go crazy.

Today, I did something scary.  Something I don’t ever do.  Way out there from my comfort zone.  Not very culturally acceptable.  Not within my giftings.  At all.

And this is why I recommend it. 

When we step out and do things we never imagined ourselves doing, aren’t naturally good at and don’t have the habit of doing, it causes us to step out on Him alone.

Preparing to preach in church or chapel typically takes Matt about 20 minutes. When asked to preach during the worship before the sermon…less.  But he always preaches with fluency and passion…clarity and power. 

And I can whip up an English lesson on the spot.  Teach a craft.  Lead a study.  Write a post.  Whip out dinner.  But preach?  My lands.  Please no.  On French day?   gasp.

Which means the last week, I have spent HOURS praying, writing, practicing, researching, translating, and tweaking. 

Sometimes, we’re so used to doing things that we feel like we can do it--and well--on our own.  I can’t tell you the last time I begged the Lord to meet me during an English class.  I’ve taught 1000.  I get to thinking I can do that just fine on my own.

But chapel?  I knew from the start I needed Him, met Him over it 50 times, sought Him out in the wee morning hours, and stood behind the pulpit only on His strength.  And after taking Him on so fervently, I look more like Him today than I did before. 

I’m thankful for that.

When people see us doing things they KNOW are difficult for us because of our love for God and for them, it is such a great testimony of Christ in our lives!

When everyone knows you pick-up take out 6 nights a week, but you stepped out and baked them dinner right when they needed it?  His love.

When they know you don’t care a whit about football or quilting or international adoption or scuba diving, and find you befriending them in one of those ways?  Extraordinary. 

When everyone knows ________ is your thing, but _________ is their thing, and so you do their thing to bless them?  Even though you’re not comfortable?  Not excellent at it?  His love. 

When we die to self and pursue bringing joy to His heart and showing His love to others?...powerful.

The students know French is a mouthful for me.  And they know Creole is never going to be my first language.  They know I hate being in front of a crowd.  They know I’ve never been to Seminary.  They know I am a woman.

And now  they know that I love them. 

I’m really thankful for that, too.

When He empowers us to DO IT, and stepping out on faith, the thing has been DONE, there is such a joy to be found in His sufficiency.

That which we don’t believe He can do may just be because we have never stepped out and given Him the opportunity to. 

When all was said and done today, and I was off the stage and straight to school to get Lily, all I could think was, “Thank you, Lord.  You did it” …only to realize that of course He did.  Really?  Did I think CHAPEL was too great for Him?

No.  I just knew it was too great for me.  But it’s hard to truly be fully relying upon God when we’re sticking to where it’s safe. 

Maybe teaching your children is very natural for you.  But maybe asking them for forgiveness makes your mouth go dry.  Maybe writing letters is your forte, but the thought of serving dinner at a homeless shelter makes you sweat.  Or maybe you’ve been praying in the prisons for 25 years, but the thought of forgiving ____________ sounds JUST too scary.

Maybe there’s something He’s been poking you to action.  Maybe there’s been an opportunity presented that made you laugh and think, “Uh, do they not know me AT ALL?  Yeah, right!”  Maybe He’s shown you a person to embrace, a new way to reach out, a co-worker to share the Gospel with in the way you usually do...or a whole new way, prompted a letter for you to write, made a way for you--background person--to boldly step out…or for you, loves-to-work-with-youth dynamo, an elderly person to uncomfortably sit with.

Our personalities and giftings and experiences are to be NO excuse IF He is asking.  If He is opening a door, do we trust that HE is greater than our personalities and gifts and experiences?  

When we stray from ourselves, reaching our hand out for His…stepping outside of that boat onto impossibility…it is in our weakness that He is strong.

Take courage.  Have faith.  Do something CRAZY today.  For His glory.