missionary. In 2005, I felt the Lord ask me to trust Him and return to Kentucky. After saying no, more than once, I finally said yes. Since then, my heart has yearned for nothing more than to see the Kingdom of God established in this state. All I desire is the opportunity to invest myself in the work of the Kingdom. I’m looking for the opportunity to do more than just a job, but to live out a calling: to empower and equip the Church to be the Heart of God exposed to the world. I long to see my generation rise up and take its place in the Kingdom; to see captives set free from addiction, abuse and ignorance. It is my desire to spend my life in the harvest field raising up harvesters to go to the ends of the earth. God is doing a new thing in Kentucky. Thus, in this moment, my harvest field is here! It is my honor to join the ranks of those harvesters who have gone before me and paved the way, that I might help bring in the harvest (John 4:34-38).

growing into my shoes :-)

When I was a little girl, I used to LOVE to play dress up! My most favorite toys were old clothes and jewlery, my mom's old cheerleading uniforms and my grandma's dancing shoes and a sheer purple cape. I always loved the accessories...especially those shoes. I remember thinking that I would never be big enough to wear those shoes...and now, here I am, a closet full of shoes, just like my dress up ones :-)

Lately, I've been feeling internally, like the little girl who just realized her shoes fit. It may sound bizarre... but for years as a minister and as an adult, I still felt like a little girl playing around the ankles of the adults :-) haha. For instance, I don't know how many times I'll be talking about a situation and refer to a group of people as the the adults and not include myself. Only to catch it and have to somehow correct my statement. I still feel like a kid most days...I thought that at 25, almost 26, I'd be different. More....SOMETHING?? On the other hand, my mentality of perceived immaturity is reinforced by a world that encourages me to be young! I work with a bunch of people who are my parents' age...and whenever I say "back in the day..." they say, "you don't have a 'back in the day'" ;-)

So, lately I've found myself in situations where up until now I felt strangely like a Junior, ill-equipped and immature, but all of a sudden it's different. It seems like people look me in the eye and see a peer...not a young girl in her mother's clothes. This past year I've been through some very painful, personal growing pains... but I'm beginning to realize that I now see myself as someone who can do what God has called her to do...I am more than a little girl playing dress up...I am growing into the shoes I was born to fill...