Blessings and Callings

Blessings, my friends, are abundant. What a journey it has been in following God's call to Fuller, but what a phenomenal chance it has been to put my trust fully in the One who made me. These week has been evidence of the close, personal, and loving relationship that God has with each of us. Can I share a few joys? First, a wonderful friend of mine blessed me in an inconceivable and hugely unexpected way. It was such a humbling moment for me because I was utterly undeserving of this gift. It was the feeling I think God's grace should give me all the time. Even though I was so unworthy  I was still given great blessing. It was one of the most amazing things God has ever done for me, and I thank Him (and my sweet friend) for humbling me in that way. 


Then today God perfected timing so that I met a fellow Fuller student at church who is doing doctoral work on the Aboriginals in Australia. We are going to grab coffee and she is going to share her research with me. I believe that her insight plus the experience I will have with the Apache this summer combine to show God truly giving me opportunities to understand the people group He seems to be pushing me towards. What an amazing God who orchestrates things so perfectly. 


I am on a journey, and it is a journey where I am learning to praise God in the times of blessing and in the times of uncertainty. I resonates with the story of Jeremiah, which we talked about in church today.  Jeremiah felt inadequate for the calling God was giving him and in the first chapter we read Jeremiah adamantly telling God that he cannot do this. God already knows Jeremiah's weaknesses and He knows that he is not capable on his own, but God knows something else too. Listen to these words,



5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
   before you were born I set you apart;
   I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
 6 “Alas, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
 7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.
(Jeremiah 1)


This is what I hope you hear when you read this. Wherever you are in your journey, whatever you feel God is calling you to do, know that He is with you. You may not have the strength, but He does. Don't wait to "be ready" to answer His call. Let Him perfect you along the way, let Him give you the courage, and let Him go before you. I love how my pastor put it- God is never going to call you to be something you are not, for He has made you for this. His grace and His power are sufficient. 

So I will not be afraid. For God has sent me, and He will never fail to go with me. 

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