Wow - God is so good (and this is long)

Today was the final night of corporate praise, worship & prayer with all those who joined in on the Sacred Gathering and wow, it was amazing.

This 2.5 day fast has been an adventure with God, I have to tell you. I feel like I've gone through every emotion out there. I have been excited by what God was teaching me, frustrated with what God was teaching me, etc. I had such high expectations for this experience and God really delivered. I was wondering yesterday. For most of the day I felt like I was in a wrestling match with God, very frustrating, but the end results were good.

That brings us to today, and tonight specifically.

During my time in the Word, I have been using the 1 year chronological bible and have been reading through Moses bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. I've read this many times before but this time God really used it to minister to me. A verse that stuck out to me was this:

"And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worship." - Exodus 4:31.

Now this was talking about when Moses & Aaron went to the elders of the Israelites with what God had told them but the wording struck me. WHEN THEY HEARD THAT THE LORD WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THEM the result was to BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP.

Isn't that what most people want really? I know I do - we all want to know that there is someone out there who is concerned for us, that cares about us, that is listening to us, etc. It makes a HUGE difference.

It's what we are doing in the small groups that are starting around the church for the 3:16 project? We are showing our care & concern for those around us and reaching out to them in these groups. Perhaps if they know that we are concerned about them then they will believe and know that God is even more concerned for them.

I have to make a confession, I didn't want to do a 3:16 group - not even a little bit. I agreed to host one because I knew that God wanted me to but I wasn't really "there" yet. I did it begrudgingly because I knew I should but I just didn't want to. In my thinking I already had a sunday school/small group that I loved, I didn't want another one. I was already involved at the church, I didn't need to get more involved. I didn't want to over-extend myself at all. Surely God couldn't be calling me to facilitate a group - NO WAY.

Um - YES WAY. God really convicted me to this about this a week or so ago and He solidified for me that this was what we were supposed to do over the past 3 days. I can honestly say that I am excited about it and ready to see what He does through it. I want God to use me & Eric to show care & concern for others and thereby lead them to bow down and worship Jesus.

The other major thing that God did for me, tonight specifically, is confirm to me where He wanted me to work. This may seem silly since I'm already working in certain areas in the church but it's what happened. Ever since becoming a mom I've always thought that I was supposed to be working with either young kids or moms. I quickly realized that I was not gifted to be working with young children as honestly I just needed a break from that age group, so, I assumed I should be working with moms. That said, I could just never get a real passion to do it and God certainly didn't open many doors in that area. I just wasn't motivated.

Fast forward (or rewind now, I guess) to nearly a year ago. I was feeling very convicted about needing to volunteer in the church and decided to give the high school ministry a shot. What David McCaman shared in "big" church really resonated with me and I wanted to try it out. Truthfully, I was overwhelmed with the idea before even starting as I kind of think of myself as "uncool" and not very in-touch with that age group. Aside from occasionally watching an MTV reality show (shame, shame, I know), I don't have much in common with kids that age. Talk to me about Dora and Diego and I can identify with you, anything else, well, you get the picture.

Volunteered in the high school ministry because I wanted to be challenged and step out side my comfort zone - sometimes that's where God can really use you the most because it's not something you can do on your own. I started to co-lead a group with a friend from Sunday School, Megan, and away we went.

It has been a wild ride, at least for me. I am constantly challenged and so many times have questioned God on what He was thinking when He put me in that ministry. More times than not I have felt completely inadequate to do the job. Don't get me wrong - I love it - and I love my girls. They are amazing and I am so excited to see what God is doing in their lives, yet I still questioned if this was the place for me.

Reading the story of Moses also showed me this. Moses asked God "Why me?" and didn't feel adequate to do the job that God had called Him to as well and look what God did through Him. It isn't about being adequate on our own but about trusting and obeying God to be faithful and providing you with what you need to serve Him where He calls you. I was reading the long list of instructions that God gave Moses about building the tabernacle and I was overwhelmed just reading it when the following verse caught my eye:

"I have given skill too all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you." Exodus 31:6b.

That stuck out to me because it says that while God had very specific and elaborate instructions for the tabernacle, He also provided people with the skills necessary to complete the task.

He'll do that for us to.

I had a moment of clarity tonight when I realized I am exactly where God wants me to be in the high school ministry. I am NOT called to work with moms (at this time), I am not called to work with preschoolers (at this time) but I am called to work with high schoolers, specifically the FANTASTIC group of girls that I have, and I am EXCITED about it. It was such a surprise to have that confirmed to me in such clarity tonight.

Dear Jesus. Wow, thank you for being such an amazing God. That you for filling my hunger for food with an even bigger hunger for You. Thank you for speaking to me and confirming to me where you want me to be. Thank you for giving me a passion to share You and to make you FAMOUS. Thank you for equipping to me serve You in the high school ministry. Please, please bless my girls and help them to see You in me. Help them to come to know You, love You and serve you with passion and purpose. You are an amazing God and I am in awe that You know me, love me unconditionally, and died for me on the cross. I love you.