a BIG
T H A N K Y O U !
to all my RUBIES
for your prayers and
words of encouragement!
I feel your LOVE!
Twenty-four hours have past since my lunch date in Tampa. WOW! You all surprised me! I didn't expect such a deluge of encouragement from my readers on yesterday's post. Know that I am feeling the love and strength from your prayers and words of encouragement.
God has also been faithful to shed light on the matter.
I've been praying about whether or not to give my girlfriend (from yesterday's lunch) a call. We are very, very close friends, and I don't want anything to mess that up. Sometimes if you don't take care of matters, right up front, the devil has a way of getting his foot in the door and creating havoc.
But she beat me to it!
She called me today, and we chatted for quite some time. Right up front, right out of the blue, she mentioned something that totally opened the door for us to talk in detail about my disappointment in yesterday's meeting. Between my conversation with her and the one I had with God, here are my take-aways:
1. I've been walking in RED shoes for 252 days, now. This time of being set apart for everything and anything God wants to do has become my new "normal." Sometimes I forget that everyone else isn't doing that too! While I'm going on three mile prayer walks; soaking in afternoons of worship; taking in God's Word like they were my three meals for the day; reading inspiring books one after another, talking to people about Christ; not to mention looking for God and blogging for hours on end... pretty much everyone else is in their normal routine of parenting, work, school, church, gym, etc. etc.
This is my unique time of being
set apart with God for a purpose.
It's extreme and unusual.
Granted, it has it's benefits... The Holy Ghost is falling all around me -- I'm seeing angels from on high -- I'm dreaming dreams and having visions -- I'm learning from the Master, Himself -- Divine provision is surfacing -- The Glory of God is being manifested, etc. etc. But I guess I forget that that isn't happening to everyone else as well. That's okay... it's not supposed to. That said, my expectations at the luncheon may not have been realistic.
I mean really... that's like me being on a trip to Hawaii, totally relaxed and bathing in the sun by the pool, sipping on a cool drink and calling you on the phone, while you're at the office, working on the most frustrating project imaginable, while trying to meet a 5 p.m. deadline and me telling you...
"Just relax! Is that so difficult?"
2. Regardless of my friends' wealth of ministry, giftings, experience and spiritual fruit, I don't really know where they are at in their hearts, what season of life they are in, or what God's doing in them, any more than they know those specifics about me. I can't and shouldn't assume they are where I am at this time. Maybe they are -- Maybe they aren't.
I just heard a well known minister preach a message about a time in which his ministry was booming, but his soul was sick. He had gotten off track, confessed his sins to God and God was re-working some things in His life. No one knew that was going on. God continued to move in his ministry regardless. People were getting saved, healed and delivered despite it all.
3. Everyone -- including me -- has both areas of personal strength and weakness. The #1 fear of most people in the world is public speaking. Yet, to me... most often, public speaking is like a playground. I love it! It's effortless, as long as I'm comfortable with the subject matter. At the other end of the spectrum, I'm awful when it comes to fixing things around the house -- or anything that has to do with cars. LOL.
One time, when I first bought the house I live in, some shelving had to be taken down off the wall. I couldn't get it down for the life of me. Someone told me to use a crowbar. Next thing I know, there were some pretty big holes in the wall. I had to get someone to come and plaster them for me. It was downright
embarrassing! Yet... the husband of one of my closest friends finds fixing things around the house to be his #1 stress reliever. He loves it! Figure that out!
I've got to be sensitive to the fact that everyone has different gifts. And when someone is called upon to do something that they're not gifted in... I need to be ready to extend a measure of grace. After all... that's what God does for me!
Meanwhile...
My girlfriend shared her heart with me
and all was made well!
She assured me that they are both for me and not against me. She believes, without a doubt, that her husband has given me his blessing in his own unique way. And without question, I can be assured they are covering me with generous prayer support!
Everything was made right in that conversation. Everything! The Holy Spirit was faithful to pour out His love upon us. Oh how I wish that it were always that easy! The devil never got his foot in the door. The air was cleared, and our relationship is better than ever.
I believe a lot of that is due to YOUR prayers!
THANK YOU JESUS!
All said... I'm back in flight,
Red shoes and all!
"All of you," that is!
I'm glad you're flying with me.
Gail
