This past week for reasons I won't go into right now, I've felt the need to get on my knees and pray about something specific. So how do we know God's plan? How do we know if it's God controlling the situation or if it's us? Have I forgotten to, "Let go and let God!?" Is it just me that questions myself, my decisions, or is that something we all do? Ya know before I became a follower of God I didn't question my decisions, as much. I would at times think about how my choices would affect my kids (not often enough though) or my spouse (when I was married), and even my parents, family and/or friends, but when it came down to it, it was my decision, my choice. Well those times are gone. It's not about me anymore, well it never was, I just didn't realize that. It's about God, about what He has planned for me and my life. Each and every time I say a prayer I always try to remember to ask Him the same thing..."prepare me God for what you are preparing me for." I don't know what that is going to be, but in the mean time, "Lord, can you please let me know, somehow, someway, that I am making the right decisions?!!" There's my rant for now.
This past fall I started thinking about getting baptized. A couple of weeks ago I looked around at church to see if there was anything posted about when the next baptism was going to be. I couldn't find anything. The following week Pastor Mike started a new series called, "Next Step." Well our next step could be one of many things, but I knew mine was baptism. He mentioned that for the next 3 weeks we would be having baptism for any that felt led to do so. The last of the 3 weeks just happens to be on my birthday and it's a weekend that my daughter will be with me. "Hey Stephanie, here's your sign!" So on the 27th of this month I will be going through believers baptism. Yea!! I'm pretty excited about it. It feels good to know I'm taking the next step that God has led me to do. I wish it was always this easy to see His plans for me though. So what if I'm shown my next step and I fight it? Well here's a few things I learned in church today. Instead of listening to what God says...we tend to say, "...but I thought...", "...but I can't...", "...no, I won't..." I haven't done bullet points in awhile, or asterisk cause I can't find bullets on my laptop, lol.
When we say...
*I thought: well that causes uncertainty
*I can't: causes fear, anxiety
*I won't: let's face it, that's clearly Pride!!
When we let go and let God our uncertainty becomes certainty; our fear becomes faith; and our pride becomes humility. Then Pastor Mike said something that hit home and being the cry baby that I seem to be lately, also made me tear up. He said that we may be the next step for someone else. That goes back to my questions at the beginning of this entry. How do I know? I feel I could be the next step for someone and that's a big part of what I've been questioning of myself this week. I just don't know if my time on my knees praying is giving me my answer from God or if it's ME answering myself. All I can do is continue to pray about it, continue to have faith and continue to believe and trust in God.
Back to baptism for a minute. Remember the Connections class that I talked about back in October/November that I was going to? There were about 14 of us in that class and I am thrilled to be able to call all of them friend. Well today one of us got baptized !! Not only were most of us there to witness this but we sat with him during service and then stood up with him while he went through the whole thing. That was one of the most fantastic things I have ever been a part of!! Of course yours truly cried, haha. I just can't seem to quit crying, good tears of course.
Tah-tah for now. Have a fantastic week...Be great...Be YOUtiful !!
Psalm 86:11 Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do, and I will obey you faithfully; teach me to serve you with complete devotion. (GNT)
Jeremiah 29:11 “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.” (NIV)
