teacher not the student! I was the child, who was maybe two years older than the youngest one in the Church nursery, but I felt I could handle caring for the children during Church! In addition, my manner convinced others I could do things! Thankfully for me, my mother saw that I was a bit of a different duck, and while she would encourage me in ways that I will forever thank her for as her touches on my life have softened my edges and shown me sensitivity to the Spirit, it was her leadership over me that taught me to “listen” to God! When you tend to be a strong person on your own, you come out of the gate ready to go. You know yourself and what works best so you plow ahead. But God! But God made each one of us! He understands our natures, who we are, our abilities and what works and doesn’t work for us! And the deal is this: not all things that we think are right for us actually are! Isaiah 55: 8 & 9 reminds us that, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord”, despite how hard I have tried to convince Him otherwise! When we submit our lives to the Lord and give Him control, He does not take away our personality or our strengths. Instead, He enhances them to bring Him Honor and Glory! He is the One who created your personality to begin with. I am sure in my life He has kept an eagle eye on me and has burst out laughing at some of my antics along my journey! We were made for Him! We are not in this life for us or for what we can get out of it and that is what we forget way too often! When there is sin in our lives, there is separation from God. When we do not listen to His voice or wait upon Him and ignore His Spirit of direction, we lose His peace! There is no other god in this world that cares about what happens to you or the direction you take, except for the one true God! He holds your life in His hands and waits to communicate His will to you. I can tell you from example that I am still a strong-willed woman. But I have put my life in the hands of the One who made me. Since doing so, I have had instruction (some I didn’t want to hear), and speed bumps on my journey that have slowed me down when I felt I needed to forge ahead, and I have the guidance of His will for my life! I am still the same person: I laugh all the time, I have joy in my spirit, I have thankfulness in my heart and because I know Who holds me together, I have PEACE!
Day | 23