"He's (God) always stretching us, you know Bilquis, until we don't have a safe handhold left except Him." It sounded good, but I still didn't like being stretched and told Synnove as much. She just laughed. "Of course you don't, dear Bilquis. Who ever wants to leave the safety of a womb? But adventure lies ahead!" - An excerpt from 'I Dared to Call Him Father'
Staying up till three a.m. talking is not kosher to waking up early and accomplishing a lot in the mornings. But honestly I would rather be sleep deprived for a million years and encourage my friends. Than be well rested and not take the time to listen, advise and pray over them.
I have a lot of people that I know. But there are very few people that I'm actually friends with. Personally, I think if everyone was honest with themselves, this is true for everybody.
Lately, in talking with my friends it has amazed me the common chord we all have going on in our lives. God is getting us ALL out of our comfort zones. And let me tell you, it's not a very easy experience. But like the excerpt says "Adventure lies ahead!"
It has always been that way in my life. God doesn't call me out of my place of safety to lead me into sorrow and distress. Yes, the adventure He calls me onto might have times of sadness but God always has a plan and a purpose for that.
To some of my friends dismay I have been reading.. A LOT and telling them to read different passages too. The life of Abraham in Genesis has been a big one lately. (Genesis 12-25)Abraham is one of the "great" men of the Bible. He had times of great success in trusting the Lord but like the rest of us he had his moments where he wanted to do things his own way.
Recently, in my own life I have felt like God is calling me to start a college age girls ministry/bible study. For about a year I have been toying with the idea. At first it was going to be another young woman and I co - leading a study of the women of the Bible. Then she found that school was enough of a bite to chew and couldn't do it with me. About three months ago one of my friends Mom's offered me the use of their beautiful home to host the study in. At that point the study morphed into a study of Esther. And I keep putting it off and putting it off. Feeling like school is smacking me around.. Now, I feel like God is really saying, "Ash, when I say now I mean NOW!". Again the study has changed direction a bit. My hope and desire is that it will be a place for college age girls to fellowship and be encouraged to be content with where God has them.
There are moments lately that I have asked God, "why me?" Why on earth would God have me be the leader of something like that? Aren't I still the age where I should be taught by an older woman? What is God wanting me to learn? Maybe that is the scariest most unsettling question of them all, "What is God wanting me to learn?" Thankfully I serve a loving God who doesn't give me more than I can handle.
But it still is a bit scary. However on the same note I'm really, really excited!
Where will this adventure lead? Who will I meet on along the way? How will my relationship with God change? All very exciting questions.
I suggest anyone reading my blog to read Ephesians and Genesis 12-25.
