I think God gave me sons—particularly Joe, my youngest—to keep me humble. When Joe was four years old, I came home from passing my final exams in my doctoral program at NC State University. It was a big day, and I was excited. My older sons, Jon and Jeff, had made posters and greeted me with obvious applause. Joe, on the other hand, didn’t seem too impressed. As the older boys returned to their activities, I tried to answer his questions and explain that I was not a medical doctor.

A few days later, I overheard Joe talking with five-year old Chip, a neighborhood friend. Chip whispered to Joe, “Is your mother really a doctor?” Quite nonchalantly Joe responded, “Yeah, but she can’t doctor nothing and she don’t have no white coat.”

Fast forward several years, and Joe, then seven or eight years old, accompanied me to work at Central Piedmont Community College. I had just been promoted to dean of the business department, and in that role I spent much of my time in meetings with faculty, students, and fellow administrators. Joe played quietly in the corner of my office much of the day—something unusual for a very active little boy. When we got home, my husband Gerry asked Joe, “Well, did Mommie work hard today?” Joe’s response, “No, not really. All she did was sit around and talk to people.”

Believe me. If I ever had any inclination toward pride in my accomplishments, Joe took care of it!

In recent days, I have had quite a few people make very kind, supportive comments about my blog.  While I am very pleased and flattered by the applause, I am reminded with great humility that all the credit goes to the Lord—and not to Shirley.

Countless times through the years the Lord has enabled me to do things that I never thought possible. Writing is just one of them.

From childhood, I have struggled with low self-esteem. As a teen, I never felt good enough, smart enough, brave enough, never enough. As a senior in high school, I fled my senior English class in tears because my voice quivered so badly when I was trying to give an oral report that I was mortified.

When I started to college, I majored in business and economics. I envisioned myself working behind the scenes somewhere as a secretary until I had children and stayed home to raise them. But the Lord had different plans! In fact, He has a real sense of humor!

At the prodding of my husband and my mother, I minored in business education. Even though my favorite game as a young child was playing “teacher” to my little brother and my younger cousins, I never really imagined I could ever teach because of my stage fright. How could I ever teach if I couldn’t speak in public?

While I was a student at Gardner-Webb University, I put off public speaking, a required course, until my last semester. Every speech I made I overprepared. I was terrified every time I stood to speak. There was no deodorant strong enough to deal with my fear, but I survived.

As a senior at Furman University, I was required to participate in student teaching. Again, standing before a group of students was terrifying—but I survived.

When offered a teaching position upon graduation, I very reluctantly took it, and my first year was tough; yet I made it through and even began to relax a bit by mid-year and enjoy it.

As I look back over my life, I am still amazed that the Lord sustained me through 30 years as a teacher and college administrator! He took a most unlikely candidate for such a career and transformed her, bolstered her, encouraged her.

I am reminded of Moses and Gideon—both filled with terror at the prospect of carrying out the Lord’s plans. I know how they felt. I can identify with their fear and apprehension.

As I neared the end of my career in education, the Lord led me to retire and attend seminary. He kept calling me to begin a support group ministry.  While I was a student at Gardner-Webb University, though, He also led me to pastor a tiny church in Spartanburg for two years—something that was beyond anything I ever expected to do.

Upon graduation from Gardner-Webb, we returned home to Salisbury. I sat down in my easy chair and told the Lord that I really didn’t know why He had sent me off to the seminary. I told him I was too old to be much use in traditional ministry and that I needed him to send someone to my door to tell me what to do.

I never really expected him to do such a thing; but a few days later, Mike Motley, my former pastor at Trading Ford Baptist Church, literally knocked on my door and asked my husband Gerry and me if we would come back to his church and begin a ministry called Celebrate Recovery. Even though we had never heard of the ministry, we agreed to listen.

My circuitous path now made sense. My call to support group ministries became a reality.  With an incredible team of people who also heard God’s call, we began Celebrate Recovery, a ministry to people struggling with hurts, habits, and hangups. Later He prompted us to help start a Celebrate Recovery prison ministry at the women’s prison in Troy and then to help found Capstone Recovery Center, a Christ-centered transition home for women struggling with substance abuse.

TFBC’s Celebrate Recovery will soon celebrate its 13^th anniversary. Who except the Lord would ever have imagined it! Capstone Recovery Center is now 7 years old, thanks to Miriam and Oscar Ramirez who also heard God’s call all the way in Miami, Florida, and moved to Salisbury where we became great friends and co-laborers in ministry. Who but God could plant the same vision in his people in North Carolina and Florida and bring them together in one location!

Now, back to writing. As early as 2011 the Lord began prompting me to write a book—a collection of testimonies from people in recovery whose lives have been transformed through His grace and power. Obviously, I am very much behind in obeying His call since I have not completed such a book!

Yet I am also aware that His timing is not my timing! He knows me to be a procrastinator. In fact, much of last year was spent housebound because of a car accident where I broke my neck and then lower back surgery six months later. It seems that when we are slow to obey, He helps us to “Be still and know that I am God.” (Isaiah 46:10) Though very much inconvenienced, I can look back and see how that year has prepared me to finally write.

In fact, during that difficult time, I began this blog and began to write not one but two books—Divine Encounters: Stories of Real People Struggling with Life’s Hurts, Habits, and Hang-ups and Beyond Coincidence: God Moments Amid Life’s Struggles. Now, you may be wondering when they will be published. To be honest, I have no idea because they are HIS words and not mine. I will record them as He gives them to me—and not before.

For you see, I am not a writer, but I have found that He can use me to write if I let him.

I read a devotional thought this morning in Daily Bread entitled “Giving Credit.” The emphasis was on giving God credit: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:31

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, said it well,

“This is what the Lord says:
‘Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
or the powerful boast in their power,
or the rich boast in their riches.
But those who wish to boast
should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord
who demonstrates unfailing love
and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,
and that I delight in these things.(Jeremiah 9:23-24 NLT)

Moses, Gideon, Mary Magdalene, the demoniac out in the tombs all knew that without the Lord, they were useless in His kingdom.

James knew it, too: “So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.  Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father.” (James 1:16-17 NLT)

Bottom line: Thanks for reading and responding to my blog posts. I appreciate each and every comment. Know, however, that it is the Lord who deserves any applause and any glory. I am only a scribe, but what joy I feel as I reflect on all the wonderful opportunities He has provided through the years! I hope you continue reading and sharing with those who need to read whatever is written.

Be on the lookout for the two books that the Lord has inspired me to write! Who knows, they may be completed before the second coming—it’s all in His time!

What about you? Can you look back and see the hand of God on your life in ways you never expected? Have you seen Him enable you to do what you thought was impossible? I would love to hear from you! Let’s give praise where praise is due–at the feet of the Master Potter!!