I'm doing much better out here. The Lord has totally provided for us as I said in the email I sent. A great deal on a rental car and Adam's dad called earlier today to confirm he was giving us the care. It's kind of appropriate for this post since it's about believing God and His promises. He promises to provide and He definitely has. He is so faithful!
I really liked this lesson. It seems like a good lesson that especially applies to where we are all living right now. I liked how it related our unbelief to our idols. So...my two questions for you to answer are:
1. In exercise 1, which item especially hit home for you and how does it relate to the idols you identified in Lesson 7?
2. What would it look like for you to "get in the wheelbarrow" and live by faith at this specific time in your life?
3. And of course we will do updates and prayers.
Here are my answers.
1. I think the one that stuck out to me was God is in control and God is wise. Both of them addressed how I try to control my life and figure out my life so I am sure that I will be OK. For me, I think it addresses how I don't trust God to take care of me. I feel like I'm really growing in this but there are moments when it is still really hard. Just today I cried with Adam because I was feeling kind of left out. We are out here with good friends but they all have babies under one and at times I feel like I just don't fit. And in my coaching group today we were talking about being a missional team leader and all of them were talking about the challenge of being a leader and a mom and how hard it is. It didn't leave me feeling very hopeful for the future. But then I was reminded how I need to trust God for the next season of our life and that He is wise and knows exactly what is best for me. He has always met me and provided great opportunities and support for each season of my life. God continues to just hit this home with me. I don't have to fear or worry. He is God!
2. I liked at the end of the lesson how it said that faith means getting in the wheelbarrow. It means putting our lives into the hands of Jesus. I just need to continually but my life in Jesus' hands and trust Him with the future and especially with the possibility of being a mom in ministry.
There are so many things I wish I could share but I need to go. My prayer request is that I would continue to trust Jesus for my summer, for good times with friends, etc. Recently I've realized that I don't feel especially excited for next year and not very motivated to work on figuring out everything. I don't know if I'm just tired or have hit some kind of wall. They say that women often hit a wall in ministry in their late 20's early 30's. That's me. I'm going to talk to my coach tomorrow so you can pray that the Lord would give me insight into my heart and help me to rest where He has me. Thanks Ladies for praying for me.
Love you all,
Hanni
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the midst of preparing to go backpacking which should be quite the adventure for me! I've never done something like this so i'm really excited! I've been doing well, super busy which is suprising to me. I didn't think that I would feel so busy this summer. I'm trying to prioritize my life that I am doing things that are important to me so I do not run myself down. God is good and I'm doing really well right now, the Lord has really shown Himself to me lately which I am thankful for :)
I haven't fully completed the lesson but wanted to share my thoughts before I leave for the weekend...
1. The idols in my life had a lot to do with control and self-centeredness. So the things that really resonated with me were that "God orders my world for good" I don't have to try to keep control because God is on my side! And God is faithful and it is not based off of how I behave, these kinds of thoughts have been stirred up a lot lately, how does my being good/not being "good" affect my life, God's feelings toward me, and my walk with the Lord. When it comes down to it my struggle is much like yours Hanni, just trusting God, that He is good and Faithful, able and willing to provide GOOD things for me not to harm me but for my benefit.
God has shown me lately how trustworthy He is and the areas where I need to trust Him more so this is certainly a theme in my life right now.
2. The biggest things I need to trust God with is first my standing with Him, that He is not a tyrant demanding perfection from me, but a loving Father and that what Christ did on the cross is sufficient for me and I don't need to add to it through works. The things behind that are relationships, trusting God with my friendships that even as I am away from most people I love it does not mean that love deminshes and that He CAN fully supply all my relational needs.
I'm just in a huge learning phase of life right now. God is really just pouring tons of information and insight into me through books, people and experience. I won't be able to use it all right now but I really feel that this will be a significant period in my life because of how God is equipping me. Praise God for His faithfulness and love toward me and just pray that I remain joyful, rested and learn how to organize my time to make plenty of room to spend time with Him and not run myself down. Also, if you could pray for my backpacking trip that would be sweet: for strength, fellowship, and a sweet time of connecting with Him in creation. Love you all!
Hi all! Just about to head out on the backpacking trip with Kelly... SO EXCITED! I also have a cool story to share about what God's been doing in my heart, but I'll have to keep you in suspense til I get back.
ReplyDeleteIf you could continue prayers that I would trust God and rest in who I am in Christ(and live out of this trust), that would be great. Also, please pray for our trip: that we would meet with the Lord in a powerful way, grow closer to each other as friends, and build each other up.
I'll fill you in more on the "Believing God" study when I get back! Much love <3
Hello, hello!
ReplyDeleteThis lesson was soooooo refreshing. I needed to hear this.
1. The fact that God is faithful was good for me to hear again. I needed to know that God is not going to abandon me. He is not just letting me go through this summer alone. In fact, He wants me to know that He has it in control and that what He leads me to, He will lead me through.
I'm still struggling with this, too. I have good days and bad days of trusting; good seconds and bad seconds. But He is slowly teaching me to have unwavering faith in Him, and letting me rest in that.
2. I think I've pretended that I was in the wheelbarrow for part of the summer. Pretending that I was trusting God for raising people up even when I thought I had things under control. Well, now I need to come to the realization that I wasn't really believing God if I thought I could do it on my own. I need to live by faith that God is wise and good. He knows what I need to go through first in order to bring more glory to Him and absolutely none on myself.
3. Prayer requests:
That I seek God first and trust Him.
French visa: that the documents from France arrive on time. All three of us are having to reschedule our appointments in Chicago.
Hi all, backpacking was a GREAT experience! Thank you for your prayers. I'll see if I can figure out how to post a couple pictures. Other than that-- the cool story I wanted to share last week is about how God has been changing my heart toward this summer. I spent the first couple weeks of June looking for jobs at pretty much anywhere. By the end of it, I felt so frantic and desparate and discouraged because I couldn't find anything. The Lord laid on my heart to take the next week and rest from searching. That week was also a challenge, but He really showed me what it looks like to trust in Him (moment by moment, second by second, much like you said Jeanette). I had wanted control so badly over this summer, I think a lot of it because I was fearful of support raising. But God led me into a place of more complete surrender and being OK with studying for the GRE/support raising this summer. And the funny thing was that at the end of the week, I got two calls for jobs-- one for tutoring and one for an internship! I don't know what will happen with those, but either way, I'm so glad God is teaching me the joy of trusting in Him.
ReplyDelete1. What I've been learning related a lot to this study on Believing God and His Promises.
The thing that hit home the most was that God is in control, and that He is my Good Shepherd who provides for me. Looking back at lesson 7, my idols were fear of failure and people, desire for control, and placing hope in my own gifts and abilities. This past month God opened my eyes to my prideful efforts to rely on my own abilities and control my life. Instead of trying to be my own shepherd, I should look to the Good Shepherd who makes me lie down in green pastures and restores my soul (Psalm 23). He knows me, calls me by name, and leads me (John 10). I don't have to fear rejection of people or being unprovided for because this Shepherd is GOOD and FAITHFUL.
2. Getting into the wheelbarrow at this point in my life means actively listening and following God for where He would direct me this summer. Also, it means truly believing that God will provide ALL my needs, particularily financially for this summer and support raising for DTS.
Prayer requests: That I would live following the Good Shepherd, surrendering complete control of my life. Also for wise time management and guidance I begin the support raising process.
Emily! I did not read this story until now because I wasn't looking under this section. Thanks so much for sharing your story!
ReplyDeleteI have a cool story about trusting God, too. A couple days ago, I was soooooooo discouraged. I just woke up in the morning feeling that way. Looking back, I'm pretty sure it was spiritual attack. After a couple hours, I just gave it up to God and said "God if you have led me to this decision, I pray that you would lead me through it". And right then (seriously, no second later), the phone rang. A lady that I know very well told me that she was going to support me $3000. I nearly fell to the floor! What a perfect picture of God's provision and His perfect timing. He knows our hearts and wants to show us that He alone is in control, not us.
Have a blessed day, ladies! Love you!
Hey friends,
ReplyDeleteI am so excited that I finally figured out what was wrong before and now I can finally post! Yay! : )
Ok, I'll just briefly summarize what I took away from this lesson:
1) I needed to be reminded of God's role as my Good Shepherd who provides good things for me. As excited as I am for my job, my heart still is somewhat sad with not STINTing and I just need to continue to trust that the Lord has provided this new stage of life for me and He has a purpose for it and He will work it for my good.
2) Getting in the wheelbarrow for me right now specifically deals with my finances. As I mentioned in an email earlier, I am looking at getting a new car (P.S. the car that I was looking at before fell through, but I am still searching). It's been excited but has really surfaced a lot of my true beliefs, both good and bad. I am learning to really trust the Lord for my finances (that He can and will provide a car for me that will still allow me to meet my financial commitments and honor Him with my finances).
Ok, I'm off to post on the next week now. Thanks for being patient with me as I figured out this whole blog thing.
You women are great!
much LOVE!