This weekend I went back to Wisconsin for a family wedding. The time I got to spend at home was so nice! I have to admit, it was hard to miss action back at the house (I heard there was even an impromptu dance party Friday night), but I loved getting to celebrate Matt and Tanya’s wedding with everyone back home and having a couple quality slumber parties with Alex.
Other than the wedding and reception, I had a pretty uneventful weekend, spent a few hours in the Minneapolis airport on layover and got to do a little shopping with mom before I hit the Milwaukee airport which was much more fun than they layover.
Today has been pretty good so far. Sally is sick :( but that meant I got take her job and help Miss Cindy in the kitchen this morning. I made a strawberry shortcake dessert which makes me look forward to dinner much more than usual. Also, I finally got a call from Boys and Girls Club headquarters and my paperwork is through!!!! I go in tomorrow for orientation and training and will hopefully be working with them everyday from here on out!! So, that's a huge praise, I can't wait to start!
Last week in our small group Bible study we went over 2nd Timothy 1. I've gone through this chapter a few different times, but last week as we worked through it, it really stuck me that this book is not only a great epistle in the New Testament, but it is actually a letter from Paul to Timothy. I know that sounds pretty basic, but taking this into consideration really put some things in perspective for me.
A verse that has fueled my pursuit of being more bold the past couple weeks is 2nd Timothy 1:7.
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
Seeing this verse as reassurance from God's Word has been great for me. There were definitely a few times during the SPECIAL where I was able to push through knowing that God gave me a spirit especially designed to endure through that moment in time. However, thinking of this verse in a less broad sense, but simply as a reassurance from one old and faithful Christ follower to his disciple, shed a completely new light on the verse.
Often times I think I read the Bible with the impression that the people in the Bible, especially New Testament, were perfect Christians that I could never measure up to. I see how God was able to use them to start His church on earth and jump to the conclusion that they were “way better” than me and that God could never use me as effectively. But seeing here that Paul was compelled by God to reassure Timothy that he was able to overcome his own inadequacies, I am honestly comforted in the fact that God could use someone with the same fears and doubts that I have to do great things. Not that I feel justified in doubting God or that I think it is a good thing I struggle with boldness, but knowing that I even in the midst of weakness, God is able to use us, His servants, to do great things for His kingdom, if only we take that first step and let Him work through us. I think I may always struggle to embrace the boldness that Paul encourages Timothy to take hold of throughout this book, but knowing that I can grasp onto the same promises that Paul brings to Timothy to overcome his own doubts give me hope that maybe I will be able to do the same.
Randi,
ReplyDeleteWe have enjoyed reading your posts. This one struck a chord in me because I have noted how God chooses people to speak for Him. He purposefully chooses individuals who are flawed (are we not all in that boat?), who are not great orators, who are shy or unwilling, too old, or too young, with speech impediments (that's what they think may have been Paul's thorn in his side), murderers, adulterers, tax collectors, people who are educated, uneducated, blind, people who once hated him, but because He chooses them, prods them, shapes them like clay, places them in the fire and makes them a new creation, they can do His will. Then, when they are most fearful and most doubting, He gives them the words and says to them, "I choose you to spread My word to this person or that group who needs Me". I know. I spent many years working as an ICU nurse where people are experiencing some of the worst moments of their lives. I often worked with those who were dying, despite all of the efforts of modern medicine. Sometimes those patients, but more often their families, were in desperate need of the Savior and He would call to me "Linda - share My Word, My Hope of Salvation". My response? "Isn't there someone else Lord - how about the chaplain, or the priest, or ..." And He made it clear that the message was now, that He had prepared their hearts and I was His child and had to share His message. So I would take a deep breath, not knowing what I was about to say, praying for the right words, and I would hear my voice saying the words that the Holy Spirit placed there. Each time when I was done, I was ashamed that I had been afraid and thankful that once again, He had provided the words.
Keep studying. We'll keep praying for you.
Linda and Dale Sanner
Thanks Linda so much for the encouragement, its crazy to think how He puts us in just the "right" position sometimes and we don't even know it.
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