This summer has been a journey of highs and lows, of big miracles and little, of blessings and trials, of disappointment and encouragement, of fear and learning to trust. Even as the threads of discouragement have wound themselves around my heart, God has torn them away with the power of His love. He has shown me in so many ways that He is God and I am not. That He is BIG and He is ENOUGH. That He’s got this! That I no longer have to let fear hold me back from doing what He has placed in my heart. What a ride it’s been and what a ride it will be!
But what if I had let my fear stand in the way of this God-given dream? What if I had chosen to stay where it was comfortable? What if I had refused to embrace the adventure and stayed where it’s safe?
I would’ve missed seeing the greatness of God. Missed the miracles. Missed the confidence I now have in my heart that God doesn’t call me to something without making a way. I would’ve missed KNOWING Him and seeing Him move in astounding ways. Even as I sit here, I feel my heart crying out to remember His good deeds, to reflect on how He has answered and I stand amazed . . .
How He provided all the needed funds for my trip to Honduras. For beautiful ministry with my California friends and the new friendships forged.
How a single mom now gets to be part of God’s work around the world through her sacrificial gifts of $5 a month and how excited she is to be a part of it!
How a woman who pledged $100 per month but had a huge obstacle to overcome in order to keep good on her promise and how God removed the obstacle the next day!
How a family was forced to think creatively because of a sudden financial deficit and “change for CHANGE” was born!
How a friend’s teenage daughter’s heart is being expanded beyond herself. How she is moved to invest and pray for women around the world.
How a beautiful friend jumped at the chance to join with me in fasting and praying every Monday. She sends me Scripture every Monday morning to encourage and focus on for the day!
How month after month God has met the $1000 per month goal!!! (April, May, June, July and August is really close! And I just have one more $1000 per month to be fully funded!!)
How this weekend, my husband and sons were pick-axing our driveway – needing to replace worn out black top and cracked cement and a random guy drives by in our suburban neighborhood on a Saturday morning with a mini-backhoe. What? He stopped, drove the backhoe off the truck and began breaking up the huge blocks of blacktop and concrete. What would’ve taken our family probably six-eight hours to do and a bucket load of sore muscles, he did in just thirty minutes!
How in April I stood looking at the mountain of support for this ministry I needed to raise and called it my Mount Everest and now I’m I can see the summit! What?
How I feel like such an ordinary girl and this dream is WAY TO BIG FOR ME! And yet God reminds me every day, He is EXTRAORDINARY and He is the GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE.
How He has met me in the deepest places of discouragement and taught me to trust in Him. You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26.3-4
Let me ask you. What is your God-given dream? Are you going for it or are you allowing fear to hold you back from doing what God has placed in your heart? Are you choosing to stay where it’s comfortable, where it’s safe?
Well then, what could you be missing out on?
Mark Batterson in his book, Wild Goose Chase, says this, A part of us feels as if something is spiritually wrong with us when we experience circumstantial uncertainty. But that is precisely what Jesus promised us when we are born of the Spirit and start following Him. Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: adventure.
Why not join the adventure with me and follow your God-given dream!
Spilling His grace,
kristi
One thought on “A Backhoe, A Single Mom and Learning to Trust”
Lisa Finkel
Ohhh Kristi,
This one brought me to tears!! God is soo very good!
Love you my friend, Lisa ________________________________________
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