He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:21
Sometimes it’s easy to step out in faith.
Sometimes it seems as though God is in every step, every breath, but sometimes even though in our hearts we know He is right there, it surely doesn’t seem like it. And sometimes we have to take a risk in order to get the benefit. The benefit is to see God show up.
Last night I was watching my peanut head (that’s Phyllis) sing. I almost always cry when I see her sing. They opened with the Star Spangled Banner, there she was front row of the balcony so when I turned around, I saw her cuteface (That’s not a typo- one word cuteface just like I type loveyou all one word) and wham, I’m crying! I was overwhelmed by being blessed. I was thinking there is absolutely no way I deserve anything, especially that beautiful girl who’s outside matches her inside. And then I started thinking about Austria (and thinking about how I was thinking about not going – and God showed up), which I know is going to be awesome but I have no preconceived notions about what awaits us except pure beauty and pure joy.
And then how God blessed us with Columbia. It has been an amazing adventure of faith. I didn’t realize how much I was going to see God move in very tangible ways even before she left (it’s really only been about 6 weeks). It all started with a simple idea that I had in the car about combining Phyllis’s two favorite loves… Jesus and Fashion. To see her put it all together with honestly, little direction – she only asked me “what would you do?” a few times. The rest, I just let her go. And if I do say so myself – IT WAS FABULOUSO! She’s been selling candy bars (to date more than $350 worth! – and to think I thought that she might not even sell one box- that’s what you get for listening to the news and all this talk about recession/depression – God does not know of these words) to raise money. She’s gotten about $450 in donations… All the while I put it in the budget (just in case). $100 a paycheck, and each paycheck, the money came out of the ‘Columbia Fund’ and into the ‘general fund’. Amazing. To date, she has $95 left out of $1000. And so… it will be paid off by the end of April. You see… even though she knew she was called to go, and I trusted in God that He wanted her to do this, I’m still made up of flesh, and sometimes I still doubt. But God shows up, in all aspects of my life, all I have to do is seek.
You can learn a lot from teenagers. Especially the ones who have had the world turn them upside down shake the change out of their pockets, dropped on their heads, and still remain unjaded. They have such resilience. I also learn a lot from the lessons that our Youth Pastor teaches on Sunday night. Can you see God or do you seek Him? I am so thankful that I can always see God, even when I’m not seeking Him, but lately, I’ve been chasing after Him, and I’m so thankful that sometimes He lets me catch Him.
The greatest lesson lately. Faith.
Faith in Him. Faith during the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. Faith even during being distracted, and being able to say “FOCUS” and seeing the results of such faith.
The Easter Season is upon us. Friday is Good Friday which wasn’t very good. And Sunday we will celebrate Him for overcoming the grave! Christ is Risen! How great is that!? He love and serve a Risen King and He loves and came to serve us as the ultimate sacrifice. All we need is faith.
I don’t know if anyone followed this post but my heart…
Matthew 14:22 - 34
22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
34When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed
Sometimes it’s easy to step out in faith.
Sometimes it seems as though God is in every step, every breath, but sometimes even though in our hearts we know He is right there, it surely doesn’t seem like it. And sometimes we have to take a risk in order to get the benefit. The benefit is to see God show up.
Last night I was watching my peanut head (that’s Phyllis) sing. I almost always cry when I see her sing. They opened with the Star Spangled Banner, there she was front row of the balcony so when I turned around, I saw her cuteface (That’s not a typo- one word cuteface just like I type loveyou all one word) and wham, I’m crying! I was overwhelmed by being blessed. I was thinking there is absolutely no way I deserve anything, especially that beautiful girl who’s outside matches her inside. And then I started thinking about Austria (and thinking about how I was thinking about not going – and God showed up), which I know is going to be awesome but I have no preconceived notions about what awaits us except pure beauty and pure joy.
And then how God blessed us with Columbia. It has been an amazing adventure of faith. I didn’t realize how much I was going to see God move in very tangible ways even before she left (it’s really only been about 6 weeks). It all started with a simple idea that I had in the car about combining Phyllis’s two favorite loves… Jesus and Fashion. To see her put it all together with honestly, little direction – she only asked me “what would you do?” a few times. The rest, I just let her go. And if I do say so myself – IT WAS FABULOUSO! She’s been selling candy bars (to date more than $350 worth! – and to think I thought that she might not even sell one box- that’s what you get for listening to the news and all this talk about recession/depression – God does not know of these words) to raise money. She’s gotten about $450 in donations… All the while I put it in the budget (just in case). $100 a paycheck, and each paycheck, the money came out of the ‘Columbia Fund’ and into the ‘general fund’. Amazing. To date, she has $95 left out of $1000. And so… it will be paid off by the end of April. You see… even though she knew she was called to go, and I trusted in God that He wanted her to do this, I’m still made up of flesh, and sometimes I still doubt. But God shows up, in all aspects of my life, all I have to do is seek.
You can learn a lot from teenagers. Especially the ones who have had the world turn them upside down shake the change out of their pockets, dropped on their heads, and still remain unjaded. They have such resilience. I also learn a lot from the lessons that our Youth Pastor teaches on Sunday night. Can you see God or do you seek Him? I am so thankful that I can always see God, even when I’m not seeking Him, but lately, I’ve been chasing after Him, and I’m so thankful that sometimes He lets me catch Him.
The greatest lesson lately. Faith.
Faith in Him. Faith during the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. Faith even during being distracted, and being able to say “FOCUS” and seeing the results of such faith.
The Easter Season is upon us. Friday is Good Friday which wasn’t very good. And Sunday we will celebrate Him for overcoming the grave! Christ is Risen! How great is that!? He love and serve a Risen King and He loves and came to serve us as the ultimate sacrifice. All we need is faith.
I don’t know if anyone followed this post but my heart…
Matthew 14:22 - 34
22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
34When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed
Picture from here
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