Adventure with Jesus

I want to share an adventure I had with God yesterday but first I want to share a bit of background. K?

I used to do something called striving. I did it a lot and with great intentions. I so deeply desired to be useful to God. I wanted to help change the world with Him. I used to do things like... 

...over think

...worry if it was His voice

...try to create God moments

...beat myself up for not doing enough

...spend more time thinking of how I can show others Jesus instead of loving Him myself

I think it's a common thing since those of us who grew up in the church often heard things like "who are you sharing Jesus with? are you being a good witness? we need to share the gospel." 

It's not that I don't believe in those things, I do. I just didn't know that the best way to do all three things is to know Him, know His ways and to know His heart. Ultimately, love Him.

By doing those things, you can't help but love the Father deeply.

It's all about loving Him.

I did know about Him and had experienced his love, grace and mercy and yet somehow I wasn't fully in love with Him. Now, when I think about my King one of three things happens, my heart beats fast and I need to catch my breath, my eyes fill with tears of joy or a big fat smile comes across my face, one that can't be peeled off easily.

I love Him.

So, yesterday while making some diffuser jewelry for Cedar & Honey, I was watching THIS video by Shawn Bolz. He reminded me of some beautiful truths that God had made very real to me in the last couple years. One of those truths is that we don't need to strive. We don't even need to be "on our game" to be used by God and to show others who He is. He shares some pretty awesome stories....but before you go watch Shawn's awesome video, first read my little story ;)

After getting all orders made I was off to the Post Office, a place where I've already adventured with Jesus. More on that HERE

I was feeling so refreshed and excited to boldly do something with God. Instead of planning a God moment, over thinking it or spending time thinking about how I can share Jesus, I simply told Him 

"I'm listening for you and want to adventure your way God".

Then I got in my car and went about my business.

I got to the post office and the regular woman that processes my orders was there waiting but she was missing her usual smile. I asked her how she was doing and she explained that she has had a debilitating headache for 4 days and is on a lot of meds to be able to be at work. 

I thought, ok good.....something to pray for. Before I said anything out loud about praying, I asked myself if I believed that Jesus could heal her. Then I asked myself if I believed that he wanted to heal her. 

Yes! & Yes!

He can and he wants to was my internal dialogue. I already know this as a fact but to think about it in the moment made it that much more real and personal to the one woman right in front of me. There were a couple people behind me in line and I felt that it wasn't the right moment to ask her if I could pray so once my packages were processed I went to grab something else I needed. I came back and she was standing behind her desk with no customers so I took my chance. 

This is what I did.

I told her that I am a Christian and that sometimes when I pray for people they get healed by God (<--- It's true, I've experienced healings or I would have just said that I believe He can heal her) and that I believe he wants to heal her head. Then I asked her if I could pray for her. I'm not sure I can quite describe her response. She was smiling so big and was clearly feeling the presence of the Lord, as was I. She was almost giddy when she said that she would like me to pray. As soon as I said that I would just pray right then and there, a customer walked up. She was clearly very uncomfortable and said that she better not let me pray while another customer was there. I told her that was ok because I was going to go to my car and pray for her healing. The excitement in her eyes was just beautiful! I would have stuck around but it was time for me to pick the boys up from school.

I walked away and could feel the presence of God so strong. Ha! He had already shown up! I began praying for her head right away and got excited at not only the healing work He wanted to do in this woman's body but also in her heart. I'm so overjoyed about the work that He has begun and can't wait to see this story unfold. 

There it was, right in the middle of my regular life - an adventure with Jesus.

Sometimes we make life with God more complicated than it needs to be. He isn't waiting for perfect moments with the perfect person. I didn't do anything special except tell my King, while in the middle of doing my stuff, that He has my ear and that I want to do things with Him. 

Maybe one day I'll sell all my possessions and move across the country to be a missionary or something super dramatic like that. For now, I'm going to focus on the mission field I'm in. 

OOOO <------- hugs from Sue

The Beautiful Pain Of Stretching

This morning while I knelt down to pray I felt the Lord telling me to stretch my legs...not just stretch them out but to literally stretch as if I was about to work out or go for a run. I'm always curious to know what God is saying and doing so did just what He suggested - I stretched my legs. Ya know that feeling you get in your muscles when you stretch? It's like a good pain, I actually really love that feeling but at the same time it does kinda hurt a bit. They say that's when you should stop cause if you go past the point when it is just starting to hurt, you could really damage your muscles.
As I sit on my living room floor in my prayer time stretching God began to speak to me about the season I'm in.
On August 22nd of this year I got married.

 Yayyyyyyyy! 

Although we're in the "honeymooning" phase, we have more than celebrating to do. Together we have 3 children and I lived in a different city until we got married. So we're blending our family along with our stuff (lots and lots of stuff) and it is such a beautiful thing but let me tell you, it's not easy. I also know deep in my spirit that God is in it and I would even go as far to say that He orchestrated the whole thing. I have been learning lots this year that when God asks us to do things, it doesn't mean it is going to be a cake walk and right now, I feel God stretching me. I believe he is stretching all 5 of us. As I had breakfast with a friend yesterday morning, she encouraged me when she spoke of how our faith is built in the difficult situations of our lives. I want my faith to be built so I'm choosing to embrace all these challenges that come with blending 5 lives.
As I was doing my spirit lead stretches, almost right away I began to see where God was going with it. I was fully aware that if I did the splits I would not only feel the pain in the moment but would damage my muscles since I can't stretch that far.....yet. ;) If I did damage my muscles it would actually set me back and in the days to come, I wouldn't be able to stretch at all. Most likely I would have to let myself rest until my muscles heal. If I was able to continue to stretch, it would probably be much more painful than necessary due to my overextending my legs. While thinking of this I was seeing how in my life right now there is a delicate balance in how much I should stretch myself. The Lord has already blessed me with a situation where I am being stretched in my parenting, my business, my friendships and with learning to be the wife He made me to be for my husband. I know the Lord was encouraging me to take things one day at a time and not to put anything else on my plate that will cause me to overextend myself and ultimately cause damage that will be a set back in my life. Right now I am choosing to say no to some of my ideas and to some requests for my time and energy. I feel that it's important to be where God wants me to be and doing only the things He has set out for me to do.
I feel such a beautiful grace on my new family and although there are challenges, I am ready and willing to face them because I'm excited to see the beauty my Lord will create from these "stretching pains". I won't be able to do the splits tomorrow but if I keep stretching the right way everyday, I will get there. In the same way, right now I am not taking on all the things on my mind to do but their time will come. 

I believe this is for someone today. 

Maybe you have lots on your plate already, are feeling overextended and need time to heal and gain back your energy. Maybe you're feeling the pressure to take more on and juggle just a few more things like you see your neighbour/friends doing. Maybe you're like me and have idea's of things you want to do but just can't see how you would manage it on top of the other things you have going on. Lastly, maybe you have been saying no to over extending yourself and need to be encouraged to keep on doing just that! No matter where you're at, I want to encourage you to sit back and ask God where He is and what He is doing in your life right now. He is always in our lives saying as well as doing something, so don't be afraid to see where He is and what He is saying to you. Once you know where He is at work in your life, join Him! He wants to restore all things broken, breath fresh life and hope into situations feeling hopeless and He wants you to know that He sees you right where you are and knows what's in your beautiful heart.

I'm praying for you friend. Praying for clarity so that you can see truth and know the Fathers heart for your life right now, I'm believing that seeing His heart will direct your path and give you the boldness you need to walk on it! He loves you so extravagantly and I love you too.

OOO <<<----- hugs from Sue