A Little Boy and a Big Load of Wood

This morning a truck dumped a big load of firewood in our driveway. From past experience, I've learned to drop everything and get it in the shed as soon as possible to keep it from getting wet! But the grass was very wet and there were many puddles, so I didn't want my 2 year old who can't walk yet, to come outside with me. My four year old was the only other person at home, so I decided to put Lydia in her cot with some toys to keep her safe while I worked on the firewood for a while. I asked Joseph to stay in the same room with her, so he could call me if Lydia needed something. 
"But I want to come outside and help you," he answered.
"It would help me more if you would stay inside and look after Lydia. You can help me later when she is having a sleep." I explained.
Joseph obeyed cheerfully and everything went well. I got half the wood in the shed while they played happily.
Joseph might have felt more useful helping me put wood into the shed, but he was being more helpful playing lego and being with Lydia because that's what I needed.
While I worked on the wood, I thought back to when I was a teenager. I had a strong desire to be a missionary. I just wanted my schooling to be finished, so I could go. I felt like I'd be more useful to God on the mission field than at home. But all the doors were shut to going anywhere. Instead God opened up many opportunities right where I was. Over a few years, I was able to start my own Sunday School. In time, community children started to come along too that I was able to share the Gospel with. I was able to become a leader at a Girl's Brigade and was given the responsibility of teaching Bible Lessons every week. I was able to organize Girl's Sleepovers and eventually started a Girl's Club. I was able to be a missionary right in my own back yard.
 During this time, my future husband came along. He lived nearly five hours away, so we had a long distance relationship. Before we ever discussed where we would live after we got married, I secretly hoped he would want to move to my area, so I could keep doing all my little ministries. Then one day I got a text from him saying he had just brought a house. It hit me that I would be the one to move, not him! I guess most 'bride to be's' would be happy that their future husband could buy his own house, but I cried! I realized I would have to leave everything behind to go to a small town with a big church where I didn't see how I would be needed at all. I thought I would be of much more use to God to stay where I was. But like Joseph, I just had to obey God and trust that He knew best.
In time, in my new area, God opened up different kind of doors and opportunities. This blog is one of them!
So the lesson is, if you are where God wants you to be, you are in the most useful place! You may not see any value to what you are doing, but if it's where God has put you, be cheerful and do your best. If you trust and obey Him, He will use you. Even if you are sick or have a disability and feel useless. God can use you even then.
 And if He wants you to be somewhere else, He will open the doors. If not, He has a purpose for you right where you are.