The Ramp School of Ministry has been one of the best decisions of my life.  I am more than thankful that God has sent me here and made it possible for me to go.  I just want to take a minute and thank everyone who has supported me financially and supported me through prayer!  You guys made it possible for me to be where I am at, and I am beyond thankful!

I wanted to share with you guys about the season I am in.  As you know, in the natural seasons, it is Fall (one of my favorite seasons).  Honestly, it feels like it is the season of Fall spiritually for me, too.  Just like in Fall, God has asked me to let go of  and drop things that meant a lot to me, so the new leaves and fruit can come in the Spring time.  Why would God ask me to drop and let go of things that meant a lot to me?  Just to see if I will really give Him everything and trust Him in the process, because I have never had to be in this position in my life.  I have never had to completely trust Him with absolutely everything.  So, here is what has been happening in this new season for me.

Embrace the process!  -Pastor Jacob Peterson

Instead of resisting what He has asked and ignoring what He has told me to do, I have submitted. And just like Pastor Jacob Peterson says, I am embracing the process.  It can be painful and stretching, but it is so worth it because I am growing.  My whole goal coming to RSM was to grow.  God has been revealing to me that to grow new leaves, I have to let the old leaves Fall.

I knew what He was asking me to let go of, and so I did what He said.  I let go of all the little things and big things that I held dear to my heart.  Guess what!  It was painful.  I felt like a little child not wanting to give up all my stuffed animals.  Then, God revealed to me that He is not going to take away things without giving them back bigger and better.

Once I gave up everything, I remember just sitting and crying one morning in prayer.  I just kept second guessing whether God just told me to give up all of it or not.  I started wondering if I should just pick back up my plans, dreams, visions, relationships, friendships, etc. that I had given to Him.  I just kept crying and praying and asking God to just give me His peace again.  I closed my eyes, and He gave me a vision.  I was walking on a path that was covered with Fall leaves.  I was surrounded by trees to my left and right that were all in the process of losing their leaves.  Then I saw a man walking in front of me, who I knew was Jesus.  He was leading the way, and I was walking behind.  Then, it was as if I was feeling the weight of the pain and hurt I was feeling by letting go of the old leaves in my life.  I fell on my knees in the vision and cried out to Him.  I had tears down my face, and I couldn’t get up because I was so overwhelmed.  I looked up, and He sat down in front of me and took my hand.  He said, “I knew these things would be painful for you to let go, so that is why I chose your favorite season to do it in.  I am not going to tell you to do something just to leave you.  I am going to be with you every step of the way.”  He lifted me up, and we began to walk together.

Since that vision, which was about a month ago, I have been filled with a supernatural peace that is like no other.  I have always had the mindset of, “I have to do this because it is what God wants for the Kingdom.  It is what will be best for God and what He wants to do in me.”  And yeah, that is a good mindset to an extent, but what I have been learning is that He works everything out for MY good.  He loves me and cares about me so much that He knows the outcome of everything.  So, He is working everything out for MY good.  So how can I not trust Him if He is literally designing everything out for my good?

I have been learning so much at RSM, and we are only in the second quarter.  I have been learning how to look at everyone, even my dorm-mates, as leaders.  I have been learning how to treat them with honor and respect as if they are the next Mrs. Karen Wheaton or next Pastor Micah Wood.  I have been learning how to have a simple devotion each and every day with God and actually following through with it everyday.  I have been learning the parallels of the Old Testament with the New Testament and it is mind-blowing!  There are many things I have been learning about singing and worship in my worship classes.  There is way too much that I have been learning that we would have to discuss over coffee someday.

But the one thing that has really been on my heart ever since I got to The Ramp, and the one thing that I have really been learning throughout each day, is how to abide in Him.  Abide means “to remain”.  I have been really learning what that means in this season.  With trusting Him with everything, I have been learning how to remain in the vine because all I am is the branch.  We try to get into self-effort and striving in our ministry or calling, when all we need to do is abide in the vine.  We have to stare at the vine, not ourselves.  We can’t do any of this because we are only the branch.  We can’t force things to happen and can’t force fruit to produce, because that is the job of the Vine.

Our job is simply to remain in the vine and let the seasons come.  A tree does not die in the Winter, but it is simply just preparing for the Spring and the new fruit and new leaves to come.  If we strive and think we can do it with our own effort, we will not produce as much fruit as we are meant to.  We have to simply abide in the vine.  I have found that it is much harder to get burned out when I am just remaining in the vine.  There is a lot less stress and pressure when I just abide in the Vine and let Him move and flow through me.  The branch can’t produce fruit or new leaves without the vine.

Even though this season has been very uncomfortable and stretching, it has been one of my favorites.  I have seen the most growth in me in such a short amount of time, just because I was willing to give up things.  I am so thankful for this season and I don’t know how I would be able to make it without it.  Sometimes it is okay to leave the boat behind and step out on the waters.  Even though you may not know how anything adds up at the moment, trust in Him.  He is working everything out for YOUR good.  This season for me is a season to Abide.

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-dresser.   Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;  and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;  for without Me you can do nothing.  -John 15:1-5

I hope you enjoyed reading!  If you would like to talk more or have questions, please email me, and we could go get coffee or lunch!  My email is isabellashoemake77@gmail.com.  I am praying for you and hope you have a blessed day!  Thank you for your support!