God's Whisper....

I just love God's whisper....I hear it in my quiet times in the morning, I hear it when I'm at BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), I hear it when I look at my children during our school time, I hear it when a friend is unburdening her heart and needing encouragement and God gives me the words to speak, I hear it when burdened thoughts swirl in my head about the church, the body of Christ. There is so much in our lives, in my life, that wants to drown out God's whisper. Sometimes those things are not bad things, just busyiness. Yet God is ever faithful, because even in these past few weeks when I've felt TOTALLY overwhelmed with all the hats I wear and the responsibilities I have (like teaching my children, being there for my husband and meeting his needs, co-leading a worship team and preparing things in advance so my procrastination doesn't affect those working with me, planning the future of children ministry and trying to share the vision I feel God's given me for the body, running Jake to drama practices and taking pictures, along with laundry, meals, cleaning), I have still been able to hear God's whispers.

He has been teaching me that I too often loose my focus - I take my eyes off of Him and who He has proven Himself to be from the beginning of this world, and I focus on the obstacles and difficulties in my life. Just like the Israelites did when they spied out the Promised Land - they chose to focus on the obstacles and not on God. They chose not to believe. So many times in my life I've chosen to not believe, but these past few weeks I've made a different choice. Belief! God is still the same God who cares about the details of our lives, just like He did for Israelites. God is able to do immeasureably more than I can ever imagine! Sometimes the route God has us take to get somewhere is a round-about way, just like the Israelites in Numbers 20, but His way is perfect. And God always equips us with just what we NEED (not necessarily want) to get thru a situation.

I choose this day to believe that the church will become more and more a reflection of Him, I choose to believe that my friend's finances, future, and faith are firmly in the center of His hands, I choose to believe that tho' I grow weary from running, God will sustain me and equip me with every minute I need to accomplish things, I choose to believe that my children's education is exactly what they need for their future and that the moments we sit together on the couch and talk about where we aren't "fully" obedient, like Moses, is exactly what God wants for them, I choose to believe that God has called me to serve my church in worship and children's ministry because He is trying to teach me something and maybe along the way teach those I'm with, and I choose to believe that God will change my heart, my priorities as I surrender myself to Him and He teaches me how to love my husband better.

This saying has stuck in my head and I love the visual image it gives me of challenges and rocks we carry.....
The obstacles and rocks I see in my life and in the church will be broken, they won't be carried forever, and each time one falls - you'll see me stepping my way closer to Him!