You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you. Deteronomy 9:2-3 NIV
“You are a scaredy cat!”
“Nu-uh!”
“Uh-huh!”
“Nu-uh!”
“Uh-huh!”
“NO I AM NOT! MOOOOOOMMY!”
Just one of the many arguments at my house. My brother used to tease me about the same thing – being afraid. We’ve grown up now, but grown up or not, fear still lurks in my heart sometimes. I talked yesterday about God’s great plan for your life. I have spoken to many women lately about this. The one thing I hear over and over is – I am afraid.
I was, too. I was afraid to say “yes” to God. I was afraid that if I offered myself completely over to Him, He would have me either convert to Catholicism to join a convent or send me to Africa as a missionary. Both sounded equally scary. But something happened.
God started wooing me closer to Him. When I was told my husband had some type of tumor in his head, God said Carol, I need to you trust me no matter what. I was scared, but slowly began to believe Him. The mass was removed, and it turned out to be harmless. By the end of that same year, I was told my husband might have a brain aneurysm. Do you still trust me? I heard Him say. I did and that, too, was a false scare.
Then I felt God nudge me to completely give up all of my oh-so-juicy romance novels. That hurt. I had a hard time letting go of those. Carol, I need you to obey me in all things. Begrudgingly, I purged the house of all the books.
It was then that God flamed my desire to know Him better. Carol, come closer so you can hear me. I began to read my Bible every day and actually craved His Word. And He spoke.
Suddenly, doors began to open in the area of writing – one of my lifetime passions. I shyly started writing for myself and for the Lord. Then He opened His storehouse and began to pour out the blessings. I started waking up every day wondering what the Lord was going to do next. Use me, Lord was how my day began. I attended my first writing conference. God asked me to go and then provided all the means to do so. I was accepted as a devotional writer for Faith Lifts. Upper Room asked to keep one of my devotions. I won the writing contest for the P31 magazine. I was accepted as a devotion writer for Writer Interrupted. I was invited to come back to the writer’s conference I attended last year to teach a workshop. (More on that later.) I was invited to speak at a Women’s Conference. (More on that later, too!)
I tell you all of this, my friends, to let you know – there is nothing to fear. Those verses from Deuteronomy are when Moses speaks to the Israelites as they are about to go into the Promised Land. They are scared. “Who can stand up to the Anakites?” they ask. The Anakites were giants who lived in the land. God could. God can do anything. Moses tells them here that God will go ahead of them to pave the way.
God will go ahead of you, too. Are you standing on a precipice afraid of falling? What are the giants that you fear? Say yes to God today. He is waiting with a storehouse of blessings for you. He has the path already waiting just for you. He will go ahead of you to make a way. What do you say? Are you ready? Say “YES!” You’ll be so glad you did!
This…this is what I love about you. Your heart for God. Your hunger for Him. Your complete abandon to what He calls you to. You are such an encouragement to me, Carol. I am facing a decision right now, something I am being asked to do. And honestly, I am scared. I needed this post today. Thank you, sweet Carol. Thank you.
There you go again… sloshing out some Jesus and making me thirsty!
GReat post for me today. I am standing on the edge – afraid – for so many reasons afraid. Thanks for the encouragement! AND GO VOLS!!!! UT grad? ARE YOU EVEN KIDDING ME?? I’M LOVING IT!!!
This was great!!!!
And how awesome about your hubby… God is good.
AND how awesome about your writing! I would love to do something like that!! But…you have to be able to write!! 🙂 That is ONE catch… lol
Were you talking about the She Speaks conference? I love P31 Ministries…
Several years ago, I felt God say to me, “I just want you to place your yes on the altar and just wait.” Yikes! It was hard, but so worth it. What a ride He has been….wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I’m afraid of what people might think of my deep dark secrets. I AM a scaredy cat!
Good morning and….
BAAAAAAAAAAAA!
🙂
Oh my, this really speaks to me. I too am afraid of so many things. Full surrender scares me. I think afraid to fail. What if God asks me to do or go and I fail? I don’t want to fail God, but I guess; I fail him when I don’t give him my all…oh My! You have given me a lot to think about. Thanks for the encouragement.
Carol,
This post resonated deeply within as I firmly see God’s hand in the start-up of my blog. This is the second time today I have heard that I need to keep on coming before Him, studying His Word, so that His next steps are revealed. I so look forward to reading more of the journey he has been leading you on. Thank you!
Okay, Carol, you KNOW I am a scaredy cat, lol . . . but, you have been such an encouragement to me in this area. And here you are again, encouraging me! THANK YOU for being such a woman of God!
Blessings!
Amanda