Stretched & Out of Comfort

The more I come to know the Lord in a personal way, the more I realize He's in the business of stretching people and taking us past our own limits. Past our own abilities. Past our comfort zone. He's about using lay people, normal, everyday, don't really fit the right mold for the job kind of people.

The Bible is full of stories of the Lord using the common man to do extraordinary things through Him. From Moses, who had a speech impediment, leading His people out of Israel and approaching Pharaoh on a regular basis to request that he "Let my (God's) people go!" to Esther, who was an unlikely queen and fit to save the Jewish people, to Paul, who killed Christians prior to being converted and spreading the Gospel... the Bible is full of God using unlikely people to do His work.

I'm certain God made it that way on purpose... He called the "simple" people to be His disciples (developing from fishermen to fishers of men), and constantly uses those who are lacking to reveal His glory and His provision. By calling people out of their comfort zone, God gets all the glory... we no longer can boast.

"Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^" - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 

I was able to experience this process last night - - -  being stretched by the Lord and called to do something totally outside of my comfort zone and gifting. I was invited to speak at my church's Girls Night Out event (something hosted monthly for ladies by the Women's Ministry). The theme of the night was "Gifts and Giving Back" and I was asked to be one of two featured speakers to talk about what God has shown me through our mission trips to Ethiopia. To say that this was out of my comfort zone and gifting is an understatement... but the Lord provided, as always.

I was amazed and so blessed by the level of support, encouragement, and lifted prayer on my behalf for the night. I was showered with words of affirmation and encouragement and sent reminders that I was being prayed for by my sisters in Christ leading all the way up to the moment I stepped on the "stage" to speak for my ten minute window!

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

The kingdom of God and being in community with believers is such a beautiful blessing!!!! I'm so thankful for my church family and the fellowship of believers I'm blessed to have! This life is not to be lived and walked through alone! Praise God for that!

I'll share more about what I felt led to speak about on another post... [stay tuned]...