God's presence is not a theory.

"Patiently you let me unfold, just in time, you opened up my ribs and played your melody, when my brokenness was all I saw in front of me. You took my robes of shame, and covered me with praise. You never quit, you never let me go."

Sunday we heard a message about Courage and making decisions. Focused on the story of Joshua. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" Joshua 1:9. We learned from the teaching that courage rests on 1) a clear assignment (courage cannot exist without a mission), 2) the assurance of God's presence - no where in the bible does God call someone or send someone out without assuring that he will be with them. God's presence is not a theory. 3) Courage takes a focused determination... by taking steps of faith, you build faith, by taking steps of courage, you build courage. Courage ignites courage. Never does it say it will be easy, there will be opposition, without opposition courage would never have an opportunity. Do you think the forces of darkness are going to sit back while you do God's will...? No. We are in warfare, and prayer is the war time walkie talkie, God is commander. Lastly, 4) courage is resourced by the word of God. Meditate on it, hide it in your heart. Today's scripture reading will be tomorrow's test. Prepare yourselves! We then don't only do what God says, but we become what God says. Success is defined as following, loving, reading the word.

Thinking about this recap of Sunday's message, I remember the preacher asked, "What are you meant to do?" "What is your calling?"... For me personally, I feel like I ask myself this question way too often. What is the plan God? Where do you want me to go? What do you want me to do? And yet do I sit and listen to the answer he is actually giving me? or do I expect a certain answer and look for that and close my ears to all else? I feel like God is telling me... Emilie, Bloom where you are planted. He is the gardener after all. He plants people for a reason. I do often feel left behind, with an eagerness to go... move, run, fly. But... time and time again He reminds me that I am where I am for a reason. This is not for everyone. Some people may hear the words "go forth"... but for me in this time and season, I am planted where I am planted. It is God orcastrated that I am working the job I am working, that I have the friends I have, that I go to the school I go to. Bloom where you are planted. Trust me. I will release you when my time clears. (if at all... I don't know). I can't keep asking God what do you want me to do?! I already know what I'm supposed to do. Pray, give thanks, preach the gospel, show love, work hard, learn about him, live in community. For me, this takes courage. Courage to trust that God has me where I'm meant to be. Courage to push past doubt. Courage to fight the desires of this culture and world. Courage to be a bible loving, Christ following believer in my work, school and relationships. "Be strong and courageous"... I am with you. Be determined, be full of purpose. Dig into me and my word.

This is my "calling". Jesus - help me to live in a way where I am radically dependent on and desperate for the power only you can provide.

In Matthew 11 Jesus says "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"... and in Matthew 7 he says "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will y our Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Here is another quote from the book I am reading Radical by David Platt... "Think about it this way. Maybe you are going through a struggle in your life. A tragedy strikes you or someone close to you, and you are hurting. So you go to God in prayer and you ask him to comfort you. Do you realize what God does? He doesn't give you comfort. Instead he gives you the Holy Spirit, who is called the Comforter. The holy spirit literally comes to dwell in you and puts the very comfort of Christ inside you as you walk through your pain."

He literally promises us all the resources of heaven waiting for the people of God who desire to make much of him in this world.