Excited Newbie

I am so excited to tell you about a new on-line Bible study that begins on Sunday.  It is being hosted by Proverbs 31.  We will be studying Renee Swope's book, A Confident Heart.  I'm four chapters in and totally hooked.  I expected good things from this book, but it has delivered beyond my expectations -- and the study hasn't even started yet!  It has been such a blessing to read so much of my personal story in Renee's words.  Just the title of chapter 2 captured my heart -- "Because God's Love Is Perfect, I Don't Have to Be."  For the people-pleasing perfectionist I've always been, those words were music to my ears.  

What about you?  Are you looking for security and significance?  Do you dream of a day when you could be truly confident of God's love for you?  

Why not join the study with me?  

Still listening -- 
Carol

Super Powers

I'm invisible.  What's your super power?  Being invisible wasn't my idea.  I think I would rather have a really cool cape and be able to fly -- or maybe it would be fun to travel through time.  Yes -- time travel would be perfect.  Just imagine the people and places from history that you could meet.  I, of course, would travel back to the 50s and hang out with Elvis!

Still -- being invisible has its advantages.  Since people don't see me, I can come and go as I please without anyone ever knowing I was in the room.  Often, they notice the evidence of what I brought into the room or remove from the room.  But it's done in such stealth that they never actually see me.    

Makes me wonder who else is invisible - who else takes care of little things (and big things) -- things that I appreciate but don't take the time to see (and appreciate) the people who provided them? 

With October just around the corner, Thanksgiving will be here soon.  Between now and then, I plan to challenge myself to look for other invisible people and be thankful -- not just for what they do, but for who they are. 

How about you?  Will you take the challenge with me?

Still listening -- and now -- watching . . .

Carol

Outside Looking In

I wonder what it's like to be one of the "cool kids." 

Just Thinking

Have you ever felt like you were always a “walk-on” in someone else’s life instead of the “star” of your own?

More Than I Can Handle

God gave me a new assignment recently.  I don't like it.  It doesn't come naturally.  I feel awkward and ill-equipped. 

A dear friend reminded me that God doesn't call the equipped -- He equips the called.  I know she's right.  But it would be so much easier if He just gave me things I already know how to do.  Then I wouldn't have to lean so heavily on Him.  But then, that's the point -- isn't it?  

I've often heard people say, "I know God won't put more on me than I can handle."  Some will even add, "I just wish sometimes that He didn't have so much confidence in me."  Cute.  But I don't think it's true.  I believe that sometimes God does allow us to find ourselves in situations that we absolutely cannot handle under our own power.  In those times, we have no choice but to turn to God and rely on His power.  If I only try things that I can do on my own, then I'll never experience God's power in my life. 

The problem is I thought I learned that lesson already.  I thought I could check that one off my list.  Lesson learned.  Good job.  Next.

Not so fast, Carol. 

God has given me a new assignment -- one I certainly am not equipped to handle on my own.  So I'm definitely leaning on Him in a new way.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve Him but very uncomfortable in this role.  It's definitely more than I can handle on my own. 

So I guess I'm going against the tide here.  But, yes, I think God does sometimes give us more than we can handle on our own; but only so we can know Him better and learn to trust Him more.

What do you think?

Still listening . . .
Carol

Listening and Hiding

I haven't posted anything in quite a while.  I guess you could say I've been "listening" instead of talking (or writing).  That's true, but incomplete.  I think I've been intentionally avoiding this.  In this space, I feel compelled to write what is honest and true, but it's my nature to build walls and hide behind them.  I can't decide how to balance those things -- even here in cyberspace.  If anyone is reading this, I'd love to know your thoughts.

Still listening . . .
Carol

Romans 12

I experienced Romans 12 in an overwhelming way yesterday.  The good little Southern girl in me wants to say that God used me in a small way.  That's the humble thing to say.  But the point is that God used me.  It's up to Him whether it was in a small way or a big way. 

And only time may tell anyway.  As I listened to someone's story, I heard about someone else who reached out to this individual in what appeared to be a small way but it turned out to be instrumental in this individual's journey.  The person who reached out may never know.  As my pastor says, God is always ahead of us.  He knows what will happen and puts the people in place we will need just when we need them.

As I'm writing this, I'm listening to Third Day sing, "I've Always Loved You."  If only we would remember just how much He loves us.

We are all part of each other's story.  We may never know if we played a major role or just a small "walk-on" part.  That's up to God.  We just have to be available when He gives us the cue to play our part.

Still listening . . .
Carol