Trust Him

7:00 PM: I received a frenzied phone call from a deacon at Hills Baptist church. They were in urgent need of someone to give the message the next morning. I said, “Sure! Because, I mean really, what are author/speaker friends for?”

8:00 PM: While driving home from Noblesville, I called my prayer partner to pray and make plans.

8:30 PM: Arrived home and sent texts to everyone I could think of that might pray for me, God’s message for the church and their reception of it.

9:00 PM: I took a long shower to pray and ask God what that message was. He wouldn’t tell me! While getting ready for bed? No response. In my dreams? Nothing. Not a single peep!

6:00 AM Sunday: I got up and pulled out my trusty notebook and Reynolds Farm Equipment pen to start writing. God’s message or not, I needed something!

9:00 AM: With my message mostly written and the family dressed and ready, we jumped into the truck and headed north to Hills Baptist where we were ever-so-warmly received. I kid you not, it felt like walking into my mom’s house it was so warm and homey there! Isn’t it awesome how the brotherhood of believers really is a family in Christ!

9:30 AM: the family gets all nestled into their pew, and the service gets underway. I stepped up behind the pulpit, set my Bible and notebook down, opened my mouth and the Holy Spirit took over. From that moment on I didn’t even glance at my notes. Because I wasn’t delivering my message I was delivering His. Standing there staring at that sea of beautiful friendly faces He said to me, “What were you so afraid of? All these weeks of stressing, did you really think I wouldn’t show up?”

From the first day I accepted this call into the ministry I have been overwhelmed by the responsibility of it all. But what God showed me on Sunday is how little I trusted Him to help me do what He has called me to do! For the last month I’ve been stressing over the right words to say and the right way to present them, all the while forgetting that the One who called me to it, would also be the One to get me through it.

My God is the greatest promise keeper there ever was or will be. Even if it kills Him, He will keep His promises, from the greatest to the least. And in those times when it doesn’t feel like He’s ever going to come through, those are the times when we need to put our high heels on and dig them in. We’ve got to stand firm in our belief of His faithfulness to us. If we’re not standing firm in our faith, we won’t stand at all. His faithfulness is our shield and rampart. He is a refuge in which we can trust.