Why does God’s faithfulness surprise me? He says He is going
to be faithful, and I know He is a God that does not lie. He has always been
faithful, and I know that He is a God that does not change. Even when I am
unfaithful, He remains faithful to His promises, to His Word.
Yet I sit tonight, in amazement at His perfect faithfulness.
In the way that He orders steps, and clears paths, and makes the high places
low so that we can walk confidently in what He has called us to do.
I pray that I never lose this sense of awe. The wonder of
His goodness.
About a year ago, God birthed a dream in my heart for a
women’s conference… and He quickly showed me that He had birthed that same
dream in other’s hearts. What started as
an excited conversation full of God-sized visions in a little bookstore with a
beautiful friend (and mighty woman of God)… is now the Lightbearers Women’sConference. It is around the corner, just twenty
five days away (but who’s counting?)… this dream… this thing that seemed too big for someone like me…
It’s really going to happen. And that still blows my mind.
It shouldn’t. God says over and over again in His word “I
will make a way” and He has revealed that to me more and more lately as I have
studied scripture. In Isaiah 42:16 He
says “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths
I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These
are the things I will do; I will not forsake them”.
We entered this thing that has become Lightbearers
blind. I certainly hadn’t done anything
quite like this before! I can barely organize a small gathering of friends at
my house [as my friends, they will tell you this is absolutely true, and rarely
happens as a result]… much less hundreds of women together in one building,
arranging travel plans and plane tickets for a speaker, making sure there is a
means to have sound and lights and video at the venue, school board meetings
for approval to use their facilities… it was all so daunting.
But God called, and I am so, so, so thankful that we
answered! That He has brought together one of the most precious group of women
I could imagine to organize and plan and see to details. To ask for door
prizes. To mail tickets. To talk to their churches. To hand out registrations.
To contact speakers. To write letters. To make decisions. To brainstorm. To
deliver letters. To pray… and pray… and pray…
And before us, the unfamiliar path opened up. The rough
places (like how in the world do you organize hundreds of women into break-out
sessions and a lunch rotation so they all get the sessions of their choice…? Really
God!? It seems impossible!)… became smooth (it really just fell into place in a
way only GOD could orchestrate!). The darkness turned to light, before our very
eyes! He guided us, blind as we were, into His will.
God made a way.
Isaiah 45:1 promises us that He is a God who opens doors before
men so that gates will not be shut.
God opened doors.
Proverbs 3:6 says if we trust Him, He will make our paths straight.
God straightened the path.
Isaiah 43:20 tells us that He will provide water in the
desert and streams in the wasteland.
God provided for every need.
2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us that His strength is more
evident in our weakness.
God made a way. Where
we could not, He did.
We could not, in our own strength or wisdom or power or
understanding have caused things to come together as neatly as our infinite
Father has done… We were blind. I don’t
say this to brag on anything we have done… I say this to brag on God! And to encourage you!
What is your God-sized dream? The thing that He has called you to do. The thing that seems too big for someone like you. Or too
impossible, even for a BIG God. Or too hard. Or too farfetched. Or too scary…
He WILL make a way.
I wish I had room to tell you all of the little details He
has worked out. [I guess you’ll just have to come to the conference to
experience them… ;)] And while I know the weekend itself is going to be so, so,
so good… because He is so, so, so
faithful… If He didn’t do another thing for Lightbearers I would still be
overwhelmed.
He will open doors that no man can open, and shut doors that
no man can shut. He will make a way.
When you look at the thing He’s called you to, do not fear
the obstacles that appear on the pathway… because He is able to make the rough places smooth. He will make a way.
When He gives you instructions that don’t seem to make
sense, like offering a free conference that you will take up an offering for
and then give all that money away too- when there are people that will need to
be paid and food that will need to be bought- He will provide.
HE WILL MAKE A WAY.
I recently shared some other God-sized dreams with someone I
love a lot. I was sharing my heart, my this-doesn’t-make-any-sense-but-God-keeps-confirming-them-dreams,
my fears…
Her response was straightforward (one of the reasons I love
her so much)…
If your dreams don’t
scare you, then they aren’t big enough.
And she is right.
That doesn’t make them any less scary… it just means you are
trusting God more as you step into them.
I haven’t taken that next step… yet… but rest assured that as I do, I am remembering the way He has
provided for Lightbearers. The way He
has opened doors. And shut others. The way He has provided. The way He has made
the rough places smooth.
I am remembering that He is a God who does not change, and
that He will do the same for the next
chapter of my life. I am remembering that he is a God who is faithful, and that
He will continue to be so.
I am praying that you remember this as well. That you dream
the kind of dreams only God can fulfill, and then trust Him to bring them to
light. He will make a way, friend. Whether that dream is seeing your husband
walking with Jesus. Or holding a Bible Study in your home. Or building a
vocational center and home in Ghana. Or hosting a women’s conference. Or ministering to the lost. Or starting a new
program in your church. Or feeding the hungry. Or revealing Christ to your
children. Dream the dream, and then trust the God that planted that dream in
your heart. He will make a way.
And when He does, you will sit in amazement… in wonder… at
His faithfulness. You will point to Him
and with a shout of victory proclaim “ONLY GOD!!!”
I am sooooo looking forward to April 13th! [I may
even be counting the days]... Because when you step out in faith, doing
something only HE can accomplish, there is no glory left over for yourself. It all goes to Him! I know the women who
have helped with this would agree, only
God could have accomplished what He has accomplished in the last few months.
We were blind, and He led us along an unfamiliar path. We saw obstacles, and He
made the rough places smooth. We didn’t
know the way, and He turned the darkness into light.
He is a faithful God who will finish that which He has set
forth to accomplish. He has good plans
for the Lightbearers Women’s Conference… He has plans for changed hearts, for changed
homes, for changed communities, and
for a changed world. And as we watch those plans unfold, we will
together, with united hearts proclaim in victory “ONLY GOD!!!”…
And I can’t wait!!!!!
He wants to do that in your
life too. I’d love to hear about your God-sized dreams. I’d love to know what
vision He has planted in your heart, to join you in prayer and to rejoice with
you as we proclaim in victory “ONLY GOD!!!”
If you’d like leave a comment… or drop me a private message. It would be
an honor to join you in dreaming big!
Oh, and if you haven’t registered for the Lightbearers Women’sConference (or told your wife, or mom, or daughter, or friend about it…) what
are you waiting for? It’s still free. There are a few childcare slots still
available (also free). There are awesome door prizes to be given away. Lunch is
provided (also free). Amazing speakers, heartfelt teachers, a powerful worship
leader… Seriously, you don’t want to miss it! Soooo, why don’t you just click
here and register right now. And I’ll see you at the conference!
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