By Darla Butterfield June 4th, 2024
I remember sitting in my van in the school parking lot in the beginning of 2020, 3 kids buckled in while we waited for my oldest to get out of school. In my mind I kept asking God, why? What did He have ahead in this next season?
My husband and I knew God was calling us to move from California to Oregon. He could continue to work for the same company, and this would allow him to no longer have a horrendous Bay Area commute. In that regard it made sense for us to take this leap of faith, but in so many other ways I didn’t understand what God was doing.
I had been serving in women’s ministry for several years at our church. I was attending trainings and growing in my understanding of God’s Word and how to lead and teach. I loved serving these women! I knew that moving meant finding a new church. I wondered how God was going to use me and how long it would take until I could serve again in women’s ministry.
Then Covid hit. We had sold our house already and with schools closed we took the leap and moved up to Oregon before the end of the school year. With all the churches closed to in-person services, we found a local church online and began to connect with our new home church. We also viewed services from other local churches, including West Salem Christian Church. Their pastor, Seth, had offered to help us with anything we may need once we arrived in Oregon. He was able to pick up our fridge from Lowe’s since they weren’t delivering due to Covid. What a huge blessing that was for us! Even though I hadn’t met her in person, I added his wife, Christi, as a friend on Facebook.
It was through that Facebook friendship that I saw Christi’s blog post about her knowing God was calling her to start Arise Women’s Ministry. I remember reading that post and feeling the Holy Spirit tug at my heart. This was my passion and her words resonated with me. I sent her a message, we met for coffee, and it was a great connection! I loved her vision and was able to explain my background. In my mind I was wondering how someone I just met would trust me with ministry, but she did. Along with the other leaders Christi knew, we started meeting at my house that summer for Bible study, to pray, and to plan for Arise. In January 2021, we began our first Bible study, masks and all!
On August 7th, 2021, I was going for one of my usual walks around the neighborhood, praying and thanking God for how I could see Him at work. It was on that walk that I remember sensing His prompting again…this time, to write. It was time. Many years ago, there was a seed planted in my heart that I would one day write a women’s Bible study. After my walk, I had that nagging sense that I needed to write down in my prayer journal what God had told me. The page in my journal happened to have the same verse that inspired Christi. “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1)
Just a few days later, us Arise leaders were texting about our Bible study schedule and how we had a few extra weeks and we needed to figure out what to study. Christi texted back in response to me, “maybe you can write something.”
I was shocked. I had only briefly mentioned to Christi when we first met for coffee that I had a desire to write Bible studies. She had no idea about that walk and prayer time I had just a few days prior. I hadn’t mentioned any of it to anyone! But God knew what He was doing. He knew I needed that bit of confirmation and encouragement to step out in faith and began to write. It started with a study on Joseph and later led to preparing more studies, materials, and discussion questions for Arise.
With writing Bible studies for Arise, I began to look at how I could print our materials at a reasonable cost. That’s when I discovered Kindle Direct Publishing. I could now write Bible studies and have them available on Amazon where ladies from our group could then purchase their study guide. This also opens the door for anyone to purchase the studies and I pray that God uses it to further His Kingdom!
A few months ago, I began thinking about the next school year. My youngest will start full-day kindergarten so I began to question if I should go back to work in some capacity. Since I have my degree and teaching credential in Mathematics, I could always look at subbing in a classroom or working in education again and I knew the income would help my family. As I prayed about the possibility, I continued to have that tug from the Holy Spirit to stay focused in ministry, keep writing Bible studies, and trust Him with the details.
At the same time as God was speaking into my heart, He was also talking to Christi about growing Arise Women’s Ministry. She mentioned to me the possibility of my working for Arise to create more content and see where God would lead. Recently, I was approached about the need for a moms group in West Salem and again, the pieces of what God had already been impressing on my heart lined up perfectly with this next step. I continue to be amazed at how God directs us, and His timing is always perfect!
It can be easy to doubt, to question God, and wonder why He would choose me. I’m a math teacher by trade! I didn’t go to seminary and I’m not an English major. Yet God reminds me of all those examples we see in scripture of who He chose and how He equipped them.
Many years ago, I did a Beth Moore Bible study on the tabernacle, and I remember watching her excitement and passion for God’s Word and thinking to myself, I want that. I get it now. There’s a hunger inside me that just wants more of who He is, to understand our Creator through His Word, to know His Voice so I don’t fall prey to the enemy. There is a joy that comes from encouraging others to dig into God’s Word and experience that transformation that only God can do.
I may not be an English major or seminary graduate, but I’m willing to be teachable and say yes to God’s calling. He’s at work in the hearts of His daughters! I’m excited for what God has next for Arise Women’s Ministry and how He’ll continue to write my story and the story of this ministry for His glory.
Comments