A Call to Rise Up, Warrior!
Ring, Ring, Ring … You have a call warrior, to RISE UP! It’s time to wake up, RISE UP, and put your heavenly crown on. Are you aware that as a son and daughter of God, you have a heavenly crown on your head? Warrior, if you feel like your crown has fallen, I want you to lift your head, because you were born to overcome hard things in this life with a great reward in Heaven! You were created for such a time as this with a God who advances like a warrior in your midst. It’s time to RISE UP, answer the “phone” in obedience, and respond with faith!
There’s a story I’d like to share with you today, a story that fixed my gaze on my King as I received a call from Heaven to RISE UP. I pray that your heart, mind, and soul would remain encouraged by Matthew 28:19-20 as you read the words written on this page, from my testimony and call to yours!
My first three weekends as a freshman attending Liberty University, my friends and I decided to church hop in our new, little town. Three Sunday’s in a row, the message was the EXACT same! Sitting in the congregation, I listened to three different Pastors at three different churches, preaching on Jonah and the Whale, and how Jonah was running from God’s plan for his life. At the time, there were two things going through my mind. The first was, “Wow, Lynchburg Pastors really love preaching on Jonah and the Whale!” and the second was “Jesus you MUST be speaking to my friends because I am EXACTLY where you want me!” … If only I knew :)
With a quick little prayer over my friends, I prepared for the adventure of a lifetime, a venture into the fascinating and competitive realm of biomedical sciences. You see, a wondrous dream of becoming a trauma surgeon fueled the passion deep within my heart. A passion that stemmed from my experience as an EMT in high school. Spending my days in scrubs at the ER, working with a trauma team, and helping people in a fast pace environment kept my ‘why’ at the forefront of every lab, test, and prep that filled the schedule in my college life.
Halfway through my sophomore year, everything changed…I received a call from Heaven to RISE UP and RAISE UP this generation and the next! Have you received a “call” like this? One ordinary Wednesday, I ordered a peppermint iced coffee at Starbucks on campus and sat down at my favorite little, small square table. In an instant, I felt like I couldn’t breathe, all I could think about was the chemistry of coffee. Out of absolutely nowhere, I felt the weight of a million bricks over my shoulders… everything I had been working tirelessly, endlessly, wholeheartedly for, wasn’t what Jesus had for me at all. At that little square table, Jesus opened my eyes. He showed me how all of my conversations revolved around bible studies, marriage, and traveling. He showed me that my God-sized dreams would lead my hands to write devotionals and children books for His glory. In this moment, I knew the ins and outs of my day were consumed with lectures and labs that my flesh loved but my spirit felt broken over. In the deepest part of my spirit, I knew my deepest desires lied in pockets of spiritual gifts and heavenly callings I had not yet fully tapped into.
Not long after this day, I attended a Samaritan’s Purse event in a little, white tent on campus for one of my psychology electives. Walking into the white tent, I was greeted by trauma nurses, doctors, and surgeons. I thought, “Okay Jesus! I see what you’re doing…you’re confirming my calling!” Nope…God was doing the exact opposite, He was giving me a choice, to follow my flesh or the Holy Spirit. On my walk back to Commons 1 that night, I remember whispering out loud, “Jesus, if you want me to leave Liberty or switch my major I will do it, but until I know that I know that you are the one speaking to me, I am going to give this everything I have.”
A few months later, the sweet season of spring arrived and then soon after, the glaze of endless summer days. With a knowing in my Spirit that God was stirring up my heart, I made my way to Dallas, Texas for the next few months. Continuing to surrender my heart’s desires and call to the Lord, I prayed for clarity and confirmation. One evening that summer, my sisters and I decided to attend a prophetic night at our home church in Southlake. On my way out the door, I received a phone call from Liberty University. Answering my phone, I heard a young man say, “Hello, Miss Brown, I hope you are having a great evening! I just want to let you know that if you want to change your major, it has to be tonight.” At the time, I didn’t think anything of this call…but I came to realize that this was a divine appointment. You see, Liberty doesn’t make calls like this, because anyone can change their major at anytime.
About an hour later, my sisters and I sat and watched as God impressed words and messages on Pastor’s hearts for certain people in our congregation. I kept praying that somehow in some way, I would get called on, that God would have a word or a message for my life. Before the evening ended, a well known Pastor attending the event walked over to me, looked in my eyes, and said, “I don’t know what decision you’re struggling with making, but God wanted me to tell you that He has your home base covered. He wants you to trust Him and make this change in your life tonight.” With tears falling from my eyes and a surrendered heart, there were two things I knew in this moment. I knew that God was clearly confirming the calling He had placed on my life, and I knew that I had a choice, to either give in to my fleshly desire of being a surgeon or RISE UP and accept God’s call to RAISE UP this generation and the next as a Kingdom Author in women’s ministry.
About two months later, I returned to Liberty University for the fall semester of my junior year, but this time, as a women’s ministry major! I remember the day so clearly. I woke up extra early to get a brown sugar shaken espresso before my first ministry class. Once I was on campus, I passed the School of Science and made my way to the School of Divinity (The really big, pretty tower). Looking from building to building, I looked up at the sky and said, “God, I love and trust you, but I just want you to know, I am going to miss learning about anatomy!” I just can’t help but laugh as I write this, why do we do this? Opening the glass doors to the School of Divinity, I made my way around the corner to my class. Taking my seat, I sat down my brown sugar iced shaken espresso along with my laptop. In the next moment, I looked up and heard my professor say, “Good morning class! My name is Professor x and today we are going to be learning about the anatomy of the church!”
I mean, do I even need to say anything else? I’m just kidding but truthfully, what a convicting moment and powerful message of God’s voice and grace in the midst of my very minor, very human brain of questioning! Within my final two years of college, I experienced a new form of spiritual freedom. My final two years of University, God took me on an anchored journey, learning at it’s core what it means to RISE UP, WARRIOR! I experienced Jesus in new ways, tapped into my kingdom calling, built beautiful kingdom friendships, discovered my spiritual gifts, learned under spiritual mentors, took 24 credits a semester studying women’s ministry, and remained on the Dean’s List, completing a 4 year degree in 2 years. During this time, God filled the minutes in my day with prophetic visions, dreams, and encounters, showing me a glimpse of the devotionals and books I would write for His kingdom.
My whole point in sharing part of my story with you, is to show you that with a surrendered heart and obedient spirit, we can confidently RISE UP and walk the calling God has for our lives! Now, don’t hear me wrong. I’m not sharing this part of my testimony to say, ‘Look at me, look what I did.’ I’m sharing this with you to show you what GOD can do when we surrender and RISE UP in faith!
Warrior, there will always be ‘shiny’ things attracting our flesh (whether it’s careers, status, longings, relationships, opportunities, etc.) but along that wobbly line of questioning, there is a loving and mighty God who wants to open your spiritual eyes to the heavenly calling He has placed on your life! It’s time to RISE UP WARRIOR and go back to your ‘WHY’ … If your ‘WHY’ isn’t Jesus, it isn’t worth it! Jesus reminded the deepest part of my soul that life is about making disciples of all the nations!
You were born to RISE UP and overcome hard things of life with God inside of you. When your “crown” falls, take hold of God’s Word, and seek His will for your life. Raise your head and RISE UP, because God has not forsaken you! So today, I want to encourage you to come before the throne of God boldly and humbly. Thank God, praise Him, and ask Him to open your spiritual eyes to your heavenly calling on earth! God tells us that when we SEEK Him, we will FIND Him! No matter what you are currently walking through, God will take your temporary trial and turn it into an eternal treasure for His Kingdom!
So, will you Rise Up and answer the call?
-Jessica-Andrea Brown
