Lately my heart has been stirring for the countries I am about to move too. When I typed that my heart skipped a beat. It is funny how God prepares you for things little by little–teaching you, molding you for just one step forward. It's crazy because each of those steps we take, one by one, are already laid out for us. God is in the present. God is in the past, yet also still very much in the future. This should rid us of some of the burdensome thoughts that we carry and help us to walk ever faster into the new beginnings God has created.
Are you willing to step forward?
I know that this has always been a hard question for me to answer. Let me make something clear, when I say step forward I mean are you willing to walk obediently forward giving God the glory, knowing that He has the reigns to your life? God continues to lay on my heart a verse from Luke 12. It keeps replaying over and over in my head like that annoying song you can't seem to get out.
"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
He has given me much more than can ever be repaid so I figure much is demanded of me. He has also entrusted me with much, so again I figure He will ask much more of me. Earlier I mentioned how God was stirring in my life and how he is preparing me now for things that I can not do on my own. He is preparing in me the courage and the boldness to take a step. Much is demanded and much is asked of me. Honestly, the verse is just a reminder to me of how blessed I am threw Christ and it moves me into obedience, so unlike that annoying song on repeat in your head I am pleased to have this verse setting off a reaction down in my muscles to MOVE.
Recently I had to work a bunch at a hospital in Nashville. Every morning while I was going into work I would have to walk about 2 blocks from the parking garage students were required to park. I was also required to be on the floor 30 minutes before my shift actually began so that I could receive report from the previous nurse. Each morning I would have to arrive very early just to make it in time; however, I was not the only one out there on those streets in the early cold morning air. There were of course the other nurses going to and coming from work, but one person in particular struck a cord in my heart. There was one man who stood out on a corner I had to pass every morning on my way into work. He was selling the papers that are notoriously known to be sold for the homeless community. The first day I passed him I tried my very hardest to not make eye contact because I knew if I made eye contact… MUCH WOULD BE ASKED OF ME. The next time I passed him this thought came out of no where. It was that I was suppose to speak to this guy. WHAT? ME? I never talk to people on the streets that I don't know especially those I figure to be homeless. Even though in my heart I knew I was suppose to talk to him all I could muster was "Good Morning." I just kept on walking right passed what God had asked of me. This happened a few more mornings. Then one morning I decided that I was going to pray as I walked in this man's direction. I prayed that this man would reach out to me. I prayed he would talk to me first. First of all who does that? I guess I do (HA). Anyways as I was praying that prayer and walking passed him all of sudden out of no where he says to me, "You know I am selling this paper. I wanted you to know that for the next two weeks I will actually have an article and a piece of my artwork in the paper." I was amazed. Speechless really. Why had this man done that. For three weeks I had passed him and we had exchanged no words other than a friendly hello but this time when I prayed for this man to speak he did. WHAT? I am still blown away by this. We did not have much of conversation that day but it was just one step forward. i knew that the next time I passed him would be the last time I would be working at this hospital and I was still very sure that God had called me to speak to this man. As I drove to work for my last shift, fear swept over me. I am not always good with my words, but God kept reminding me that He just asks me to speak. I was already running late and I had decided in my head as I was driving into work that I did not have time to talk to him. God works in funny ways because as I was saying, "I am not speaking to this guy," the song Courageous by Casting Crowns came on. I just prayed this song over what I knew God was calling of me.
We were made to be courageous. We were made to lead the way. We could be the generation that finally breaks these chains…. LORD MAKE ME COURAGEOUS!
As I approached the man on the street I wish I could say that I was not afraid of what I was about to do or I wish I could say I knew what I was going to say. I just knew that God had called me into obedience and I did not want to walk past this man any longer. I stopped and began asking the man about himself, about the paper he was selling, and finally about what he believed. This man in fact was homeless and somehow he remained faithful to the Lord threw it all. He told me to go read his article because it explained his faith in the Lord even when he had so much sorrow. I was able to pray for this man and all the while glorify God not because I had spoken but just because He is God.
This man was apart of my training for the 11 months I will gone. God was just asking me speak, to be obedient, to take a step.
My world race mates have informed me that part of the ministry we might be asked to do is going door to door or evangelizing on the streets. I don't think it is a coincidence that I was called to speak to this homeless man.
LORD MAKE US COURAGEOUS!!!!
If you have read this would you pray for my teammates and I that we would be willing to take a step, to speak, knowing that we do not get the glory but instead our father in heaven will be glorified. Pray also that we open our eyes to the Lord teaching and molding us daily.
You guys are the bomb! Hope to write to you again soon!
PS. Fundraising update $6,300 meaning I still have $9,200 to go. If you would like to support me just click on support me tab on the left top corner of this page. Anything and everything helps even if its $10 dollars.
