WHAT I TEACH BEST
[You] who teach others, do you not teach yourself? Romans 2:21
Rick Warren, giving an address to an audience of which I was a part, said “You only believe the part of the Bible that you actually do.” I realized that I know far more than I practice. The only thing that counts with God is obedience.
For the first two decades of ministry, I was mainly a concert artist. To be able to progress from one song to the next, I often had to make remarks. Often, I told the story of how I came to choose a particular song. But mostly, I considered the lyrical content of the song I was going to comment on, then did a short study of its theme. I was a ‘quick study’ of the subject and might very well have come across as a know-it-all while failing to have an experiential wisdom of the topic.
God has been teaching me these past 12 years to teach only what I know firsthand. My most effective messages are the ones that reveal what I, currently, am learning. The Spirit of God is most powerful when I am willing to tell the stories of His grace in my own life; when I’m not afraid to tell others where I’m most broken. The power of this ministry lies in the healing of my deepest wounds. If I am moved by what I teach, challenged in my deepest parts, then women are moved.
In the past, I looked at the best parts of myself and believed that these were what qualified me to be in full-time ministry. I stuffed the dark side out of view because I believed that anything in the shadows would disqualify me. I couldn’t see that God’s touch on that would be the catalyst for God’s Spirit to do His greatest work through me. Passion is born when I see God touch the impossible. When I stretch out before God as an open book, then I can begin to take hold His promise for transformation. The greatest miracles I behold should not be external, but internal. This is the breeding ground for my greatest sermons.
Every place I falter, where I churn, where my faith fails, these are the messages of tomorrow. Transform my darkness in the presence of Your glory. Amen
Daughters of promise 
I couldn’t agree with you more, Christine! When we share from our brokenness, that is when God uses us. One of my favorite songs to minister with is Steve Green’s “In Brokenness You Shine”
I think as women we get caught up in trying to be the perfect woman..supermom, the best hostess, the chic-est decorator, the most beautiful, etc. Will people be drawn to that?! No! Women are drawn to someone who has flaws, willingly shares them and points them to the Lord as the complete answer!
Thanks for being so honest! It encourages the rest of us to continue doing so.