Have you had an ROE lately?

Have you been to a Christmas program or pageant this year? I have. I love them. 

My church held its children and teens' Christmas programs on this past Sunday night. The kids were precious. Everyone remembered their lines and they looked extremely cute in their costumes.The soloists didn't miss a note.The teens' depiction of the Christmas story and return of Jesus was very moving and made a beautiful display. It all came together very nicely, which was a huge relief for me, because I was the director! If there's one thing I have learned over the years, its that no matter how bad it looks, no matter how bad your final rehearsal goes, when it comes time for the performance, everything is going to work out just fine. I've also learned that anything that can go wrong on the day of the play or on the week of the play, usually will. Just keep praying and go with it!

I went to a special performance of "The Child of the Promise" at the Paramount Theatre in Goldsboro last Friday night and I must say it was spectacular! Its a musical retelling of the nativity story by Michael and Stormie O'Martian and all of the proceeds went to benefit the Wayne Pregnancy Center. The actor/singer who played King Herod was great. It was one of those performances that give you goosebumps. When he sang his solo, he really "knocked it out of the park". After his song, the audience erupted into applause. After the applause, when everything had quieted down and you could hear a pin drop, my friend's six year old daughter sitting beside us yelled out "Well, I'm not clapping for Him! He's trying to kill baby Jesus!" She sounded so exasperated at all of the adults that had cheered for such a mean man. It was so funny! All of the little grannies and grandpas sitting around us got really tickled at her comment.It was a good night and a great way to spend a Friday evening.

I hope what I'm about to say doesn't sound cheesy and doesn't make you perform one of those famous ROE's that teens text about. (Don't have teens??> ROE is "roll of eyes"...usually performed when something is corny or lame. Can also by texted as RME> or "rolling my eyes")  I'm an eye roller. Got in trouble for that in kindergarten in Mrs. Winslow's class. I make no excuses. I was a five year old who hung out with a sister and cousin that were seniors in high school. My other cousins were teenagers or pre-teens and I stayed with them all the time. I liked KISS and Peter Frampton and the Commodores. I rolled up in kindergarten and they were trying to get me to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider???"  I don't think so! Sorry, but that called for an "ROE"   (Great...Now I'm going to have those songs stuck in my mind  all day! "Sail On! Honey! Good times never felt so good.".. My sister and I listened to that on 8-track while we got ready for school! Ha! Ha! When we wanted to mix it up we listened to "Three Times a Lady  or "Brick House. Good  times! Good times!)



Anyway, I digressed....as I was saying, I hope this doesn't sound lame, but I enjoyed that performance of A Child of the Promise so much because I know that Christian drama is something that I am meant to do.Its something I am called to do.  Performing is in my blood. I used to dress up and perform plays and skits and make my family watch them when I was very little. A cousin told me that I had to be "The COA" (Center of attention). Oh, the photos we have of me in my costumes and outfits that I created for my "shows". (You won't be seeing any of those in my Facebook profile!)

When I watched those actors on stage last Friday night, I could barely stand it. It was all I could do to stay in my seat. I wanted to be up there on that stage so bad I could taste it. Everyone else enjoyed the play too, because it was excellent. But for me, it was different, it was more than that. Remember, in the Bible when Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist and Mary came to see her and greeted her? Elizabeth exclaimed that when Mary spoke, the baby in her womb leaped because he heard the voice of Mary, the voice that was carrying God's son. When I watched that play, I felt something inside me leaping...saying "That's it! That's it!". I described the feeling to a minister I met at work this week and she said that I was feeling the unction of the Holy Spirit. I have heard that word in church before, but its not a word I use on a regular basis so I researched it.

1 John 2:20 says "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things" Unction means an anointing. The  Bible says, "But the anointing which you have received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in Him".

I have heard that what you are called to do or anointed to do, God gives you the grace to do. 
I've tried to teach sixth grade. Didn't have the anointing, didn't have the grace. Cried every day (literally!) I've done different volunteer jobs at church to help out or fill in because someone was sick or on vacation, but I was just helping out, it wasn't my calling. I didn't have the anointing for that particular task. When you are functioning in the anointing, when you are functioning in your calling, you will be able to do things you didn't think you could do, because it won't be you doing it. It will be God doing it through you.


Have you ever felt the unction of the Holy Spirit? What are you called to do? What makes the baby inside your spiritual womb leap for joy? Start thinking about your personality and your spiritual gifts as well as your natural talents. Somehow, they will all be tied or related to what you are called or anointed to do. Now, everyone is not meant to be a preacher or evangelist. Just because you aren't a preacher, does not mean that you are not called. God needs good Christian plumbers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, waitresses, and stay-at-home Moms out there in the world today to spread the gospel, provide encouragement, and be a light in a dark world.

Is there a job out there that you almost feel guilty getting paid for because you like it so much?  When I direct a children's play and people thank me or congratulate me in some way, it makes me feel funny.I don't feel right about being thanked. Its something that I want to do. Its something that I have to do. When I changed churches in June 2010, my greatest struggle and sadness came from not being able to work with the kids in their dramas any more. In September of 2010, my Pastor at my new church called me out of the blue at work one day and said "You don't know anything about how to do a Children's Christmas program do you?"  I just started laughing. God knew I needed that.

In the Bible, Jeremiah talked about God's word being like a fire in his bones "But if I say,'I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,'his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." Jeremiah 20:9.  He just couldn't hold it in. He couldn't help himself. He was a God-called, God-anointed prophet. He had to do what he was created to do. When he tried not to preach or speak about God, he just couldn't stand it! The Word of God was like a fire in his bones, just waiting to burst out.

What were you created to do? What starts a fire in your bones like nothing else? When are you the happiest? What are you best at? It might be driving a tractor. Find a way to drive that tractor for Jesus! If you are called to do something, especially if God has a special ministry calling or anointing on your life, you will be MISERABLE until you do it. Stop running! Embrace your calling today. I'll bet some of you reading this, already know deep down inside what your calling is. God made you and he gave you that talent and that desire. Use it! Don't worry about what others think. You will always have critics. Jesus had critics and he was perfect! If you wait for all your life situations to be perfect and for you to have everyone's approval before you start something, you will be spinning your wheels for the rest of your life! Don't despise a small beginning. Take a small step towards your calling today.

Find your calling and pursue it today!