This is a “wild” title, isn’t it? When we think of wild living, what first comes to mind?

Partying, promiscuity, maybe even criminal activity? This is the world’s version but what does wild living for Jesus look like? I think it looks like surrender, obedience, and devotion to God Almighty.

Let’s look at some women in Scripture that show us how it’s done.

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed^[b] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”^[c] 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.

³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”^[d]

³⁵ And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born^[e] will be called holy—the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 

³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.” 

³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant^[f] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary, mother of Jesus. She’s wild! She’s obedient and she’s risking her reputation and she’s risking her life. “Let it be to me”….wow. She doesn’t grumble or complain, she doesn’t waver, she says “I am the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word.” Not only that but a few verses later we find Mary’s Song, here’s a portion of that, starting in verse 46.

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.

Mary fully trusted in the God she put her faith in. She’s excited and honored to be chosen for this assignment. In the midst of her life being turned upside down, she rejoices!

She is completely surrendered, obedient and devoted to the Lord.

Let’s go over to Luke 10:38-42

³⁸ Now as they went on their way, Jesus^[d] entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴² but one thing is necessary.^[e] Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

In verse 39 it says Mary sat at His feet and listened to His teaching, the Greek word for “listened to his teaching” is e’kouen, it means she was continually listening to the Master, that it was her custom to do so.  And what does Jesus say about that? That it is necessary, we need it, that it is the better thing, the right choice AND that it will not be taken away.

What we learn by being in the presence of the Lord will not be taken away from us, it will stay with us. Jesus is wanting that for us, He wanted that for Martha and He invites us to come sit at His feet, undistracted and Be with Him, learn from Him, draw near to Him.

I’ve taught on this before and I want to point out a couple things. Martha serves in other passages and Jesus does not admonish her, I believe Martha has the gift of hospitality. It is only when she lets serving get in the way of putting Him first that He addresses her in this way.

I also think it’s a sweet rebuke, I can just hear Him saying “Martha, Martha” will you just come spend time with me. And He’s saying that to us as well. __________, __________ will you put all other things aside and BE with me?

The devotion Mary has here is evident of her love for her Savior. She puts Him first, she puts spending time with Him first above serving…above ministry…above everything else.

John 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound[a] of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii[b] and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

Mary of Bethany – she comes once again to the feet of Christ and pours out her devotion and love.

We’ve got to keep coming back to the feet of Jesus. Which brings me to ask…

Are you keeping anything from Him? Something He’s asked you for? Or have you even asked Him what He wants from you?

Then there’s another Mary…

Mary Magdalene, she appears in all four gospels as a follower of Jesus. She was released from 7 demons and with her freedom she devotes her life to following the One who set her free! She was at the cross and at the tomb and she ran to tell the disciples Jesus had risen from the grave!

She is one of the first evangelists!

How about Queen Esther – she risked her life to be obedient to the task set before her.

And the unnamed woman with the alabaster jar in Luke 7. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume and stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She wiped his feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with the perfume.

She was ridiculed but she didn’t care what anybody thought of her, she loved Jesus more.

Each one of these women – surrendered, obedient and devoted to the King of kings. They laid themselves down and put God first. They were more interested in building the Kingdom of God than their own kingdoms.

Surrender, Obedience, Devotion to Jesus Christ. This is wild living the way God intended. He just wants all of us, all of you and all of me.

Our lives WILL be transformed when we have an encounter with Jesus and surrender, obey and be completely devoted to Him.

It begins with surrender. We have to surrender our lives to Him. Growing up I had a “I gotta earn or do the right thing or say the right prayer” mentality when it came to salvation. But all I really needed to do was give up, give in and surrender myself wholly to Christ. It was only then that I was completely set free and wow, did my life begin to change. We can’t be wild for Jesus without being His.

Over the next few years I served in my church, I grew in the Lord and still I was longing for more.

In 2013, I started praying a crazy prayer “God I will do anything.” And I meant it and God called me out.

He told me to lay down my job. He put me in prison (for ministry). He gave me songs to write. I just kept saying yes, ok God, and what do you want me to do next?

Obedience…I can’t tell you in mere words what God does through a surrendered, obedient child of His. Trust me when I say you will witness beautiful and marvelous things.

Next, devotion to Christ. If I’m surrendered and obedient, I’m devoted, right? I’d say, somewhat. I can only speak for myself because I know my own sinfulness. Even though I was doing all kinds of ministry and was spending time with Jesus…not enough, I’m sure. We can let, scratch that, I let ministry have too big a place in my heart, it became part of my identity and what God wanted was simply me.

In 2020, when Prison Ministry came to an end, Jesus showed me, taught me, that I need more time with Him. The more ministry we do, the more time with need with Him. We can’t lead without being filled up. God has done such a work in my heart and I’m so grateful. I’m thankful for all the opportunities He’s given me and the wild doors He’s opened but what I’m most humbled and completely in awe about is how He’s so sweetly held me when I was at my worst and my best. He just so lovingly adores me and it just blows my little mind.

I’ve had these moments in my walk with Christ where I just give every part of myself to Him. I would do anything…

And then there are other moments when I still want to stay in my comfort zone, I don’t want to tell that stranger about Jesus, I don’t want to ask that waitress if I can pray for her, I don’t want to sell all that I have and give it to the poor, I don’t want to live without my sweet little home, I don’t want to do without tv or make up or cute clothes. I don’t want to give up my time and my to-do lists for more time with Jesus.

Oh Jesus, forgive me. Keep reminding me – You are better!

Let’s face it, our American dream Christianity is keeping us from Wild Living the Way God Intended. We want to do all the things for Jesus but only if we can keep our nice houses, our stuff, our “way of life.” We don’t want to make real sacrifices to honor Jesus and live free the way HE wants us to, the way that is best. We want comfort, we want control, we want recognition, and we want ministry but only if it lets us keep all our wants.

Maybe God will grant you all the things you think you need but maybe He’s asking you to give them up for Him. Is He worth it to you?

I imagine that if we’re really honest…we’ve all felt a gnawing in our belly for more. And then, when the ache starts to spur us on to something risky, something ‘out there’ for Jesus, we shrink back…reaching for our stuff, our comfort, our distractions. But it’ll be back. Because Jesus continues to pursue His children. He wants us to be free in every single area of our lives. We gotta want that too, brothers and sisters!

It comes down to continual surrender… I thought I had it all figured out with Prison ministry (just find a thing you’re passionate about, feel called to, and that’s it! You’re golden)… but it’s so much more. Surrender, die to self every single day, be obedient to His leading, every single moment, and keep asking Him! What do YOU want me to do, Lord? I will do anything! And then be obedient and do it!

He may ask you to mentor someone, love on the weird old lady at church (that’s usually me, not the weird old lady but to love on them…I’ll be the weird old lady soon enough though.)

God may not call you to sell all your possessions, move away from your family, adopt ten kids or quit your job. But are you even willing to? Have you even asked?

We’re so busy building our kingdoms, making our own plans and trying to squeeze or stuff God in the way WE want that we haven’t even asked God….is this what You want, Lord?

I’ve heard a couple people even this week talk about staying at their jobs because of the retirement they have coming in just a few years…but what if God wants you to lay down your job to do something else? To do something for Him?

It seems we put security and money before trusting the One who holds it all in His hands. And I think that if we really think about it…we don’t believe God is going to ask us to do something that hard, that risky. But I tell you, men and women of God, He just might. And I’ll tell you something else, if you say yes…it’ll be worth it and you will be freer than you’ve ever felt. This kind of living will grow your faith like nothing else.

His plans are different for each of us but we gotta ask, listen and be obedient.

When’s the last time you shared the Gospel with someone? Inviting people to church is great but when’s the last time you shared the saving power of Jesus with someone? I heard a missionary once say there’s never an inconvenient time to share the gospel.

I heard on the radio a few years ago about a musical artist’s wife coming to Christ and then finding out she had all these friends who were Christians and she said “why didn’t you tell me about Jesus? I suffered for so long?” People need Jesus.

I try and am trying more and more to just simply listen to the Spirit in my every day. To hear Him, listen and obey, to look around and see people and love on them and give them the gospel. If we are a Disciple of Christ then this is what we were made for and saved for!

Every year I evaluate the previous year in regard to ministry, life, work, relationships and then ask the Lord what He wants me to do in the next year, I make goals with Him, with the things He puts on my heart to build His Kingdom. I definitely don’t do everything perfectly and I’m not some super Christian, I just love Jesus and keep getting back up to go another day. God may even scrap all the plans I make and tell me to do something entirely different but I have to be willing to go, to do, to be surrendered, obedient, devoted to my King.

You don’t need an education, a title, or a position to live wildly for Jesus!

Let’s risk looking foolish or crazy for being sold out to a God who’s worthy, who is completely in control. Who has a better way to live life. The best way!

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the OG – anything girl. Obedient. A servant of the Lord.

Mary of Bethany – devoted to Jesus’ teaching. Surrendered to Him.

Mary Magdalene – a faithful follower of Jesus.

Esther – Obedient, risky, if I perish, I perish.

The unnamed woman – She didn’t care what other people thought…

• Do you know women or men like this?

Here are some modern day – surrendered, obedient and devoted women of Jesus:

• Mother Cabrini – she didn’t care about the things people said that she couldn’t do. She said “the world is too small for the things I plan to do”. She wanted to start orphanages and more all over the world. At the time of her starting an orphanage in New York, Drs said she only had 2 to 5 years to live…if she rested. Over the more than two decades that followed she established 67 institutions: schools, hospitals and orphanages.

• Katie Davis – at the age of 18 she traveled to Uganda on mission. And less than a year later she went back for good and by the time she was 23 she had adopted 13 girls and started a ministry to feed, educate and give the gospel to the children of Uganda.

• Carolyn (a personal friend of mine and maybe many of yours) – a recipient of abuse, battle with breast cancer and big medical bills to full time missionary in Haiti.

• My friend, Arlene, who told women in the local jails about Jesus and would mentor them no matter how difficult they were.

• My friend, Carol – The Lord called her to go to Africa in her 70s and she put her yes on the table and God sent her.

• Shannan Martin – This is from her book “Falling Free”. Christians like to say God can use us wherever we are, and it’s true. But sometimes we hide in that truth. We wiggle out shoulders down into wherever it is we happen to be – the place we prefer to remain, thank you very much – until all we can see are the things we want to see and “being used by God” becomes little more than waving to the neighbor across the way or teaching our children that lying is always a sin, no matter what. Noble feats, yes, and not necessarily even small. But they’re starting points, not destinations. God rescued me from the life I always wanted.
  • Sometimes circumstances completely upend our lives…for the good. God can and will use all the things in our lives to change us to be more like Him, to put us in positions of influence for Him, and so much more. But even in the most difficult times and places and situations…we still have to say “God, I will do anything”
• Shannon goes on to say ‘If you’re wondering where to start, I can only say that for me it began with the thought that there might be more to life than I assumed, followed by a prayer to begin seeing the world as God does. My prayer wasn’t answered through a flashy burning bush or an angel appearing in my kitchen, but with a quiet nudge to simply start paying attention.’

These are surrendered, obedient, devoted women of Jesus.

• Are you a woman or man like this?
• Do you want to be?

I do, and to be one, I have to continually surrender myself, lay myself down, die to self.

I have to continually sit at Jesus’ feet and listen for His voice. I have to commune with God. I have to read and KNOW His Word.

I have to heed the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life – whether He’s telling me to share Jesus with a stranger or if He’s telling me to confess and repent a sin that’s holding me back from being the woman God created me to be.

I have to be obedient, I have to go. I have to be willing to do anything!

Living like this – this WILD LIVING – it results in being FREE!

If we could even get the tiniest glimpse of where this wild living would take us, we’d give up everything right now for it.

If we could see even the smallest peek of the closeness and transformation of our hearts spending more time with Jesus would bring – we’d lay down our phones, our plans, our to-do lists, our control.

If we could see the lives that were once lost, the hearts that were on their way to hell but now found and heaven bound, the people broken but now healed, women who once felt invisible and unloved now seen, regarded and loved…maybe, just maybe we’d want to grab hold of this wild living for Jesus.

But the truth is, we can’t see what will happen, we can’t see how difficult or grueling the future might be if we say yes to Jesus this way. This is an act of faith. Faith in the God who is completely in control, who loves us and wants more for us than we want for ourselves. The God who is pursuing your heart and waiting for your surrender, obedience and devotion to HIS Plan for you.

Will you do Anything?

My anything prayer led me to quit my job, go back to school, write more songs, go to the prisons, speak at churches and events and spill my guts to a room full of people longing for more.

The first song I wrote after leaving my job is called ‘Anything’

This is what the song is about…

He must increase, I must decrease

Christ in me calls me to more than I can imagine, I just have to trust Him

He will open every door I need to walk through

He will do the work, I just have to be obedient. It is freeing!

His ways are higher, His thoughts are not my thoughts, isn’t that enough to trust Him with my yes?

I was bought with a price and I want to glorify Him with my life, the life He paid for

Let my faith overcome my fear

He is worth it, men and women… So, what are you waiting for? What is holding you back from living wild for Jesus?

Search your heart, be honest with yourself and with the Lord. Is your heart saying “I’ll do anything but don’t ask me to give up ______________ fill in the blank”

And maybe, pray and say “God I will do anything”