God's Word Moves Through Us

Isaiah 55:10-11:

...as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
   and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
   giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
   it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
   and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 

I was more than 30 years old when I first discovered I could preach. Before that I was a DJ and a public relations executive, so I knew I could talk, but I didn't preach my first sermon until I was 32. I've been preaching for 16 years now, and I can't imagine my life without this gift. It took some time to mature inside me before it could blossom. Most accurately, it took some time for me to mature and be prepped and cultivated for this fruit. It is developing still.

I wonder what God is pouring into you. What has been nurtured by the Holy One to bear fruit through you and into the world? What has worked its way through sacred life into, through and back out of you to bless others and make God smile?