The day I left our nest, you got all the roosters ready to crow.
And let the little bird out of her cage.
You prepared the whole church to play that Sunday I was supposed to fly.
Who’d ever guess that we’d both spin our balls that day?
You banded with the boys and hired a full court for the littles, the ladies and the lads.
I spun a fraction of our globe and conferenced with women who on topics of love, leadership and faith.
Yeah, who’d guess – you and I were both learning that the way to build a ministry for life is to create a legacy of love: a love for God and a burning heart for souls.
I could see that you had loads of fun.
I could tell from the smiles — that day you spent on the court with the church? that it wasn’t just a game — you were team players together on that magic day.
You were brothers. You were family. You were servants. You were winners.
Winners of souls and winners in Christ.
I landed at the airport and boarded the aero train to catch my bag.
There were streams of photos coming right in — I had the airport’s wifi connection.
And I can feel the wonder working right in. Ministry and moments, marketplace and mission. It’s awesome how balls connect souls, and love is the bridge towards the Great Commission.
And shouldn’t life rightly be lived so? Shouldn’t ministry be the natural extension of our everyday court?
Love people. Win people. Train people. Raise people.
And not to confuse ministry with numbers, or place projects over people.
Let’s simply love people the way Jesus does.
Because the way of the Kingdom is all about walking out His redemptive love in our practical love towards the everyday people every day.
Because the truth is this: when we believe in people for who they presently are, and invest in people for what they can potentially be — we make an imprint, we change lives, and we carve history.
And yeah, we can start living that out, simply and naturally.
Remember that many years ago when you asked if I’d marry a pastor’s kid?
I thought you were the cutest thing alive.
I had a heart for God and you had a heart for me, we both thought that life would come dripping easy.
Has it been almost sixteen sweet years? — ten of those years with you badgering me about how basketball is truly a way of life.
O Man of Mine, I can see it now.
Basketball’s no different from life and basketball’s an analogy to faith, and we can all be team players in this court of life.
To the woman who’s dropped a thousand ball in her court — right here and now I’m whispering this back to you:
We’re not too old, not too disappointed nor too disillusioned for this.
We’re made for this. We’re made for ministry and we have a call in this.
We can still fall head over heels again for loving people, despite the fact that loving people can often hurt our hearts.
To the hearts that have been bruised and battered within the House: we can together beat again.
One warm, pulsating and steady beat.
To the women who have felt sidelined, forgotten, unseen, misunderstood and accused: God has a call for you.
So, thank you, Husband, if I haven’t said it quite right.
You and I are learning that the way to build a Church is to develop a love for His people, that if we learn to love well, we can develop posterity greater than our own life span.
And this is what to prioritise in the prime of life, right before we turn 40.
So thank you, for loving me into God’s greatness, and allowing me to globe-trot a bit and reset my life for service fit for the King.
And how I see that little bird in me chirping her freedom song once again.
So that week, I was privileged to attend the “Women in Strategic Leadership Roundtable Asia Conference” hosted by the ministry of Apostle Naomi Dowdy.
I can’t summarise how impactful her ministry is to both our local and international churches and organisations, and how she moves us one divine assignment at a time as she takes us under her wings.
Apostle Dowdy is an amazing 85-year-old woman missionary, pastor, minister, speaker, prophetic pioneer and apostle — she’s about to have done it all – and one truly beautiful and gentle soul.
She is strong but not masculine, firm but gentle, fun yet respected – and simply, a woman of deep dignity.
Her roundtable mentoring ministry aims to raise women in their calling and destiny and awaken this army to step out and up in anointing in their lives.
Her desire is to break off old mindsets and provide restoration as women find their gifts and identity in God and develop a kingdom mentality for the work of eternity.
I had the awesome privilege of meeting women from different parts of the world who encircled me in love and prayers.
Together we are championing the call and cause of God in our local churches.
I was also thoroughly blessed with friends who originally led me to the faith. They love and believe in me, constantly pointing me to love people, right where they are – in their grittiness and even with my own brokenness.
And as I come back home, I’m rising to these revelations, as I try to capture them in words.