Just when you need it...

Reeling from my last post, I headed out last night to teach campaigners (bible study for my YL High School friends.) We are going through James and I was on James chapter 4. I really focused on submission and what exactly that looks like. I shared some of my own stories as well...having a lot to do with my posts lately. I feel I am not a gifted teacher and plead with God to use me for these kids sakes each time. I left last night hoping that He had...hoping that they had learned something through my own lessons and scripture. Well, I awoke this morning and before my feet even hit the floor (my dogs didn't wake me up this morning, as they usually do, so I had a late start), I thought, "Oh no, it's gonna be 'one of those days.' I am already off to a late start and I can just feel it. I don't have the strength to fight, Jesus. Give me some strength. It's about to be an intense QT...I can tell. God, help me!" So optimistic, right? Ha! At least I asked God for help! :) Then, right after, my friend Hanna called and I felt I should answer (I don't like to present myself to anyone until I am Jesus filled...for their own sakes!) :) It was a good thing that I answered b/c she was in need of some encouragement. While encouraging her through scripture, God encouraged me. He answered. But I still thought, "Look how her day is so far...I guess thats what I have to look forward to as well." Again, so optimistic...ha. But in my defense, :) God has perfectly and graciously had me and Hanna walk through this same road together. Anyways, while I was talking to her my phone kept dinging (alerting me that I was getting an un-godly amount of texts) and I thought, "Dang, I'm never gonna make it to Jesus. YL work has already taken over." I carried on the conversation with Hanna, prayed for her and then hung up. Afterwards I proceeded to check my phone, only to be pleasantly surprised. 1st message...from one of my older, volunteer YL leaders, Plunkett. You have to know Plunkett...he is so faithful with YL and Jesus, but also a devout calvinist who cringes every time he has to sit under my "schizophrenic," un-scholastic teaching. :) However, this morning he sent me an encouraging message that said he was thinking about my talk last night and wanted to say he loved me and encourage me with 2 songs, Steve Camp, "Living Dangerously in the Hands of God," and Keith Green, "When I hear the Praises Start." They are definitely old school, as he said, but the words are so powerful. They fit so well with where I am at now and couple well with the song, "Walk on Water," by Britt Nicole (more updated) that God gave to me last night. You should check them out! Anyways, after my message from Plunkett, I had another message from another one of my volunteer YL leaders, Caroline. She said that her (and 2 other YL guy leaders of mine-Warren and Thomas) were sitting around after campaigners last night and talking about what a gifted and awesome teacher I am and how she knows that I'd deny it but she just wanted me to know that. After that message was one from a friend asking me if she could share my blog with others b/c it's encouraged her so much and she knows that they need some encouragement. "What?...My blog?", I thought. Then the rest of the messages were from kids saying how they needed to hear what I had to say last night, etc. And to top it off, one of my kids brought her 7 month old baby and his daddy last night and it's so encouraging to see them try and do "this thing right" now. Wow! Oh thank You, Jesus! "Why am I telling you all this," you may be wandering? Simply to assure you that you will have "one of those days," you will long for your egypt, you will get weary of the battle, you will blow it. BUT...just when you need it...God will come in and fight for you with the encouragement that you need. He is so good like that! You need not do anything! You just must be ready to receive. You may be pessimistic, but are you ready? Humble yourself under His Mighty hand and He WILL lift you up in due time! That is a command with a promise! Just as James states. Be ready to receive through faith, humility...submission. You are not alone! He is fighting for you, alongside you, with you! He is your Shepherd who knows what you want and will give you everything that you need! I'll close with the Britt Nicole song...

Walk on the Water

You look around
It's staring back at you
Another wave of doubt
Will it pull you under
You wonder

What if I'm overtaken
What if I never make it
What if no one's there?
Will you hear my prayer?

When you take that first step
Into the unknown
You know that he won't let you go

Chorus:

So what are you waiting for?
What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities try to alter you

You know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all
It takes and you can
Walk on the water too

Verse 2:
So get out
And let
Your fear fall to the ground
No time to waste
Don't wait
Don't you turn around and miss out
On everything you were made for
I know you're not sure
So you play it safe
Try to run away

If you take that first step
Into the unknown
He won't let you go

(chorus)

Bridge:
(step out)
Even when a storm hits
(step out)
Even when you're broken
(step out)
Even when your heart is telling you telling you to give up
(step out)
When your hope is stolen
(step out)
You can't see where you're going
You don't have to be afraid

So what are you waiting,
What are you waiting for?

So what are you waiting for?
What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities try to alter you

You know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all
It takes and you can
Walk on the water...
Walk on the water too

Amen!