Why do any of us do what we do? Did you ever wonder how you ended up where you are now?
That question was recently asked of me, and as a student of God’s word, my first thought was that I hope I am doing those things that God wants me to do. Those works that God prepared for me to walk in. I think of Eph 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” And Psalm 139:16: “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
But HOW do we know those works God has prepared for us?
I believe that God is the lamp to our feet and the light unto our path. If we seek His face and pray for His direction, he reveals his plan, but usually (or unfortunately) only one step at a time. That’s why it takes faith to follow His path – we have to trust God’s sovereignty because we can’t see the whole picture. I’m a firm believer in what I learned from Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God that God speaks to us through His word, the Holy Spirit, prayer, people, and also circumstances . . . so I look for doors He opens.
Some of you may know that after receiving my Computer Science Masters degree from Princeton and having a career as a systems engineer for Bell Laboratories, I spent 20 years as a stay-at-home mom. As I devoted my time to raising my family, I spent those years actively studying God’s word through both my church and Community Bible Study. As my eldest child started college and an empty nest was looming on the horizon, I asked God to reveal those works that he had planned for me. Never would I have anticipated that the door he opened would be to serve with iVoterGuide. But I followed His lead with each step as he illuminated my path, and I know that He has called me to this ministry.
The door was first opened when I joined iVoterGuide in 2011 to help our Chief Technology Officer with technology support. Only God could make use of a computer science education that was 20 years old! As I helped design the process and write the code to gather campaign finance data on candidates, I learned more about the political process and the importance of voting wisely – looking at the actions of candidates, not just what they say. You see, I do not come from a background of political activism. I’m just a Christian seeking to be a good steward of all my time, talents, and treasures. It was through iVoterGuide that I learned the importance of voting wisely as one of our stewardship responsibilities.
I’ve learned a lot since then and am much more aware of the bigger issues and general direction of our country. As I am watching what is happening to our country, many of you probably share my dismay or discouragement. For a country founded by Christians for the furtherance of Godly teaching, it seems that we have veered dramatically from that original intent. However, the role of God’s people is still the same . . . to Love God with our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
We are commanded to be salt and light to the world. We can’t do so by just staying in our homes or in our churches. We have to get out into the world . . . as ambassadors of Christ -- IN the world but not OF the world. We need to be light. Truth. Pointing the way to the One who is the light, truth, and way.
To those of you who are discouraged, I hear you and understand. I’ve been discouraged too. But that can’t dissuade me from fulfilling what God has called me to do. John 8:32 says “Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” I ask you to join with me in seeking to serve the one who is the truth by sharing truth with other believers. We all need to encourage each other to be good stewards of our civic responsibility and vote wisely, electing people who share our biblical worldview and will fight to preserve the liberties our country was founded upon.
One iVoterGuide user recently shared: “God was behind the founding of America from the get-go! We have to be extremely careful and very knowledgeable about for whom we vote!!” I agree wholeheartedly.
The fate of our country turns on an informed electorate. As another user said: “Being an informed voter is not a right, it is an obligation.” iVoterGuide is here to help you be that salt and light in the voting booth. For me—and for the iVoterGuide team—it is a calling. We are here to serve God, to serve our country, and to serve you, the voters.
