Mark's parents live in Chatham, which is 4 1/2 hours away from here. Mark's mom does not prefer to live so far away from her grandchildren. They are in their eighth year of living away from family. Mark's mom has not liked being away since the day they left.
Mark's dad is a children's pastor and works on Sundays and they are very involved in their church life. Just as we are. This makes visiting on weekends very challenging.
I knew it would probably be difficult for Mark's mom to not see her family for Easter. On Monday evening I remembered that I had not bought a card to mail. I doubted very much that a Tuesday mailing would arrive by Thursday. I thought perhaps I should send flowers.
This thought then left my mind until Thursday. Thursday afternoon my husband informed me that after speaking with his dad he learned that his mom was missing her grandchildren and was once again asking why they needed to be so far away.
I remembered the flowers. I immediately phoned a florist and requested a spring bouquet to be delivered. They arrived while Mark's parents were having dinner. She was thrilled.
How many times have I heard God prompting me to do something and I haven't done it? Sometimes it's about me obeying and other times it's not about me. Sometimes it's that God needs a need to be met and He is allowing us to take part in the blessing. He is asking us if He will allow Him to use us.
The evangelist D.L. Moody is reported to have said to his sons, by his bedside, before he died, "If God be your partner, make your plans large."
Make my plans LARGE. That certainly removes any inhibitions that I place on myself.
Am I allowing God to do all that He desires in my life?? Am I saying 'Yes' to the dreams that God has breathed into my heart??
I am inspired by the manufacturer Nike slogan: Just Do It
How many times do I second guess myself? How many times do I withdraw into my own insecurities? How many times does God have to move on to the next willing vessel?
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
I want my plans to be God's plans for me. I want to follow His will for my life. I desire to dream God's dreams.
Let's Just Do It.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Really Big Plans
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7 comments:
I do this often Rhonda. Quite often I hear myself saying things like "Now why would they need muffins" or "what would a phone call from me do?"-- We do need to take the limits off, dream God's dreams, and JUST DO IT!
Learning to be faithful in the "little" things is a MASSIVE key. It's all about hearing, knowing we are hearing and willing to obey what we don't understand.
God's dreams for each of us are HUGE, but he grows us into these dreams and opportunities through the faithfulness of the everyday....it's so easy to dismiss the seemingly unimportant...yet it can make such a difference.
So, glad you heard and listened Rhonda...you have brightened the heart and home of your mother in law, but you have also drawn in a little closer to the heart of God.
BLESS YOU!
Great job Rhonda for listening AND then actually doing!! I think that the more we are faithful to DO we actually become better at hearing. Or maybe God trusts us more...and tells us more secrets of his heart? Hmmm....I am going to ponder on that.
THANKS for sharing this!
Yes, I too have heard and sometimes have not acted on it. I am also learning to actually act on that prompting. Let's do it, together. Imagine what can be accomplished.....
Happy Easter!!!!!
I really need to get better about following through on the things that enter my mind. I have great thoughts but if I don't see them through to completion they mean nothing! Thanks for that reminder.
The past year has been a learning experience for me about the BIGNESS of God. In fact one of my journal entries recently talked about Him being a Massive God and Jen's comment above used the same word. I am so glad I visited you today! It has encouraged me greatly!
I think you might be channeling me today! I do that all of the time. "They would think I'm crazy if I offered to give them a ride" "He wouldn't take this bag of Whataburger." The list goes on and on, and I am ashamed at how many times I've ignored it and then wondered later what might have happened if I had been more responsive.
It's good to know that others do this very same thing, and it encourages me to let go of my own inhibitions and just do it!
Xandra
This is such a great reminder to LISTEN and then OBEY Him! Thanks Rhonda. I bet you just lifted your mother-in-law's heart so much! How sweet of Jesus to put that on your heart, so much prettier than a card! :)
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