5 true things about your spiritual journey:
- It has not been linear. There were a number of curves, sharp turns and sometimes I veered off the road altogether.
- God has been faithful to me, even when I could not readily recognize His faithfulness
- Education, both secular and Christian, has played a significant role in my spiritual formation
- Sensing (and acting upon) what God desires for me and from me has not always been easy. I can be easily distracted.
- I am still on my spiritual journey.
4 things that have influenced your spiritual development over the years:
- Having a praying grandmother…this is not just a cliché.
- People working behind the scenes on my behalf
- Having a child for whom I sensed a strong conviction from God to ensure he grew up knowing the Lord by being in the church; specifically The Salvation Army. When looking for a church home, God convicted me about being so intentional about Kristian’s secular education and how I was lacking in his Christian education. He brought us to The Salvation Army Brainerd Corps on the south side of Chicago.
- As a teenager, someone spoke prophetically over me and my future life. He saw me speaking to large crowds of people (about what he did not say). My plan was to become an engineer (I was a science and math nerd). I think he knew I would become a preacher one day.
3 things that keep your spiritual life on track:
- Breaking Busy – It is said that if the devil can’t make you bad, he will make you busy. I used to take great pride in being a work horse. I would take on more work than the Lord or, even, leadership was asking of me. For many years, I was exhausted and was not experiencing the joy of the Lord. The Lord convicted me of this and showed me that I needed to “break busy” before busy breaks me.
- Enjoying God’s creation. I am reminded of God’s great love for me and others when I get to visit one of the U.S. National Parks. I cannot believe He created all these things for me to enjoy and that He delights in seeing me enjoying His creation.
- Learning to be content with what I have. The prayer of Agur, found in Proverbs 30:7-9, is my life verse. I am learning everyday how to be mindful of and grateful for what God has already blessed me with and being satisfied with what I have.
2 good news things you see happening in the Army right now:
- God is still calling and equipping men and women to partner with him in His mission to address broken people and broken societal structures.
- The Central Territory has drawn its line in the sand with the announcement of the Mission Imperatives. And, as in the past, The Salvation Army today is still spiritually game enough to stand up to the task that others find to be difficult, dirty and dangerous to get personally involved.
1 final thing you would say to encourage someone else on their spiritual journey:
“… if one part of the body suffers, every part suffers with it; If one part is honored, every part rejoices with it (1 Cor. 12:26). Listen more closely, and with more humility, to the suffering of our neighbors!
Captain Katherine Clausell is the Social Justice and Urban Mission secretary for the Central territory.