Part 1: When All You’ve Got Is His Word
How do you go back to life as usual after receiving a rhema word straight from God to you? What are you to do with a promise, a prayer and little more than a rough sketch of the future?
You trust!
And let me tell you, it hasn’t been an easy undertaking. Last October I left the Ezer Collective with 2 words to anchor my passions, my dreams, my prayers and my tomorrows on – Audacious Ask.
Let’s rewind the story just a little bit. See, a few months prior to attending that weekend intensive hosted by Jo Saxton, I felt an uneasiness in my spirit. I knew there was something else, more, additional, I was supposed to do with my calling and my ministry. But what? Where? In what capacity? I told God that I would go wherever He wanted me to go. (In retrospect, that’s pretty audacious, right?!) I told Him that I would do what He’d gifted me to do (also kinda bold). To be used by Him is all I really wanted. But the frustration for this multi-passionate individual is, and always has been, focusing, settling in and finding where I was supposed to be.
After fasting and praying, answers started coming. Parameters started forming. Connections started sparking. Like a bloodhound fresh on a scent, I pursued His Spirit. And on that crisp fall day last October I was presented with a proposal – “Ask for what you need.”
And ask I have! Reflecting upon and analyzing the last 12 months of my life, my jaw almost drops. God has been so loving, gracious and worked nothing short of miracles in my life. The way He’s kept me in the palm of His hand as I stepped out on faith to follow the good route He laid out before me – one step at a time – has been incredible.
And it has required me to live boldly! This isn’t always easy, especially for a reserved, reforming “people-pleaser” like me. But it is funny what happens when that empowering grace swells up inside you. You can’t help but to exude the confidence that comes from knowing who you are and whose you are.
To be clear, I had to give up many things this year, face some pretty difficult situations, and shed some baggage. I suffered great disappointments as doors that I thought were being opened (for me and for others I’ve been praying for) closed with a slam. As churchy as this may sound, it is the honest truth – only His word and the knowledge of knowing who He is and what He can do is what sustained me. On a few occasions I had to go all the way back to the beginning – recounting what I know to be true about my Father. I had to go back to the fundamentals, because the reality that I was facing was such a bitter pill to swallow, a disappointment I had never imagined, or an existence I’d never thought would be mine.
And just a side note, this is exactly what I preached about on the last Sunday of December 2017. The sermon was The Promise Keeper and I talked about how to receive, stand on and patiently await His promises. Wouldn’t you know, that sermon would come back up many times in the dark and uncertain times of 2018 to remind me of where I should place my faith.
I’d be lying if I said there weren’t moments of doubt. Questioning if I made the right decision, if I heard Him correctly, if I was really meant to do what I was pursuing. But really, I have no time to dwell on doubts. True, I haven’t seen the manifestation of most of the promises. But I’ve seen enough. I’ve heard enough. I’ve felt enough. I’ve tasted enough of the Lord to know without a shadow of a doubt that He will not leave me, forsake me, leave me hanging, or not see this good work He’s started in me not come into full maturity.
Because I’m goal-oriented, I like to take account of what has been accomplished. Well let’s see, this year I’ve:
Moved to a new city
Wrote a book (publishing soon) and tested a virtual challenge group
Created and grew my online brand (2 actually)
Started micro-vlogging (yes, I’m mashing up and making up terms)
Learned content marketing, brand strategy and online course creation
Legally established my consulting firm
Accepted a new position, still in ministry and closely aligned with my skills and passions, that I started last week
But I am 100% certain that all of that doesn’t even start to compare to what He’s got planned for me. So, I’m gonna continue pursuing that Holy Spirit scent, allowing Him to lead me to the good places (see that plural, lol) that He has for me.
I share all this as a testament, proof, of what He can do in your life if you but yield to His good plans and chase after Him. I’m firmly convinced that He won’t lead you astray. It may look different than you imagined. Yet, what He’s got for you is no doubt amazing. Why am I so confident? Because He is an amazing God! (insert emoji of woman running ‘round the church!!!) And why would anyone expect anything less than amazing from an amazing God?
What audacious asks do you need to make? Try Him. Let Him use you. I bet He’ll blow your mind!