SIde of the Road Blessings

I want to share a story with you. Yesterday, I was at work for 45 minutes and I got so sick I could barely move. So I politely asked my boss if I could work from home that day- I just upkeep a website so that was okay with him. I start driving home and I see this woman FRANTICALLY running down the highway. She has no coat on, it's 35 degrees outside or it feels like it is anyways. She has a gas can in her hand and I could see tears on her face even from the road. I have never before in my life stopped for anyone on the side of the road. I don't know why. Maybe it's dangerous, but this time I heard God so clearly and I could not ignore His voice. But I felt horrible, but I couldn't argue with Him. He asked me to stop and help His daughter. So scared out of my mind- I did just that. I stopped all the while imagining a warm bed and pepto bismol. But He chose compassion over exhaustion and so would I. Even in what seems like a simple moment. She gets in my car and without hesitation continually thanks me over and over again. So I asked her what her story was and she told me that her truck had simply stopped on the side of the road-she ran out of gas and needed to get her daughter and her granddaughter home. Simple as that, no huge story. So I was thinking and praying the whole time on the way to the gas station when she looked at me and said: "You must have Jesus in you." I didn't even have to speak His name and she knew. He was there. He had orchestrated this. Oh me of little faith!! I didn't even speak and God spoke through little, sickly, about-to-throw-up-all-over-you ME. I drove her back to her truck and asked if I could pray with her. She then told me a whole slew of just downright ugly things she and her family was going through. She hurriedly got out of my car so right there I prayed for her and her family in my car and it hit me. I was sick for a reason. I got sick at just the right time so I could be Jesus for somebody. When I left I was still sick, but in a sense it was a more enjoyable sick because I knew every little moment in my life-good or bad- is orchestrated by a wonderful Savior who cares for each of His children just the same. Jesus so tenderly whispered to me, "Chelsea. See how suffering always has a purpose?"

 I am going through a tough season, but the Lord is showing me that when His children suffer, He always has a purpose for this. A purpose that far exceeds our scale of thinking. A purpose that will benefit not only me, but those around me. That I won't even have to speak and God with all of His glory will do all the talking. I may be suffering right now, I may be in the darkest place, but I can smile and enjoy it. Because I know. I know that Jesus will have victory. Just like He did today. Just like He does every day. So I will praise Him and know that this season is for His glory.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:19

I will follow You...

I’ve never really blogged before so this is definitely a first! It’s on my bucket list, sooo, yeah.  But let me just say this is in no way about me! Lately God has been tugging on my heart about my motives, is this for my glory or for God’s glory. And I assure this is simply to outpour what God is doing in my life in the simplest way. So if any of you know me personally or are my facebook friend or follow me on twitter you know that I have been completely immersed in Katie Davis’s story.  My heart has been ripped to pieces and more than once I have found myself face down on the floor weeping for the precious children all around me who have absolutely nothing. And that nothing includes Jesus. Not only children, but just everyone. How many times have I walked by someone who is crying and did just that: walked right by them. How many times have I looked into the eyes of a hurting friend and not tell them that Jesus so desperately wants to dry each tear from their eye and bring light into their darkness? How many times do I miss it? I miss the fact that these people were made in God’s image. Each and every person on this earth was made in the image of our almighty God.  And if I profess to love my God with all of my heart, then I am claiming access to a strength and a confidence that is not my own. So if I claim this then why do I allow my actions to be ruled by fear?  I miss the fact that it is my responsibility and should be my deepest desire to bring His light into the most darkened places. So here I am with all of these realizations that mean ABSOLUTELY nothing without some sort of action to follow. That’s what the Gospel does, it grips our hearts so tightly that it spills out into the lives of the people around us. We forget about ourselves and we deny everything that the world says is good and we follow. We follow Jesus. He leads us to HIS people. He leads us always. He whispers in our ear when we are afraid. He enters into our fear  with us and says: “I am with You, always, even to the end of the age.” And sometimes I hear His voice so clearly and I just drown it out for fear of Him taking me to uncomfortable, yet beautiful, places. So here I am at a crossroad…One way is MY future… what I’ve always dreamed for myself. The other way is God’s future…what He has always dreamed for His daughter. And today. In this very moment. I choose. I choose to drop EVERYTHING for cause of Christ. I choose to go His way and enter into a trust that is so sweet and so secure that nothing could ever shake. I am not sure what this is going to look like, but I know He will carry me. Because He loves me. And He wants to use little ol’ unworthy me to love His people and to bring His light to the darkest places. And He wants to use you, too. He wants so desperately to sit with you every second of your day and laugh with you and cry with you. He wants to sing with you songs of beauty and songs of freedom. He said, “Draw near to me, and I will draw near to You.” I am drawing every so closely to a Savior whose blood was shed for my freedom and my eternity. I will draw near to You, Jesus, and even if I don’t feel You near, I know Your word is true. I know You are coming.

If you haven’t heard of Katie Davis- go visit amazima.org…there are many ways you can start furthering the Kingdom from right here on your computer!! Sponsor a child or just buy some jewelry from the sweet ladies of Uganda to help them provide for their family. Or just donate money to help them keep this ministry alive.