My Story
Hello Friends! Welcome to Brewing Ground! My name is Vanessa. What is Brewing Ground? Well, it began as a quiet whisper in my heart. Grab a cup of coffee while I tell you my story.
First of all, let’s start with a little history. Most importantly, I’m a child of God saved by the grace of Jesus! (Thank You Jesus!!) Next, I have the privilege of being a mother to two precious girls AND I’m a teacher. Now, I also get to add the privilege of writing here at Brewing Ground. I am truly blessed!
I have spent almost all of my adult life in the midst of trials and challenges. And I am talking about major life changing trials. These major trials are battles on the battleground of life. Make no mistake my friends, there is a war raging in each of our lives. A spiritual war.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12 KJV
In fact, in the middle of one of my life’s most major and longest battles ever, God began to whisper.
The Idea
One day I came across a blog. The writer was telling her story. She stated that “she felt God lead her to start a blog.” I didn’t think much of it. A couple of days later, I was reminded about her blog and a thought flashed through my mind, “You should start a blog.” My response – “Well, that’s a CRAZY idea! I wouldn’t know what to write about, much less have time to create and maintain a blog.”
In a couple days, there was another whisper. The whisper said, “Write about God using life’s trials as His Refining Fire to refine you like gold and silver. Write about how He uses even the worst situations in life for good.” Well, I was sure that there was some mistake. After all, I was currently in the midst of trying to navigate my own battlefield. I was hardly the right candidate for this job. But…this was one of those moments in life where you realize your CRAZY thought may actually be God whispering through the Holy Spirit, prompting you to action. This was going to require some prayer and thought. God gave me a couple of days to process all my thoughts on the idea before the next whisper.
I had been reading a book and working with God on my current trial. Well, what do you know; right smack dab in the middle of that book He whispered again. This time in the form of a verse, restating His previous message to write about His refining fire.
“10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. 11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. 12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.” Psalm 66: 10-12 KJV
Then, just a few pages later the Holy Spirit grabbed my heart as I read “Your mess can become your message.” Pow!! God was clearly speaking and had a job for me. So, I began to start thinking about this idea and what all I needed to make it happen.
As I began thinking about the idea, I also began to question and doubt the idea (prime example of spiritual warfare, by the way). As I prayed, I had conversations with God talking it all out. I had no idea what I was doing! I didn’t know how to start or run a blog, much less have time. Seminary training – none! It costs money to start and run a blog, which I don’t have. It’s just not practical! I felt very under qualified and very overwhelmed. As I prayed, God listened and let me think through it all. I also knew, deep in my heart, if God truly wanted me to do this, somehow He would work it all out. God was so patient with me; He even graciously whispered some reassurance in response to all my feelings.
I was shopping at a store looking for some items to complete some projects. As I was walking by an end cap, my eye caught a glimpse of a decorative picture. It was nothing fancy; in fact, no pictures on it at all. It was a simple phrase. It was not even a new phrase; I had heard it before. I read, “God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.” The Holy Spirit grabbed my heart and it skipped a beat. POW again! Well, who can argue with that! So, I stepped out in trust and faith and began the process to start Brewing Ground.
With all that said, I hope you understand this is God’s blog not mine! Don’t think for a second that I have it all figured out or that I always get everything right on own battleground. This is so far from the truth. I mess up a lot. I CAN say that every word I post here is prayed over multiple times. So, back to the original question. What is Brewing Ground?
My Vision for Brewing Ground
The vision that God gave me for Brewing Ground was actually a combination of ideas. It combines life’s battleground (trials) with the actual processes of refining and brewing. It’s about the very intentional and detailed work that God pours into each of us.
- First, let’s think about His refining fire. God uses life’s trials for good and refines and changes each individual like precious metals into their own unique, beautiful, priceless masterpiece.
- Next, it also combines the idea of brewing. Think about the process of making coffee or tea for a second. You start with clear, clean, fresh water. Next, turn up the fire to heat things up. When the water reaches the right temperature you add the coffee or tea. Once the coffee or tea is added the brewing process has begun. The coffee begins to spread through the water changing every last drop. This is permanent; once this process is started, the coffee or tea can not be removed from the water.
So, this is what we want to happen with God on our battleground. Through the process of refinement and brewing, we want it to have a Godly permanent change in our heart. One that can not be undone.
Most of all, I pray that Brewing Ground will be a place where we can meet for a cup of coffee or tea with our Bible to encourage and help one another. I pray it blesses and encourages you as God guides you through your life’s Brewing Ground of trials as He uses His fire to refine you like gold and silver and uses it all for good. As God turns up the heat in our lives, lets brew, steep and percolate heart change as He is brewing something special in us and our lives.
“7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:7 KJV
Let’s Brew!!