Cliff Jumping

Six days until I take-off for Ghana, Africa for the entirety of June and July! I'm excited, but also, I kind of feel like I'm about to jump off the edge of a cliff, and I have no idea what is going to be at the bottom!

I don't know what to expect. 

Everything I do expect, I've been told, will not be anything like I've ever imagined.

And I tend to have a pretty good imagination. :)

Which leads me to the verse that God laid on my heart this evening:

"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps." 
~ Proverbs 16:9

As I related in a recent post, that explains my journey-before-the-journey ("Going to Ghana"), the last eight months especially have been full of huge changes, and God has taught me so much through those experiences. Yes, most of us hate change - but isn't it amazing how God seems to use these situations to grow and mature us sooooo much? :)

So, we're walking along and we have our ideas of how our lives should look, where we're headed, how things are going to be, and how we're going to control things and make everything just right (at least I'M guilty of this kind of thinking). Then BAM! God does His own thing. And it can be painful. It can be REALLY painful. 

Before August 2013, I'd never experienced a crippling depression where I literally couldn't do anything but sit in a corner and cry. I'd never felt stress so hard that I thought my chest was going to explode. I never knew a sadness so intimate where it felt like part of me was being ripped away.

But I look back at these last eight months, and can't imagine where I'd be if I hadn't learned the lessons I've learned THROUGH the change and THROUGH the trials.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." ~ James 1:2-4

I know these next two months are going to be a HUGE time of learning perseverance and growing in my faith - and even if my best plans and imaginations go awry, God is the one who is establishing my steps. He is the one making my paths straight when I trust in Him. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Today, I had an amazing time with a friend who just gotten back from Africa last month. We had such a great time! She gave me so many good ideas and thoughts, and I know both of us walked away encouraged by our time together (Proverbs 27:17). But one of the things she said that really stuck with me was this: that God did not make a mistake when He chose me for this mission.

Yes, we all know God has a purpose for our life (though we often forget it). But not only does He have a purpose - His purpose is good. No mistakes involved. Not even a little.

"If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." ~ Romans 14:8

Maybe some of you are in the same boat as me. You're cliff-jumping, and it's scary, or sad, or nerve-wracking, or exciting, or all of the above! 

Just remember that you are not alone, and you are not a mistake - and that what happens to you is not a mistake. God chose you for an incredible mission, whether in your own backyard or on the other side of the planet. And He's the same God on top of the cliff as well as over the side of the cliff.

Ok...so easy words to write, think, and believe. Now time to live them out. 

And take the leap of faith.

~~~~

In Christ,
Ellie Faggion

Comments

  1. aiwilliamsMay 23, 2014 at 7:11 PM

    May He bless every deed of faith prompted by your love for Him and for those whom you go to serve!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

People Matter

Image
Today was one of those first time experiences that I'll never forget. I've been a part of our local Church Body - Southwest Wake Christian Assembly (SWCA) - for right around eight years, and although we've had a dozen births and a handful of marriages, we've never had a death of one of Body members. One of our oldest members, Mr. Bob, was just transferred to Hospice this week with likely only a few more days to live on this earth. The whole situation was rather sudden - I knew he'd struggled with health issues for a while and was weak, but I didn't realize how close he's been to death. Today I got to visit him. Unfortunately, he was sound asleep the whole time, but I still got to talk and sing loudly to him. Even if he didn't hear anything I said or sang, I'm sure God will pass along the message when Mr. Bob falls into His embrace. I admit, I cried. It was emotional seeing him there, knowing he won't be here for much longer. I was also sad tha
Read more

Gracious Speech - Part 2

Image
In my last blog post, we looked at the attributes of Jesus' speech, seeing that we are to follow his example. One of those attributes is that he was submissive to the Father, both in word and deed. Today, we're going to look at some of those verses where Jesus submits to the Father, and by doing so shows his authority. ~~~ "Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'" ~ Mt. 3:15-17 Sometimes, from our time in prayer, reading in the Word, and/or a rebuke from a brother or sister in Christ, we can wonder why God wants us to do something or do it a certain way. In following Jesus' example, we should be quick to answer
Read more

Dance Before the Lord

Image
Today I read 2 Samuel 6. This is when David and all of Israel are bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. The first time is a failure (the dude touches the Ark and dies, David gets spooked, and lets some other guy take care of it for a while), but I focused my study on the second part of the chapter, when they're bringing it in again the right way. It says that David danced before the Lord (and subsequently all of Israel) with "all his might". There were shouts, and trumpets, and other musical instruments blaring, I'm sure. Then David began "leaping and dancing" in celebration and thankfulness before the Lord. Not only is David held in honor by the people for this whole-hearted display (as we find out later in the chapter), but David also blesses the people by giving them all food. However, David's wife Michal (Saul's daughter), despises and condemns David for his dancing, saying that he made an utter fool of himself before the people.
Read more