Melissa Small supports her husband, Rusty, in his ministry as a pastor at Liberty Baptist Church while raising her 2 boys, James and Thomas. She also serves as the women’s ministry leader and on the worship team at her church. She has a passion for women growing deeper in their knowledge of God’s Word and fostering a supportive Christian community among women. A doctorate in Education and Christian Leadership aids in accomplishing these goals through teaching, mentoring, and Bible study.
2 Peter 1:3
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
My 2-year-old son Thomas loves the Bible story of David and Goliath. My husband and I have read the story from his children’s Bible story book, watched the Youtube cartoon video on repeat, and role played falling wherever we can find a safe landing more times than we can count. We were in the store recently and came upon a cashier watching my son, sing the song “Only a Boy Named David” and wave his “sling” round and round and round and round in the air of the shopping cart to make the giant come tumbling down.
We struck up a conversation and she told me how she had a son his age who also had a lot of energy. We talked about how boys need outlets and I told her of Thomas’s outlet with his favorite Bible story. This led to an interest in getting her children into church to learn Bible stories. The next thing I knew we were exchanging phone numbers and she was looking for the next opportunity to bring her children to an evening activity after her work hours, which we determined would be VBS.
I walked away from that conversation thinking how easy it had been to move the conversation to Christ based on the way we were just sharing our lives with someone who saw something different. I got in my car and with tears in my eyes called my husband and told him and then just thanked God for the opportunity.
I knew God had done a work in my life in so many areas to lead me to this moment and the passage in 2 Peter 1:3-8 came to mind as a reflected on that day. I was reminded that God gives us what we need to live godly lives and that we are called to make every effort to pursue godliness.
I have lived in fear of failure for many years. I have falsely believed so much relied on me and my abilities for tasks to be accomplished, placing undo pressure on myself to bring about what only God had the power to do. What missed opportunities for years to live in peace! God still used me in ministry, but if I had understood the truth of 2 Peter 1:3-8 sooner, I would have been in a much more enjoyable place to serve God in ministry as I was able to experience that day.
As we serve Christ in ministry, we are given everything we need. God’s desire is not for us to perform at a high level according to the world’s standards. His desire is for us to live a godly life. When we can escape corruption and mature in love towards our church and our neighbors, we are able to reach others in a way we may not have anticipated. The pressure comes off when we focus on the life God wants us to live and ministry flows from a heart of love, first cultivated in our own families, and then spread to the church and our surrounding communities. 1 Peter 1:3-8
Be encouraged that God has all that you need to live the life He has called you to. Thank Him for that and watch the opportunities arise as He brings people in your path to offer a different way of living and see how He moves. God will use you for His glory!
