Matthew 14: 28-31
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
The day I left for the Race my mom gave me a card with that
Scripture from Matthew inside. She said she was so proud of me for following in
Peter’s wake and stepping out of the boat and into this adventure with God. It
was a very encouraging note, and I took it as a challenge to make the most of
this year. Then came Tanzania…the hardest month on the Race for me.
Scripture from Matthew inside. She said she was so proud of me for following in
Peter’s wake and stepping out of the boat and into this adventure with God. It
was a very encouraging note, and I took it as a challenge to make the most of
this year. Then came Tanzania…the hardest month on the Race for me.
I don’t know if I hit the 8th month slump, or I just
got burnt out on doing African ministry, but everyday here has been a struggle
for me. I found myself not wanting to spend time with God. I discovered that
door to door evangelism and preaching are not my favorite things to do,
especially after doing it for 3 months. I found myself getting annoyed at the
smallest things. I found myself begging God to give me a passion again for
ministry. Bottom line – I was tired and I let the enemy get in.
got burnt out on doing African ministry, but everyday here has been a struggle
for me. I found myself not wanting to spend time with God. I discovered that
door to door evangelism and preaching are not my favorite things to do,
especially after doing it for 3 months. I found myself getting annoyed at the
smallest things. I found myself begging God to give me a passion again for
ministry. Bottom line – I was tired and I let the enemy get in.
But when he [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
I’ve never been one to really care all that much about
having luxuries. I am not a big fan of showering and doing my makeup. I like to
buy my clothes from thrift stores and cut my own hair. But now, now I find myself wanting things I never
cared about before. I want a real bed; I want to get dressed up and feel pretty;
I want to have easy access to everything. Just the other day I was tempted to
steal a salt shaker because I wanted salt for my food! I’ve become possessive
over what little I do have and I want what I don’t have.
having luxuries. I am not a big fan of showering and doing my makeup. I like to
buy my clothes from thrift stores and cut my own hair. But now, now I find myself wanting things I never
cared about before. I want a real bed; I want to get dressed up and feel pretty;
I want to have easy access to everything. Just the other day I was tempted to
steal a salt shaker because I wanted salt for my food! I’ve become possessive
over what little I do have and I want what I don’t have.
Then this past week I got malaria and I almost gave up. I was
supposed to preach the upcoming Sunday and I could not even hear God. The rest
of my team was either sick or feeling the same frustration as me, so I had
nowhere to turn. I avoided God and instead used movies and Friends episodes to
escape reality. I knew I wasn’t acting like myself but I just did not care
anymore. I was confused at the person I was becoming yet I could not break
free. Finally late Saturday night, I could no longer put it off. All month God
had been laying a message on my heart and I was dragging my heels. So with
flashlight in hand I wrote out a sermon that I would reluctantly preach just a
few hours later.
supposed to preach the upcoming Sunday and I could not even hear God. The rest
of my team was either sick or feeling the same frustration as me, so I had
nowhere to turn. I avoided God and instead used movies and Friends episodes to
escape reality. I knew I wasn’t acting like myself but I just did not care
anymore. I was confused at the person I was becoming yet I could not break
free. Finally late Saturday night, I could no longer put it off. All month God
had been laying a message on my heart and I was dragging my heels. So with
flashlight in hand I wrote out a sermon that I would reluctantly preach just a
few hours later.
What did I talk about?
I shared with the church the Scripture my mom shared with me the day I stepped
on that plane to Ireland. It was also the same Scripture she wrote in another card
for me this month. Coincidence? I don’t think so. God knew that this would be
the month I would have difficulty keeping my head up. I was still willing to
walk out on the water like Peter, but I was losing sight of Jesus. I was losing
sight of why I had come on this trip. So in front of complete strangers I shared
my struggles and talked about what it feels like to be called out of your
comfort zone. I shared the highs and the lows of living life on the water, not
in the boat. I told them how much my faith has grown and how I have seen God
move in amazing ways because I was totally dependent on Him. As I talked I began
to feel better; I began to feel the Holy Spirit fill me up again. By the time I
was done preaching I was walking on clouds. My own words (well really it was
God’s words) had sunk in. This message had been for me.
I shared with the church the Scripture my mom shared with me the day I stepped
on that plane to Ireland. It was also the same Scripture she wrote in another card
for me this month. Coincidence? I don’t think so. God knew that this would be
the month I would have difficulty keeping my head up. I was still willing to
walk out on the water like Peter, but I was losing sight of Jesus. I was losing
sight of why I had come on this trip. So in front of complete strangers I shared
my struggles and talked about what it feels like to be called out of your
comfort zone. I shared the highs and the lows of living life on the water, not
in the boat. I told them how much my faith has grown and how I have seen God
move in amazing ways because I was totally dependent on Him. As I talked I began
to feel better; I began to feel the Holy Spirit fill me up again. By the time I
was done preaching I was walking on clouds. My own words (well really it was
God’s words) had sunk in. This message had been for me.
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Nothing else mattered as long as I obediently walked out on
that water every day and kept my eyes on Jesus. Sure the enemy will try to
distract me again, and yes it is very uncomfortable stepping out of the boat.
But the life that Jesus has called me to, called all of us to, is about leaving everything behind and having the faith to follow him no matter what it costs.
that water every day and kept my eyes on Jesus. Sure the enemy will try to
distract me again, and yes it is very uncomfortable stepping out of the boat.
But the life that Jesus has called me to, called all of us to, is about leaving everything behind and having the faith to follow him no matter what it costs.
