How He Stretches Us

[Christsfreeservant]

“Enlarge the place of your tent;​

Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not;​

Lengthen your cords​

And strengthen your pegs.​

For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left...” ​

(Isaiah 54:2-3 NASB1995)​

Eight months ago, in December of 2024, the Lord had me write a devotional on this passage of Scripture in which he had me share some of my own testimony of how God did this in my life, how he led me to “enlarge the place of my tent” and to “lengthen my cords” and to “strengthen my pegs.” And this is something that he has me share periodically as a testimony to how he wants to work in all of our lives, not all in the same ways, but how he wants to stretch us and to move us to do what he has planned for us.

My Story

Most of my life was spent in the confines of the institutional church teaching ladies’ Bible studies and/or ladies’ Sunday school classes or singing in a church choir or an ensemble or doing special music or helping out in the church office doing secretarial and administrative kinds of work. But I also taught ladies’ Bible studies in people’s homes and in neighborhoods. And I worked alongside my husband in young adult/college ministry which we did out of our home into our community, and we did that together for 7.5 years.

But then the Lord called me to “enlarge the place of my tent” even more, and he called me in 2004 to write out on my computer what he teaches me from my times spent with him in his word each day, and then to place these writings on the internet, so that “a herald” may “run with it.” So I have been doing that for most of the past 20 years. And these writings go out to people across the globe who live in many different countries. So that is definitely “enlarging my tent” beyond the local institutional church and my home.

After 7 years had gone by, in 2011, he then called me to write simple and biblical songs of faith in Jesus Christ for the encouragement of the body of Christ. I had never done that before, so this was stretching me even more. And I did that for nine years before my voice finally gave out. But two years prior to the ending of songwriting, he had me begin writing poetry (without music), and I’ve been doing that for 7 years now. And then he had me write two short books of personal testimony, self-published on the internet.

Then, beginning in 2020 he had me begin to do Video Talks, which I did on and off for a couple of years, but they began to increase in frequency in 2022. And then he had me begin creating Christian memes with short messages. So, in each one of these different endeavors he was having me “enlarge the place of my tent” even more, and stretch myself even more, for much of this I had never done before and would never have imagined myself doing. And all this can only be done in the power of God, under his guidance.

Now I am not claiming absolute perfection in all of this. I share what I understand the Lord is teaching me, out of obedience to my Lord, and I open myself wide for you to challenge any of this if you believe I am in biblical error, according to the teachings of Scripture, not according to humanistic philosophy. For we are to test everything and everyone to make certain that what we are hearing is of God and that it is not of the flesh of man, especially if what is being shared is instructional for our personal benefit.

And I do not close the door to the Lord stretching me even more, if he so desires, and if he wants me to “enlarge the place of my tent” even more, if it would be his will, and if it would please him. So even now I am praying that if the Lord has something new for me to do that he will let me know, and that he will direct my path, and that he will show me the way in which he wants to lead me in this to “enlarge the place of my tent.”

So, I hope that what I have shared with you encourages you to “enlarge the place of your tent,” too, and that you will share the message of the gospel of our salvation from sin with the people of the world in writing or talking or singing or via whatever means the Lord gives you and equips you and leads you. But please make sure that what you are sharing is the truth of the gospel and not the half-truth gospel being passed off as the gospel today.

For Jesus Christ said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:23-26 ESV).​

Your Servant Witness

An Original Work / March 13, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Humbly I bow, Lord, before You,
Bringing my requests to You.
May I listen; hear You speaking.
May I follow You in truth.
Gently lead me in Your service.
Guide my steps and strengthen me.
Fill me with Your love and mercy.
May I live for Thee!

Let me be Your servant witness,
Telling others of Your grace.
May I always share the gospel
With those I meet face to face.
May I show the love of Jesus,
Caring for the needs of men;
Be Your servant witness always
For my Lord, Amen!

My desire to be like Jesus,
Living for Him ev’ry day.
May I obey all His teachings
Given me, so I’ll not stray.
Love You, Jesus, Lord, my master.
You are the King of my heart;
Follow You where’er You lead me;
Not from You depart!

How He Stretches Us
An Original Work / August 7, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love