“Why am I so honored, that the Lord should come to me?
You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Luke 1:43, 45 paraphrased
Why am I so honored, that the Lord should come to me? That is a question that doesn’t really need an answer, just a heart of thanksgiving for the One who surely fulfills the promises that He places in our hearts.
Years ago, I was at a winter guard competition and as one of the guards put on a stellar show, I watched as their coach threw a stuffed bear in the air in utter joy for what she witnessed. That picture has stayed with me since, and reflects what happens in my heart when He surely is faithful to fulfill His promises. If you have been following my blog for awhile, you know that I have lead the planning team for Women’s Weekend at my church over the past few years. I have shared here and there about this journey, and it is a story of our great God surely coming through on His promises, even when the road wasn’t always easy.
“Be careful what you pray for”
The journey began on a Sanctuary retreat back in the Winter of 2013. I was in a room of women when someone said “there should be a Sanctuary women’s retreat.” I said back, “Be careful what you say in front of me, because tomorrow I will have a plan.” The next day my friend Lauren and I were laying in the chapel, and we prayed. At the time, it seemed like such a small prayer, and I never would have imagined at that time where that prayer would lead. It was one of those moments that leads you to think years later “be careful what you pray for”. Quickly God began to move, dreams and passions began to form, and 2 months later we had pulled off what would be the first of 2 Sanctuary retreats (of about 50 women) that really paved the way for the past 3 Women’s Weekends that has grown to have almost 200 attendees this year.
The cliff notes version that I just shared sounds like sunshine and rainbows, and God has fulfilled His promises time and time again, but just as following His path brought divine appointments, whispered words of love, confirmation of truths, and glory to His name… it also brought intense feelings of fear, doubt, insecurities, feelings of unworthiness, and road blocks. And by road blocks I mean figuratively and one time even a literal road block in the worst rain I have ever seen in my life! I still remember sitting in my car with no cell service in front of this road block in the middle of the Catskills thinking you have got to be kidding me!
Through it all, following His path and trusting in where He leads has taught me a few things that I want to share with you:
- When you are following Him, you are on the winning team. Because when He accomplishes His will, that is truly winning!
- Following His lead isn’t always the easiest or most convenient path, however where He leads, He will part the waters so you can walk right through the sea.
- Where there are doubts, His security is there.
- Where there are roadblocks, He provides the detour.
- His faithfulness crushes fears.
- His love, transcends darkness.
- His ways frame the comfortable life and make it look absurd.
- And where there are feelings of unworthiness, His worthiness hung on a cross to die, and then rose from the dead so that we can all have eternal life. That. Is. Enough.
Why am I so honored, that the Lord should come to me? I am no different than you. I am a wife, I am a mom of two littles, I work, I try to maintain a social life, and I have often said God, this is too much, I can’t do this. But He makes the way, you just have to follow the path.
What does He have before you? Where is He leading you? Where are you experiencing road blocks? The road before you won’t always be easy, and a lot of times it may not even be visible. But don’t question in the dark, what you knew to be true in the light. The sun never stops shining, and His truth and His call never cease to be true.
Blessed is she who believed that He would fulfill the promises He made to her. Blessed are you who believes that He will fulfill His promises to you…
