Our Mistakes Do Not Define Us

Years ago, I was in an office conversation with co-workers laughing over the fact that no matter how many times we proof a document, it seems a typo or error will be found just after the e-mail has been sent or 1,000 copies have been printed.

“I always wonder what mistake I’ll be remembered for,” someone remarked. Light-heartedly, I said, “We are not defined by our mistakes.”

But, as I walked away I kept thinking about it. Isn’t that something we all need to be reminded of?

Our mistakes do not define us.

Yes, some mistakes are big and are remembered for quite a while.

But they do not define us.

Define means to describe, detail, or to state the meaning of. (dictionary.com)

We can describe our mistakes, but our mistakes do not describe us. {Tweet this}

The enemy will try to tell us otherwise. He will tell us that our mistakes are who we are.

You can’t do that; you’ll mess it up, you always do. You’ll never get it right. You’re such a mess.

Remember what you did last week? That’s who you are. That’s what everyone thinks of you.

But God trumps the enemy every time, and He says we are not defined by our mistakes.

God does not describe us by our failures…or our successes—and that’s freeing because God’s love is not dependent on what we do, or fail to do. We are loved by God, not because we are perfect, but because we are His.

He knows we will make mistakes. And from those mistakes comes growth. Our successes and failures may help shape us, but they are not our identity.

We are who God says we are. And God identifies us as His own—Chosen. Forgiven. Loved. Redeemed. {Tweet this}

I may make a real whopper of a mistake, one that takes some fixing and apologizing for. But it’s not who I am. And when my co-worker makes a mistake, it’s not who she is.

Remembering this reminds me of grace. The grace God gives. The grace I ask for from others. And the grace I want to extend to those around me.

Our mistakes do not define us. God defines us—as His own loved and cherished children.

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.”

Isaiah 43:1 NLT

Wishing you a safe and happy summer! I will be on a blogging break for the next few months.

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo Credit: Unsplash.com / This post was rewritten from a one I originally wrote for 5 Minutes for Faith.]

Linking up with: Kingdom Bloggers, #TellHisStory, InstaEncouragements, Purposeful Faith, #RechargeWednesday, Let’s Have Coffee, #TuneInThursday, Worth Beyond Rubies, Faith ‘n Friends, Grace & Truth, #FaithonFire, Spiritual Sunday

Our Potential

Have you ever really messed up? Maybe it was a mistake or a poor choice, but it was something so big you didn’t see a way to come back from it. I imagine we all have.

Jesus’ disciple, Peter, might have wondered the same thing. On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing Him, not once, not twice, but three times. That’s a big thing to come back from and Peter probably didn’t see a way for that to happen.

But although Jesus knew Peter would deny Him, He also knew something Peter probably didn’t know about himself. Jesus knew Peter’s potential and who Peter would become. And Jesus knows the same about us.

Jesus doesn’t just know who we are now, but who we can become through Him. {Tweet this}

Jesus knows we’re going to fail and make major mistakes, but He also knows these are opportunities for growth in our faith, and in who we are becoming. Jesus knows our potential.

Jesus knew Peter would mess up by denying Him, and yet, he told Peter,

So I will call you Peter, which means “a rock.” On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it. Matthew 16:18 CEV

Wow. Jesus knew Peter would be the foundation of His church, even while he knew the mistakes Peter would make.

Peter came back from his betrayal. Not because of something he did, but because of who God is.

The women went into the tomb, and on the right side they saw a young man in a white robe sitting there. They were alarmed. The man said, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was nailed to a cross. God has raised him to life, and he isn’t here. You can see the place where they put his body. Now go and tell his disciples, and especially Peter, that he will go ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.” Mark 16:5-7 CEV

Especially Peter. He wanted Peter to know that He had not turned away from him. Peter’s betrayal was not too much to come back from.

Perhaps God is whispering to you today, especially you.

What choices or mistakes are keeping you from Jesus?

God’s forgiveness covers anything we think is just too much. He knows our hearts and hears our confessions. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

God knows who we are and who we can become through Him.

He knows our potential long before we see it in ourselves. {Tweet this}

Think your mistakes disqualify you from work in God’s Kingdom? They didn’t for Peter and they don’t for you. Peter looked for Jesus and followed Him. Peter’s mistakes became his testimony of Jesus’ death and resurrection. His story was part of God’s story.

And, whether we realize it yet or not, our stories are all part of God’s love story.

How do you feel when you think about your potential? Does that feeling change knowing that God already knows what your potential is with Him?

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: Purposeful Faith, #TeaAndWord, #TellHisStory, InstaEncouragements, #RechargeWednesday, Let’s Have Coffee, #DestinationInspiration, Worth Beyond Rubies, #porchstories, #HeartEncouragement, #TuneInThursday, #FaithonFire, Faith ‘n Friends, Grace & Truth, Spiritual Sundays

Putting Words into Action

Last week I wrote about negative moments and how they can often overshadow everything else in our day. This week, I came face to face with this truth. (Which is a nice way to say that what I wrote hit me over the head. Hard.)

On Monday I received information about a situation that required all hands on deck. It was news that made me uneasy and kind of sad, but I was ready to jump in and help in any way I could.

And then I found out it was an April Fool's joke. One I didn't find funny. I suppose I should have been suspicious, but I hadn't even thought about the day or that it might be a prank. The situation was not only possible, it was very plausible, and I was beyond irritated. 

Thirty minutes later I was still stewing about it. And then I remembered the words I shared last week.

"But once a short-lived situation is over, the choice of whether or not to dwell on it for the rest of the day is ours to make. And sometimes we have to make that conscious decision to let. it. go." (Negative Moments)

Sigh.

Honestly, I didn't really want to let it go, but it felt really wrong to refuse to take the same suggestion I offered to others less than a week ago. So, I made the conscious decision to let it go. I gave myself 30 minutes to stop dwelling on it and to turn my mood around.

I was at work, but it was quiet, so I listened to a few minutes of music to distract me. Then I focused on the tasks at hand further pulling myself away from my thoughts.

I talked to co-workers, but I purposely didn't mention it because I knew talking about it would only stir my emotions, making it harder to stop thinking about it.

The next time I looked at the clock, it was after the 30-minute period. I realized I was no longer grumbling and I had gone on with my day. I hadn't forgotten about it, but it no longer had control over me.

And…as a bonus, I now had something to write about this week.

What do you think? Do you struggle to let go of something that’s turning your mood sour? {Tweet this}

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: PurposefulFaith, #TeaAndWord, #TellHisStory, Trekking Thru, GraceFull Tuesday, #RechargeWednesday, InstaEncouragements, #WriterWednesday, Let’s Have Coffee, #HeartEncouragement, #DestinationInspiration, #TuneInThursday, Moments of Hope, Worth Beyond Rubies, #FreshMarketFriday, #FaithonFire, Faith ‘n Friends, Grace & Truth, Spiritual Sundays

Pruning

A couple of weeks ago we had four trees trimmed. It needed to be done. They were hanging low, touching the fence and getting a little too personal with our neighbor’s vehicles. But, the pruning was done aggressively, taking more than we expected, or wanted.

A range of emotions followed in my home—sadness because I felt like my trees were ruined, surprise over how sad I was, annoyance because it wasn’t what we wanted, anger because the bill still had to be paid…and finally, in time, acceptance.

As we worked through at our own pace, I thought about the pruning God does in us and how we might experience the same emotions.

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

John 15:1-4 NLT

The pruning process is not easy for us. God wants to draw us close to Him, and as He changes us from the inside out, He knows what isn’t producing fruit. From our perspective though, this looks like having to give up things, interests, behavior, or ways of life that we like or we’re used to. It means laying down our will for His.

The more we know God, the greater the desire to make these changes, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It can be unpleasant, uncomfortable, and downright painful. {Tweet this}

While God’s pruning is always what’s best for us, it doesn’t feel that way when the work is being done. It may feel like He’s pruning too aggressively, taking more than we expect, or want to give up.

There might be sadness because what we’ve always known is no longer what’s normal. It may mean a change in who we associate with or where we go, and making those changes can be hard, and even lonely. No matter how much we do want our lives to be different, there are still pieces or memories that we don’t want to give up completely. And that may surprise us.

There might be annoyance at what God is asking of us. We’ve worked and worked to move forward, but it’s still not enough. He’s still snipping and cutting, even from where we’ve made progress, and we want to shout, Stop! Enough trimming. You’re taking too much and it’s just too hard. We didn’t agree to this much pruning.

We might be angry. This isn’t what we asked for. The years of hardship. The loss. The sudden and drastic changes in our lives that don’t make sense to us. Years later we may see how He drew us close and we learned to trust Him in every way. But, right now, when it feels like we’re getting hit with one thing after another and we don’t understand why He’s letting it happen, it’s difficult to see how we can grow from it.

We want some explanation and to know how this will work out. We want our questions answered—How long? Why? When? But, when our questions don’t get answered, we have to wait and trust that the One pruning knows what He’s doing.

At some point, when the new becomes more familiar and comfortable, there is acceptance. We’ve become used to the changes—both the good and the bad, and it’s not as difficult to function. It’s no longer a constant struggle to get through each day because there’s been new growth. Instead of only seeing what’s missing, we see how God has blessed us. There is still grief and mourning, but there is also thankfulness and new beginnings.

Our trees were trimmed with the best of intentions and we received a credit when I kindly expressed how disappointed we were. God prunes us for His purpose and His glory, and when we turn to Him with our disappointment, exhaustion, sadness, and even our anger, He comforts us with love and compassion. {Tweet this}

God’s work will still be done, but He never cuts and walks away. He stays with us through the pain and the setbacks. He encourages us as we get back on our feet. And He rejoices with us as we begin to see the growth through His pruning.

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: Purposeful Faith, #TeaAndWord, Trekking Thru, #GraceFullTuesday, Let's Have Coffee, #DestinationInspiration, #RechargeWednesday, #porchstories, #gracemoments, Sitting Among Friends, #TellHisStory, Grace & Truth, Faith 'n Friends, #FaithonFire, #FreshMarketFriday, #BVNetworkParty 

The Twinge of Jealousy

I wasn’t really thinking about much of anything as I scrolled through my Facebook feed…until I saw more vacation pictures, and I felt that familiar twinge.

It seems to come out of nowhere, but it must be simmering right under the surface because it rises up suddenly and grips me from the inside.

It’s those feelings of jealously and envy I don’t even want to admit to you. Maybe you know what I’m talking about.

But something different happened today as soon as I recognized those feelings.

I felt like God was reminding me that my road looks different than someone else’s. It may not be as pretty as the pictures I was looking at, but it is no less important.

And I felt myself relax.

I hadn’t noticed when my body tensed up, but jealousy and envy will do that to us. It takes control of our senses and tries to tell us what we feel is true. Honestly, jealously and envy are such bullies. {Tweet this}

When I felt God’s reminder wash over me though, I felt peace. My body relaxed as the tension drained, and thankfulness replaced discontentment.

It didn’t used to happen this quickly for me. I would stew in thoughts of comparison. I would continue to scroll through others’ perfect-looking pictures and think about it for hours, making myself feel even worse. But, I’ve learned that’s not the way I want to live.

God is teaching me that my calling is unique. He has me in a place that is just where I’m supposed to be right now.

It may not be what I had planned, but I know now that where He has me is where I want to be, because any other place would be my will, not His.

God’s plans are not always easy, but they are better than I imagined. Even when the road is rocky and difficult to walk, He has good things along the way that only He could have planned.

God’s plans for each of us are different. They may look similar and we may walk along the same path for a while, but God’s plans are always unique. 

Our life stories will never be identical because He creates each of us with an identity all our own. {Tweet this}

Still, social media has a way of making us forget this. So, how can we keep from falling into this trap of comparison and jealously over and over?

Spend time in prayer and God’s Word.

Access to social media is so easy, but it can’t be the only place we spend our time. I believe that as I’ve grown in my faith journey, I’ve learned to sense God’s presence with me. As I pray and read His Word, I don’t wonder if He’s with me. I know He’s with me.

God’s presence in our lives has to be greater than the presence of social media in our lives. {Tweet this}

I’m not anti-social-media. It has its good points, but like anything, it also has its bad points. If it’s where we spend most of our time, it gets harder to differentiate between the two.

Change your perspective.

How we look at our circumstances makes a difference. If all we can see are the difficulties and what we don’t have, we end up living with a negative perspective of everything. 

But, if we can make a conscious effort to look for God’s blessings in the midst of trials, we will begin to see the good, despite the bad. We will still see the dark storm clouds and our trying circumstances, but it won’t be the only things we see.

Take a break from social media.

I started to learn this lesson a few years ago when there was a conference I would have liked to attend. I scrolled through the conference pictures and comments most of the weekend, even though my feelings of jealously and envy were growing quickly and affecting my mood and attitude around my family. 

I finally wondered Why am I doing this to myself?

What I want to focus on is those around me and the life God has blessed me with, and not let pictures of someone else’s opportunities ruin it.

That means sometimes it’s necessary to take a break from social media. Avoiding the constant updates on what everyone else is doing keeps me from becoming jealous and irritable, and makes me a more pleasant person to be around. Something I’m sure my family appreciates.

What’s been your experience? Do you struggle with jealousy and envy with social media?

In Christ,

Laura 

Linking up with: Faith 'n Friends, #FreshMarketFriday, Faith on Fire, #GraceMoments, Grace & Truth, #HeartEncouragement, Faith Filled Friday, #DreamTogether, #MomentsofHope, #glimpsesofHisbeauty, Purposeful Faith, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, Writer Wednesday, Recharge Wednesday, #LivefreeThursday, #ChasingCommunity

Journal to Grow

As I’ve been preparing a Bible study on journaling to share at an event this month, I’ve been sharing portions of the study here as well. Click here to read more in this series.

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7 NLT (bold mine)

Remember the grade school science project of getting a seed to grow roots? I remember my daughter bringing home a little cup with a tiny little sprout. In class, she learned the seed needed light and water so it could grow roots, and she had carefully nurtured that little seed until it poked through the dirt.

The same is true for the roots of our faith. In order to grow, they need to be cared for and nurtured by spending time with God. They need Light and Living Water. And they need the nutrients from God’s Word.

Unlike the seed’s roots, the roots of faith aren’t always visible, and yet as they grow, they can be seen in different ways—how we trust and depend on God, how we love others, how we act and react in difficult situations.

As our roots grow, it changes us. With God, change always starts on the inside—in our hearts. Over time, it shows on the outside, where others can see it. {Tweet this}

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:16-17 NLT

Where does journaling come in? It’s a way of processing what God is showing us in His Word as we spend time alone with Him.

I love looking back through my journal and notes in my Bible. I can see where I was, what He’s walked me through, and where I am now. It’s written proof of how I’ve learned to listen for Him and how my relationship with Him has grown deeper.

Journaling is a way of spending time with God, not only praying and talking to Him, but listening for His voice. When I hear from Him, I want to remember the moment—what He said and how I felt.

In the Old Testament, God told the prophets to write down everything He told them. (Jeremiah 30:2, Isaiah 30:8-9) 

Perhaps He’s asking us to do the same.

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8 NLT 

Scripture Journaling Worksheets

In Christ,

Laura 

Linking up with: Moments of Hope, #DreamTogether Linkup, #LifeGivingLinkup, #RaRaLinkup, Coffee for Your Heart, Thought Provoking Thursday, #HeartEncouragement, Faith Filled Friday, #FreshMarketFriday

Hold My Tongue {Anger Series}

I was so angry last week I wanted to yell. But…with yelling usually comes saying things I shouldn’t. (I kind of know this from experience.) So, before I went huffing and puffing into the next room, I prayed.

I asked God to hold my tongue and not let me say what I was thinking. And then I asked Him to help me calm down and diffuse the emotions that were overcoming me.

I didn’t always know to do this, to ask God to keep me from speaking. And even though I know it now, I still don’t always want to pray first because it means thinking first and speaking second.

Or maybe not speaking at all.

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. Proverbs 15:1 NLT

My words were going to be harsh. Anger does that. It makes us act in ugly ways. But, we can learn to control it…if we want to.

God created us with emotions, and anger is a human emotion. It’s not a sin to be angry, but how we act while angry can be sinful.

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV

Acting and speaking out of anger fuels the fire in a disagreement. It keeps it going back and forth, and no one wins. Except the enemy. Satan loves it when we give him an easy way in, and uncontrolled anger is an open door.

Whatever I was angry about last week was not worth it. I stayed where I was until I felt calmer. I was still angry, but not like I had been. I believe God answered my prayer by keeping me still and my voice silent. It’s a prayer I’m trying to pray more often.

A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted. Proverbs 12:16 NLT

This post begins a new series titled Anger…regaining control. I’d love to hear your feedback. Whether it’s a quick temper or feelings built up over the years, do you struggle with anger?

I don’t have a specific time frame for how long this series will run; we’ll just see how it goes. (Please note: I’m not trained in anger management, counseling, or anything in between. I’m just writing from my own experiences and what God is showing me through His Word.)

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credit: FreeImages.com]

Linking up with: #RaRaLinkup, #IntentionalTuesday, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, Winsome Wednesday, #LifeGivingLinkup, Women with Intention Wednesday, Thought Provoking Thursday, #FreshMarketFriday, Let Us Grow, Grace & Truth, The Loft Linkup, Give Me Grace

Small Steps Are Big

“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’” Matthew 25:21 NLT

We like to skip the small stuff and move right to the big, don’t we? Small steps take time, and that’s time we don’t want to “waste.” We want to move to the end result—the bigger office, the better promotion, the nicer house that’s not quite affordable…we like to get to the big ending, and the faster, the better.

But lately, I’ve been noticing the small stuff more—the small goals I reach, the quiet opportunities I’ve been given, the small steps outside of my comfort zone that stretch me just the right amount.

Small steps are good. In fact, the smallest steps can be the biggest leaps of faith.

I'm so excited to be guest posting today over at TheLaundryMoms.com! I hope you'll join me there to continue reading my post...Small Steps Are Big!

In Christ,

Laura 

Photo credit: TheLaundryMoms.com

Linking up with: #RaRaLinkup, Intentional Tuesday, #TellHisStory, Winsome Wednesday, Coffee for Your Heart, Thought Provoking Thursday, #FreshMarketFriday, Grace & Truth, Give Me Grace

You’re Already Amazing {LifeGrowth Guide Review}

In 2013, I had the privilege of joining Holley Gerth’sGod-Sized Dream Team. Through the experience, I not only had the opportunity to meet Holley and many other encouraging, God-sized dreaming women, but it was a time of real personal growth for me.

So, when I saw that Holley had a new book, You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide, coming out (TODAY!!), I jumped at the chance to read it before the release date and tell you about it.

The You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide is an interactive guide to go with her book You’re Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be.

In You’re Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be, Holley encourages the reader to embrace this truth—in Christ, you are already amazing. You don’t have to be more or do more. You can just be who God made you to be.

Maybe that’s what you’re not so sure about…who God has made you to be.

Holley demonstrates how to discover this with exercises to help recognize your strengths and skills, write a LIFE statement, and then how to use that LIFE statement to pursue God’s purpose for your life.

“You’re already amazing because God made you, formed you, and lives within you. You’re amazing because you belong to him, because he has a plan for your life, because with him there’s nothing you can’t do.” –Holley Gerth, You’re Already Amazing, chapter 11

If you haven’t read You’re Already Amazing, please do. Holley has a way of offering encouragement as if you were chatting with a friend over coffee.

If you’ve read You’re Already Amazing and want to go deeper…the LifeGrowth Guide is for you.

If you’ve thought You’re Already Amazing would be a great book to go through with a friend or a study group…the LifeGrowth Guide is for you.

The You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide has six sessions:

1 - Who God Created Us to Be

2 - What’s True No Matter How We Feel

3 - Our Amazing Journey with Jesus

4 - God’s Plan for Our Relationships

5 - God’s Purpose for Our Lives

6 - How We Can Thrive for a Lifetime

Included in the guide is everything needed to do the book as a group study (suggestions for facilitators and for group members, pages for journaling, and creative ideas).

Or, if you prefer to use the guide individually, it’s like having a personal life coach. Each session has a video, which are available for free at HolleyGerth.com/amazing, or you can purchase the DVD.

You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide officially releases TODAY, March 1!

You can find more information here on the author’s website: Holley Gerth

Or here on Amazon: You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide by Holley Gerth

In Christ,

Laura 

Linking up with Coffee for Your Heart

God is Not Bound by One Word

It’s only a few days until the end of the year, and I don’t have my One Word for 2016 yet. I’ve been thinking about it, and I’ve kind of asked God about it, but I’m not quite ready to move on from this year’s word—Renew.

Renew felt hopeful…full of possibilities. All year, it’s been my focus and I’ve been looking for ways in which God has brought about renewal in my life. Renew is a positive, uplifting word. Last year, God gave me Let Go for the year, so you can see why Renew was a breath of fresh air.

I’ve been wrestling with keeping Renew for another year or moving on. But I wonder if that’s like trying to put parameters around God’s work.

For the past four years, I’ve had a one word focus, and I’ve trusted God to identify that focus for me. So, clinging to Renew might not be the best idea. Maybe He has a better word in mind for me for the upcoming year, and if I don’t move forward, I’ll miss what He has planned.

And then I realized…it doesn’t matter. God will continue to bring about renewal, just as He always has. I just need to keep looking for it.

A One Word focus is for my benefit, not God’s. He is not bound by one word, or even two. He doesn’t need something to keep Him focused, but He knows I do.

I need the reminder that God is at work, no matter what I can see and not see.

God builds on what He teaches us, and there is always more to learn.

I am still learning to trust Him (One Word 2012), praise Him (2013), to let go of my will for His (2014), and to wait while He renews.

God is always at work. Always teaching. Refining me. Bringing me closer to Him.

I must continue to learn from Him. Listen for Him. And seek Him. Every. Single. Day.

I don’t know what my focus will be for next year, but I know there will be more lessons to learn.

…and that’s a good thing.

What’s been your One Word for 2015? Are you ready to move on to a new word for 2016?

If you’re new to this One Word movement, you can find more information here: #OneWord365.

In Christ,

Laura

Photo credit: FreeImages.com

Linking up with: Weekend Whispers, Sharing His Beauty, #RaRaLinkup, Coffee for Your Heart

Treading Water

I feel like I’ve been treading water in my everyday life for too long.

Maybe you know the feeling of trying to keep your head above everything coming at you and not breathing too deeply on a calm day because you know it won’t be for long.

Thinking about it makes me nervous because I’m not a strong swimmer. And I’m worse at treading water. For real.

In fact, *confession alert* I cheated in high school on my treading water test in swim class. I know, how can you cheat on that, right? But I did.

I stayed near the wall…as in touching distance and kept my eyes locked on the teacher. I kept moving my legs and my left arm while the fingers on my right hand reached out and kept me steady at the wall. She was busy talking with someone, but every time she glanced over at me, my right arm was moving…until she looked away again.

At the time, I’m sure I thought I fooled her, and maybe I did. Or maybe not. Perhaps she knew all along and just didn’t care…or figured it was better than watching me go under.

You’d think someone else would have noticed, but it was a small class and we kind of watched out for each other. Now that I think about it, maybe they were helping me by distracting her.

I don’t remember everything, but I know I didn’t want someone jumping in to “save” me. Again. (Gulp in a little bit of water and start to flounder slightly, and people panic. Don’t ask me how I know.)

So, I stayed close to the wall and survived the dreaded test.

For two years, I’ve been remembering this story as life comes at me in waves. If I couldn’t pass on my own then, how can I possibly do it now? If I think about it for too long, I feel like I can’t breathe…just like when I go too far into the deep end of the pool.

But, lately I’ve been wondering if it’s not me remembering it, but rather God reminding me—and showing me that with Him, it’s different.

Back then, I cheated by touching the wall.

Now, God says, “Here, hold on to the wall.”

God knows how easily I grow tired and weary. He provides the wall to steady myself so I can take a breath. When I float out too far, He guides me back and places my hand back on the wall.

Back then, I thought the teacher didn’t care. 

Now, I know God cares. All. The. Time.

He knows when I’m calmly leaning on the wall for balance, when I’m clinging on for dear life, and when I’ve lost my grip and started drifting away. He is always watching and knows when I need to be lifted up. {Tweet this} (And unlike in high school, it’s never embarrassing to be saved by God.)

Back then, I had friends looking out for me. 

Now, I still have people watching out for me…friends and family God places in my life for reasons that fall into His plans for me and for them.

I’m still not a strong swimmer and I still prefer not to hang out at the pool, even with a lifeguard.

But, with God it’s different. With God, I can take a breath and hang on to the wall for as long as I want. 

And if I let go, I know He’s watching because He is the best Lifeguard a girl can have.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.

When you walk through the fire of oppression, 

you will not be burned up; 

the flames will not consume you.

Love, 

God

In Christ,

Laura  

Scripture: Isaiah 43:2 NLT

Linking up with: Grace & Truth, Weekend Whispers, Give Me Grace, Sharing His Beauty, #RaRaLinkup, #TellHisStory, #SmallWonder, Playdates with God, Coffee for Your Heart, Everyday Jesus, Thought Provoking Thursday

When God Thinks You Can

Many years ago when my daughter was young, we would spend Wednesday evenings at church for mid-week Sunday school. I would stay to help with her rather large preschool class—not really because I wanted to, but because the church was a bit of a drive from home and it was easier to stay.

One Wednesday, I received a call from the children’s ministry director. She said the teacher for the preschool class was sick and asked if I would teach the class that night. She probably explained what the lesson was for that night, but I don’t remember that part of the conversation. What I do remember is the panic I felt as I agreed to fill in.

Let me tell you, this was far outside of my comfort zone. So far that I don’t think I could even see it from the edge of my comfort zone.

I barely had enough patience for my one child, much less a room full of children. Did I mention this was a preschool class? A large preschool class—ages 2-5? Attention spans were all over the place, including mine.

As I hung up the phone wondering why I couldn’t think of an excuse to say no quick enough, I remembered something. Just the previous night I’d had a dream—a dream that this director called me just hours before the class and asked me to teach that night.

I hadn’t thought about the dream until that moment of stunned silence. I knew there was no way this was a coincidence. This was God warning preparing me for this challenge.

I distinctly remember the thought that gave me confidence that night. The thought I spoke aloud as I surrendered to Him.

God, if You think I can do this…then I must be able to do it.

After all, God knows better than I do.

Was I nervous? Yes. Stressed out? Most likely. Looking forward to it? Probably not. And yet, it felt different.

I had a confidence that didn’t come from me. It was from Him.

God had the confidence I didn’t have, and when I chose to trust Him, His confidence covered me. {Tweet this}

All afternoon, I reminded myself that God knew I could do this. What I thought didn’t matter. I knew He would be there with me.

I don’t remember that night’s class at all, but I know I got through it. And I remember telling the director about the dream and seeing her look of awe.

As I look back, I realize now that it was the first time I can remember when I stepped forward in faith to do something I would never have volunteered to do. God wasn’t calling me to be a teacher.

He was teaching me to trust Him and walk in faith.

And when you follow Him once into the uncomfortable unknown, each time after that gets a little easier.

*****

If you are reading Fulfilled by Danise Jurado with us, we are in week 4 with Chapter 6—Identity and Chapter 7—Confidence. The pages of my book are filled with underlined parts I don’t want to forget, along with notes and little stars next to Scripture verses.

How are you doing with the reading? What specific parts have grabbed your attention, and maybe kept you thinking about it for days?

In Christ,

Laura  

Thank you Jenn!

Linking up with #TellHisStory, #RaRaLinkup, Thought Provoking Thursday, Everyday Jesus, Faith Filled Friday, Grace & Truth, Faith 'n Friends, Weekend Whispers