Open handed faith...

There are so many words...so many words...worry, failure, uncertainty, change...the list could go on and on, but instead I choose to cast those words out...cast them far away from my reality.  My reality is firmly planted in open handed faith.  Faith in the fact that I know that my precious Lord has plans for me...plans to prosper me...not to harm me...and so with this open handed faith I move on.  I move on from my nice cozy existence into an uncomfortable change that will challenge me, strengthen me, and stretch me.  All of this would sound crazy and scary if I didn't know that my God has got this.  He has known about these changes long before I was even a blip on the map.  How can I argue with that?   I can't so I open my hands and have faith and pray and trust and know that all things work together for good.  He never said that all those things would be easy or comfortable...He never said they would all be beautiful or not messy, but what He did say is that He would go before us...He would prepare us a way, and ALL we have to do is have faith and come to Him.  He has been preparing me for these changes for quite a while now.  I can look back now and see that the soul work that He has been doing in me was all to prepare me.  I am so thankful that my God knows me the way He does and knew what I would need a lot of soul work to get me to this point in His kingdom work.

So now with this open handed faith I move on to where I feel He is calling me.  I walk away from an area professionally that I love and feel confident to move on to something unfamiliar and unknown.  I make space how He has provided a way to have the valuable time to be present where He is calling me to be present.  I am stepping out in faith to have Him work through me to be present in my church...present for my people...and use my professional skills in a different space.  If I relied on my own strength I would be under that quilt you see in this picture shaking like a leaf, but instead I rely on His ever present strength and know HE'S GOT THIS.  

I led my first small group in my women's group at church.  I prayed my way into that room.  I prayed my way through that night.  I prayed for God's words in my mouth...certainly not my own because we all know I love Jesus but cuss a little.  I prayed that He would sit the women at that table that He could use to strengthen me and me pour into them.  It was beautiful...way more than I could have ever asked or imagined...as usual.  It is such a perfect example of how obedience will always have treasures far greater than we could ever imagine.  Our part is easy...pray, listen, and just show up.  I have also been praying for God to fill the space that leaving my current professional role would undoubtedly leave, and of course He did.  I got the opportunity to serve in the special needs children's ministry at my church.  I knew that this opportunity would bless me so much more than I would be dishing out any blessings.   Did I mention that my sweet God is so good...because He is.  

So now I continue to pray and be obedient and listen and walk in the path that He calls me to.  On Thursday I said see ya later to some of my favorite people that I have been so blessed to work with.  I say see ya later professionally, but not personally.  That is the really amazing thing about the people who are my people...we may not do work together like before, but we continue to do life together.  So to my sweet peeps...you know I love you...you know we will be seeing each other...you know I wouldn't let you be done with me that easily...and we will be doing this work together again...I know it in my bones.  I pray everyday that God uses this time in my life to make me a better servant for Him so that I can only come out on the other side able to be a better servant and advocate for these precious patients we serve...whether little ones or big ones.  

Tomorrow I will walk into a new room with some familiar faces and some new faces too.  I walk into a new position for a new company.  I will allow God to use this time as a sabbatical for more soul work...and honestly I am so excited about this time.  Excited for what I am believing God for...excited for the growth work that I know He will do...excited for a new adventure.  

I just want to say thank you.  Thank you to my people for supporting me...thank you to my God for calling me...shaking me...and strengthening me during this season.  

GOD IS SO GOOD!!  

P.S.  Thank you grandmother for forgiving me and having grace about this tattoo!  I wanted an outward symbol of the faith that is tattooed on my heart!   Love you for loving me like Christ loves us :)