Saturday, January 29, 2011

Are you afraid to talk to others about God?

The other day I blogged my first post with my answer to the question "Do you have to go to church to be spiritual?" I confess I was very hesitant about posting it. Not because I was afraid to talk about my love of Jesus but because I bared some personal stuff which I don't do except with my most trusted friends. When I began writing the post I didn't intend for it to be a long post and certainly didn't intend to include such personal details. However, while I was writing I kept hearing God speak and knew what I was writing was not good enough. I kept writing and re-writing until I knew the only way I could get my point across was to include what He had done for me, including the pain I have endured. So many times people look at Christians and think "Of course it is easy for them to have faith...they have such a great life." Well, that's not the case. Every person has a story. Every person deals with trials, struggles and bad stuff in their life. It is how you choose to deal with it that makes the difference. Having God on my side and in my life allows me to deal with things from a different perspective. Rather than walking around moping with a frown all the time and focusing on the negative saying "Why me? Nothing will ever get better.", I can focus on the good in my life and say with a smile "Thank you, dear Lord, for what you have given me. I trust in You and the plans You have for me." My prayer for anyone that knows God is to teach others about His love and grace...even in the midst of trials. Why? Because we believe what God says. We believe what God says about Himself and believe what He says about us. It takes an act of faith. Everyone has faith in something or someone. I've never seen God, but I know He is. Just as I've never seen the wind - but I've heard it blow soft and hard and felt it on my face. I believe God. I believe He is perfect. He makes no mistakes. He has a perfect plan for my life and for yours. I believe God's ways are higher than our ways. This is why we need to not be afraid to talk to others about Him. If I had any hesitation in posting what was laid on my heart, any doubts that I was hearing Him right are gone. So if you have any doubts about telling others about your love for Jesus, don't! Let me tell you why...God WILL use you in a powerful way. I am so amazed and humbled to know that my post touched someone and I had to share it with you so you could understand the affirmation that God will work through you.


The day before I posted the last blog I "friended" someone on Facebook. I had gone to church with her years before and had lost touch not too long after she moved out of state. I ran across her on another friend's page and almost didn't send the request because I wasn't sure if she would remember me...but I did anyways because even though we never had the chance to be close friends I liked and respected her for being kind and true to herself and others. She accepted my request and I hadn't gotten around to sending her a "hello" before I got a message from her. I was expecting a "hello, how have you been?" but it turns out she confided she hadn't "friended" me for the same reason, thinking I wouldn't remember her. Isn't God funny! :) She went on to tell me she read my blog and to let me know how amazing God's timing is! If I hadn't friended her she would have missed my post and the timing of it was perfect! She has another friend that blogs and the day before her friend had posted saying "she wasn't sure why she wasn't getting it"...meaning God. My friend told me her friend had struggled with almost all the same things I had over the years...the questions I had, she had, etc...so she sent her the link to my post. The next day the woman posted on her blog:

"What a day it was. Aside from all the errands and sunshine, the my mood was somewhat somber. I think all the heavy thinking from yesterday put me there. Sometimes I forget what kind of support system I have around me but when I write posts like I did yesterday, I’m quickly reminded. I received a lot of emails and messages through facebook with offerings, help, guidance, and a shoulder to lean on. They all meant something to me and read them over and over but Dorene shared a link with me from a woman who is (was) much like me & my struggles. I found myself nodding my head throughout the entire read because I thought she was talking about me in SO many ways. It opened my eyes to a few things, which I’ll share over the next month."

All I can say is that if what I wrote touched this woman I have never met, who is in another state, God is definitely in control here and it was definitely worth it to share my personal story!

As a side note, I had a crummy morning on Friday. I was on my way out the door to work with plenty of time to spare to find out I could not get out of my driveway! I get no sun on the front side of my house so the snow just turned to ice and I have just enough of an incline that I couldn't get to the clear, bare pavement just a few feet away on the road! It took me about 25 minutes of maneuvering, trying to shovel (to the dislike of my back) and using the last bit of my Ice Melt to get out. I was to the point of being so mad and frustrated I was near tears. I felt helpless and alone. I almost gave up and just went back inside and crawled in bed to hide under the covers. If I didn't have something pressing at work I probably would have. By the time I got to the road I just knew it was going to be a horrible day. On the way to work...sitting at the long light at Falmouth ;) ...I checked my email to find my friend's message. The tears that I had welling up five minutes before came out. Only these weren't tears of frustration but of JOY! Joy because I had connected with someone I don't even know. God even used this to turn my day around. He has an amazing way of placing people in our lives when we need them the most. How awesome is that?!

Please join me in praying for "A Cowboy's Wife". I am looking forward to keeping track of her and I pray that she does find the kind of church home I have but if she doesn't tomorrow or the next week or the next months I know God will be right there with her waiting for her to "get it" ;-) because He NEVER leaves us!

You never know how God will use you, do you? Even when you least expect it. God's timing is the only timing. Walking with God is life changing, not only for you, but others as well. The next time you hesitate in sharing the glory of God remember HE will definitely work through you!

Heart & Soul,
Cassie

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