I would like to think I'm a trusting person. I would like to think that when God asks me to trust Him with my whole life I just do.
You see, a few years ago I had a wonderful trainer named Joe. He was a semi-pro wrestler and all around great guy. He would come to the Chiropractic office I worked at and train us before work. Although I'm a "thicker" girl, I held my own, and would only complain on the really hideous workouts, ie: Lunges. I hated lunges because they made walking up and down stairs and going to the bathroom generally impossible for the next few days. One day in particular Joe was helping us stretch after an attempt to kill us, and when he got to me, I wasn't folding into the pretzel he desired. "Breathe Kimberly! You have to breathe or else there is no point in stretching!!!" "I'm trying to breathe."I said. "You can't try, you must breathe or else oxygen doesn't get to your muscles, you don't become flexible and your muscles will be easier to injury and harder to heal!" he fussed. So I breathed. Ok I was panting, but whatever, oxygen was getting to my muscles and I was becoming gumby.
At that moment God spoke to me, through this simple example and gave me this, TRUST: To Rest Under Stretching Times.
God wants us to TRUST Him. When we're being stretched to what seems like our limit, we must take in His breath. (John 20:22) and remember that He's in control.
Recently I lost my job, mainly over my impending trip on the world race. Now, normally I would be in freak out panic mode, but this peace has stayed with me since I received the news. Funny enough, just days prior to my dismissal, I was thinking to the Lord and say this in my mind, "What if I quit? What it I just trusted you for everything, like EVERYTHING?' I didn't really think He'd hold me to my thought so quickly, but I find myself on the precipice of a choice, trust Him? Or, rely on my own strength?
Just yesterday I rode a motorcycle for the very first time. It was awesome! And scary. I didn't ride solo because I don't trust myself, anyone who knows me well, knows that was wisdom. But a friend of mine let me ride on the back with him at the helm. The first 2 minutes of the trip I shut my eyes tightly and hung on to him like he was a raft and I just escaped the Titanic. The entire trip was an inner monologue of assurance. "Kimberly, there's nothing to fear, he used to compete in motorcross. He's won dozens of trophies, you're going to be fine." To which I would answer, "Yes, but anything can happen. What if we hit a patch of gravel? What if someone else hits us? What if I fall off? I am not in CONTROL!" My mind was an array of logical and plausible scenarios that all boiled down to the fact that once I sat on that bike I wasn't in control anymore. Then I heard my old professor, No Risk, No Reward. At that moment I decided to trust my friend, and enjoy the ride. It was bumpy, and noisy, people stared, and we even got a little rained on, but if was fun! I even let go a little and looked around.
At what point do we give up adventure for safety? At what age are we required to play it safe because that's the "grown up" thing to do? No Risk, No Reward. If we don't allow God to stretch us, how in the world are we ever going to be flexible? How are we going to run the race, if we can't trust our muscles to take us there?
I'm going on this mission's trip because I believe with all of my heart that it's what God has called me to do next. It is not an ending destination, but its got some incredible stops along the way of MY LIFE IN CHRIST. Paul said it best in Philippians 3:13-14
" Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Learning to breathe, learning to trust, your friend-
Kimberly Webb
