I was asked to bring a devotional to the Women’s Ministry Council I’m on recently. I thought I would share it with you, and challenge you to become uncommon.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard Rush Limbaugh interview former pro football coach Tony Dungey. They talked about a quote from one of Dungey’s coaches when he was playing football in college. The quote struck a cord in me:

“Success is uncommon.  Therefore, not to be enjoyed by the common man. I’m looking for uncommon people.” – University of Minnesota Coach Cal Stoll

Rush went on to say “Now, I find it fascinating because we in this country, we want success to be common, and unfortunately the coach here is right. Success is an uncommon thing.”

How do you become uncommon? How do you succeed?  What is success? What does it take to be excellent?

As a music junkie, God often speaks to me through songs. Usually they come in two or three songs at a time, songs that I will play over and over and over again until they penetrate my soul. Two songs from a CD my friend KW made for me have jumped out and drilled me. Here’s the lines I find running though my head:

Count it pure joy when the world comes crashin’
Hold your head up and keep on dancin’
–    All Right, by MercyMe

Live like there’s no tomorrow
Love extravagantly
Lead a life to be followed
Goodbye Ordinary
Goodbye Ordinary
–    Goodbye Ordinary, MercyMe

In Joshua 1:7 the Lord told Joshua “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”

How do you become uncommon? You do things others will not do. You view things in a manner most do not. You go out of your way for others. You choose to be different. You let the passion God has put in your heart direct your actions.

I believe our call as women is for each of us to be an uncommon woman. Above and beyond what others expect. To be extravagant with the love of Christ. To let His mercy flow. And to count it pure joy when we are called to go beyond our ability or to walk beyond what we see. To be excellent in our task.

We serve an Uncommon God… can we be any less?