I’m gonna be honest here – this blog is completely out of obedience. I may or may not have stomped my foot and answered “FINE!” to this calling – I’m gonna bet that’s not really the attitude God has in mind when He calls us to do something… But our flesh is weak and sometimes the calls He gives us are downright terrifying. Sometimes we feel like Gumby (PLEASE tell me someone else remembers Gumby!), being stretched to the limit limb by limb EVERY day of our lives. I don’t know about you, but it can be so overwhelming when God calls us to something new that we know NOTHING about!
But no worries! Once I shared this calling with our kids, they were full of suggestions – they had ALL the answers (as pre-teen children do). After all, they watch “Dog with a Blog” so that instantly made them experts on blogging (you all should REALLY thank me for not taking any suggestions from a show where a talking dog blogs – just saying). Then we had to have a 10 minute explanation on why Mom’s blog couldn’t be named Jodi’s Blog…. longest 10 minutes of my life… I do love their hearts though. Everything is seen so clearly through a child’s eyes. They seem to be able to push aside all of the overwhelming daily stresses of life and see through to the core. “Mom, if God called you, just do it.” What can you say to that?
Are you being called to step out on faith right now? Is God calling you to something that completely terrifies you? I’m with yah. God is calling me to some pretty amazing things right now and honestly, all I wanna do is run. I feel like every time I try to run, though, God grabs hold of the back of my shirt and doesn’t let me go. He’s pretty great that way. He won’t let me run away from the blessings He has in store for me if I just obey. Now, does He promise that this road won’t have sharp corners or U-turns? No. But because God NEVER changes, I can trust that He will be there right beside me through any bumps I may have.
Last night, I was driving home on an unfamiliar road. It was dark and raining and it was so foggy in patches that I couldn’t hardly see the road in front of me. It was pretty scary at times and because of the thick fog, I couldn’t tell if there was a sharp corner up ahead. What if I ran off the road? What if another car couldn’t see either and hit me? But I began to notice that just before a sharp corner, the fog would lift just long enough for me to see what was ahead – to prepare for the coming bend. How true this is in my life! Sometimes that heavy fog that coats our eyes (our fears, our anxiety, our pain) gets lifted by our Father long enough for us to see that bend ahead – just in time for us to see it and get prepared. It may be a good bend – it may be a rough bend. But you know what’s amazing? I find that God prepares my heart in the same way for either one. Did you hear that? God prepares my heart the SAME way for a good bend as he does for a rough bend. What does that tell me? That in either one, I should be reacting the same way right? Now, do I always – no. I wish I did and I am working on that. And He is working me through praising Him and trusting Him and accepting GRACE when I fail.
Grace. This word keeps showing up everywhere I look. Ok God… Grace. So, because I’m a nerd in this way, I looked up the definition. Websters dictionary defines grace as unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification. Lots of big words. Let’s break this down. Grace: unmerited (undeserved) divine assistance given humans for their regeneration (spiritual renewal or restoration of a body part or biological system) or sanctification (set apart for a purpose). Grace. Look at what that word means!! To someone suffering with chronic illness, this grace stuff is HUGE!! For me, God is using grace to whisper so sweetly “Honey, my love. I am here for you – to help you. To renew you and to RESTORE not only your soul but your sick, frail BODY. I have allowed this for a reason – you have a special purpose to complete for me that only you can do through your trials. But I am here and I will help you… even though you are a sinner and don’t deserve any of this.” Grace.
But many times we are so overwhelmed that we miss grace entirely. I have to admit that is me. I am forever overwhelmed! Overwhelmed with housework. Overwhelmed with parenting. Overwhelmed with my to-do list. Overwhelmed with always being needed. Overwhelmed with always being sick. Overwhelmed with pain. Overwhelmed with life…. But guess what? You wanna know what’s more overwhelming than all of those things? Grace. It’s our trump card in our back pocket. It’s ready and available to be received anytime we see fit – all we have to do is to learn to become overwhelmed with grace instead of overwhelmed with life.
As for me and this blog, let’s just say grace has changed my attitude… “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” 2 Corinthians 4:15
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10
Jodi (AKA Jodi’s Blog) Just for my babies 🙂
Jodi, I can relate to much of what has been written in your blog. I will definitely be following this. I believe God is on the move and many are ‘waking up’ and are hungry for his word and spirit. God knows we are ready to hear it and then choose to go with it or not….it’s always a choice…God doesn’t force. On that note… For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Ephesians 2:8. Ok, Jodi….Breathe…this was Good!