During our last few days in the states, I sat in on a few teachings with some of the people from my squad.
During one of the teachings, the woman speaking talked about doing things with our Heavenly Father and used the example of baking cookies with her niece. When she bakes with her 2 year old niece she he doesn’t care if they make them completely right, or make a mess, but simply just wants to do things with her.
This is also true in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. He wants to invite us to do things with him, big and small and he doesn’t care if we do it perfectly, or if it looks messy, he just wants to do things with us.
This simple thought became more significant to me over this past month.
During launch my mentor got a vision for me during worship and it included exactly this. Me going on great adventures with my Dad in this next season of life.
When I heard it I thought COOL can’t wait to see what that will be, butI had no idea what that would include or when it would begin.
Little did I know that my Dad would invite me on some of those adventures soon.
This month he invited me to share the gospel with some young children walking through a park.
He invited me to lead worship, (something I had never done before) in Spanish and English the morning that it was happening because someone else was sick.
He invited me to preach in front of a congregation and told me not to use any study notes, but simply share exactly what he spoke to me.
He invited me to pray for healings for people that I didn’t truly know.
He gave me visions for people I had no knowledge of before I stepped into their home on visits.
In all of these, I realized something so sweet. In each opportunity I gave my “yes” without fear.
I didn’t pray about all the details, (as i often do) but I prayed that I would simply be filled and led by the Spirit.
Then when it was time, I was reminded that this was just another opportunity to go on an adventure with my Dad and that all I needed to focus on was me and him.
So when it was time his presence completely filled me. I felt his excitement as I shared the gospel, his Spirit flowing through me and around me as I led worship, his overwhelming peace as I preached and most of all, I felt free.
Free from what others thought, free from how I thought I did, and free from the physical results of whatever had happened. I felt completely content with having done exactly what my Dad prompted me to do and having done it with him.
None of the results, reactions or feelings from myself or others affected me. I felt free from the need to perform when I said “yes” to my good good Dad and looked to him throughout what I did.
I knew the results were up to his Spirit, I knew the work he had planned to do would be done and I could rest in that. It no longer mattered what reaction my portion brought because I knew what he had planned was completed through me.
Wow, what a sweet feeling and revelation this has been after walking in the idea of needing to earn affections and approval to be pleased with myself or feel enough.
I can say that the father has led me into deeper levels of freedom in this area. He brought newer levels of freedom I never knew I could have or that I needed.
He is showing me that he always more for us than we could ever ask for ourselves.
I am so incredibly thankful and if this is just the beginning of my adventures what him I can’t wait to see what things he invites me into next.
