Caregiver Chronicles: How the High Maintenance Missionary Does a STMT at Home

Five weeks ago, Sam (my neighbor) and I had a dreadful conversation about his future. It went better than I expected. He's been in my home ever since. 

I can't remember who at my office first recognized this work of caring for Sam as a kind of outreach, but we've been calling this a "short term mission trip" (STMT) from the start. As Director of Prayer and Outreach, I'm doing quite a bit of both (prayer and outreach) from my home. 

Most evenings, I send a STMT report to my coworkers at Home Office. I give details of the day, share funny things that have happened, and ask for prayer for our needs. Sometimes those reports make people laugh. Sometimes they cry.

The strange thing about this is how God prepared me in advance. I've filled out numerous spiritual gifts inventory questionnaires in the past. I've always scored highest on prophecy with teaching a close second. 

A few months ago, my pastor and I discussed spiritual gifts and he disagreed with my assessment. "I think you have administration and teaching," he told me. I suppressed a snort. Me? Administration? 

He gave me another inventory to complete and told me to let him know the results. Yep. You guessed it. He was right. Administration is now first, with prophecy and teaching a close second and third.

God knew the gift of administration would be essential for doing this work, and He gave it to me in advance. I'm so very grateful. Since I was prepared in advanced to do everything at once, this isn't as hard as it might have been. 

I haven't set an alarm in years, but I still get up most mornings at 5:00 or 5:30, unless I'm up in the night with Sam. Last night, I was up. Today, I slept later, and considered it a gift from God.

When I wake up, I get up. That's a key element in getting everything done.

When I get up, I get going. That's another key element.

My day starts with a cup of coffee and quiet time, and it's the most essential element of the day. (The quiet time, not the coffee.)

After quiet time, I start writing the blog for the day. Usually, I write as fast as I can type, then hit publish. If the blog post seems "raw" some days, that's because I serve "fresh meat" most of the time. 

Once the blog is finished, the task of posting to social media sites takes another 30 minutes. 

I go straight from blogging to getting Sam up and ready for his day. He's very unsteady on his feet, so sometimes I drag him to the bedside commode (BSC) and on to his chair, rather than support him as he walks. This is a precarious task that is often accompanied by wobbling, arms flailing, and lots of holding tight.

Then, it's breakfast time. Sam needs more protein, so I usually scramble eggs, add a slice of quick bread, thicken a protein supplement, and give him coffee and meds. I get him cleaned up, dentures rinsed and in place, bed made, and the BSC emptied and cleaned.

While all that's happening, Home Office is usually having a devotional and prayer time. As soon as they're finished, Maria emails me the list of missionaries and I head to my computer, where I spend most of the morning praying for and emailing missionaries, connecting with Untapped Power Grid coordinators, and working on talks for upcoming speaking engagements. 

Around noon, I stop to fix lunch for Sam, eat a quick bite myself, then back to the computer. If I haven't started the washer, I do that then. 

There's a surprising amount of laundry on this STMT.

Somewhere in there, I get dressed, stop to feed the horses and bunnies, walk the dogs several times, and, when there's room in my day, try to get a bit of yard work done. 

A constant stream of people stop by to see Sam. I hope this doesn't sound negative, but this is my home, not a medical facility. I'm not accustomed to strangers having the freedom to enter my home just because they want to come. 

I haven't turned anyone except the cyberstalker away, but, if I don't personally know the person who comes, (not "knowing" from social media but from in-person life) I don't leave them alone in my house. I stay in the room with them. 

Does this make visitors uncomfortable? I hope not, but I can't imagine anyone wanting to leave a stranger alone in their house, even if they say they know Sam. I pray people understand. 

In the afternoon, I work on writing projects. That's mission, too, because I've started converting the digital James study to a paper format. 

Sam likes to watch the news and Wheel of Fortune, so I try to have his dinner ready by 5:30. Then, we get him cleaned up, change him into pajamas, and move him to bed.

Most days, I've already been going full-steam-ahead for more than 12 hours, but, after Sam's in bed, I start replying to comments on social media. I'm rarely doing birthday greetings, thank-you-for-sharing notes, and most interactions on social media, but I'm doing the best I can.

Sam has a wireless doorbell ringer and I have the doorbell by my bed. At night, he rings it if he needs me. It's so loud that I can't fail to hear it. Most nights, I'm able to sleep straight through.

Is this overwhelming? Sometimes. 

For the most part, we've developed a rhythm to our day that works. Knowing I'm called to this gives me a lot of peace.

Do I have "me time"? Not often. Do I get to go out to lunch with friends or do all the things I used to do? Not usually. However, God has sent friends to help just when I need it, every single time.

Is it hard? Sure it is, but there are many blessings in the midst of this that I could not receive any other way. 

It's a season. Not a life time. That truth helps carry me through, even when I'm tired and whining. I want to do this well. I've understood from the start that I won't be doing this for eternity. It's a short-term task.

There are many hard things to which God calls us, and we need to do them so we can become the men and women of faith He intends us to be. 

It's easy to look at a gigantic task, count the cost, and think it's too hard, but it's not. It's merely God-sized. With His help, we can do anything He asks us to do. This is what a disciple does: walk by faith, and obey, even when it's hard. 

To what giant job has God called you? 

Don't let fear and uncertainty rob you of the joy and blessings God has planned. If He's called you to it, He knows He can help you through it. He also knows that every act of obedience comes with its own blessings. 

That big task God has for you will be accomplished the same way my task is being done. One step at a time.

"For by You I can run upon a troop; And by my God I can leap over a wall." Psalm 18:29 esv

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Please like and share to extend our digital reach. 

If you're not familiar with why I'm sometimes called "The High Maintenance Missionary," it's probably not what you think. Click on the link to find out more. 

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When Priorities Determine Action

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.

The Playful Pig and His Contemptuous Carelessness

Andy the Pig was cute, especially when he played with his big purple ball. He was smarter than I expected, too. Andy quickly learned a few skills that I wished he hadn't.

Before he arrived, my brother-in-law and nephew helped me build an automatic feeder from PVC pipe and a pan. Our construction team had to work fast because Andy was already on his way to the farm. In the interest of speed, we used baling string to secure the feeder to the 4x4 post. 

Yeah. I know. Bad idea.

In our defense, it looked good at the time. 

The PVC pipe had an open top for me to pour feed through and a cut-out at the bottom for the feed to fall into the pan. If the pipe was secure against the pan, the feed came out as the pig ate it, in a slow but steady stream.

Andy soon learned that he could fit his snout into the feed slot, lift up his head, and flip the pipe off the pan. Of course, all the feed (two days' worth) fell into the pan at once. 

As soon as Andy had the pipe off the pan, he learned to flip the pan out from under the pipe and use it like a frisbee. He tossed the pan all around his stall. Needless to say, he ran through a serious amount of pig feed in a very short time.

Nothing I did helped. He practiced his little trick every day. It was, apparently, great fun. 

The problem, however, was that Andy needed the nourishment of the feed to grow. Without it, he'd be hungry. Without it, he'd grow weak, lose weight, and die.

Andy treated the nourishment provided for him with casual contempt, as if there was an everlasting supply. 

When I looked in his stall and saw feed scattered in the mud, trampled by the feet of that pig, I did not have warm and fuzzy feelings from him. 

This morning, I opened my Bible, looking for spiritual nourishment, and wondered if I sometimes treat my spiritual food with the same contempt Andy showed for the feed I provided him. 

God's provided a steady supply of nourishment for our souls with His Word, as well as with godly teachers and helpful study aids. Our job is to ingest the word of God and allow it to nourish our souls, so that we can grow strong as disciples of Christ. 

In our resource-rich Christian culture, we should be the most rapidly growing, deeply muscled believers in the world. I'm afraid, however, we're more like Andy than we want to admit. Because there's so much available to us, we're careless with even what we need to survive, much less grow. 

In some places of the world, a single book of the Bible is treated as precious beyond words. It's cherished and protected. Studied and shared. It's used to grow strong, deeply muscled believers who use what they learn to follow our Lord the way He intended.

How many Bibles gather dust in our houses?

I wanted Andy to eat his food, not trample it under foot, so I cut off his supply of feed completely for most of a day. I let him get hungry enough to eat the food provided for him, rather than play with it. When his piggy stomach was grumbling again, I gave him enough food to satisfy his hunger, but not enough for careless contempt. 

He ate. 

Just as Andy's hunger drove him to ingest the food provided for him, there are times when God allows leanness into our lives so that our spiritual hunger will drive us back to Him and to His Word.  

Let's pause for a moment and consider how we treat the spiritual food God has provided for us. Do we treat it with careless contempt or does our hunger for God drive us to take in all He gives? Are we growing and strong, or does our carelessness leave us weak and ineffective.

The purpose of pig food is to grow a strong, well-muscled, healthy pig. The purpose of Soul-nourishment is much the same: to grow strong, well-muscled, healthy disciples. 

The banquet is spread. Let's step up to the table and partake of the bounty God has given. Let's open our Bibles. Do more than a causal glance at a single verse. Study the Word. Ingest it until it becomes a part of us and changes us in ways even the world can recognize.

"Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Choosing a Cyberstalker/Christ Collision 

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line

How to Have the Favor of God in Your Life

When I was in medical school, there was a mantra about the learning technique of medical education. Those six frightening words pushed us to work harder.

"See one. Do one. Teach one." 

Admittedly, we were a group of thoroughly Type A self-starters from the beginning. Because we knew that we would be doing a procedure not long after we first saw it done, we paid even closer attention. We practiced it in our heads, going over ever step in a kind of mental rehearsal. 

Because the "do one" would be done on a living, breathing person, we wanted to be ready. And we were.

It was serious business, and we knew it.

In a way, it was a good learning tool, too. To teach a procedure effectively, you have to know how to do it. Thorough understanding of the principles and steps involved is essential, as is experience.

There's another an old saying that you're probably more familiar with. "Practice what you preach.". It's an important principle, too. Don't just tell people what to do. Do it yourself first. The truth, however, is that our lives will preach what we practice, whether we want them to, or not.

Ezra tells us that he, too, understood the benefit of the medical education training style. 

"For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statues and ordinances in Israel." Ezra 7:10 nasb

We never really know a thing, at the core of our hearts, until we know it well enough to teach it. To truly understand the law of God requires study with the fervor of one who knows he (or she) will do and teach before long. It also requires putting that study into practice. 

Ezra knew the word of God just that well. If we backtrack a little, we'll find a series of "for" sentences that show how those years of study and practice affected Ezra. The section begins with "and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the Lord his God was upon him." (Ezra 7:6)

In a nutshell, the king granted Ezra everything he asked. The king did this because the hand of God was upon him. The favor of God was on Ezra because of the way he studied and obeyed and transmitted the word of God.

It's impossible to obey what we don't know, so study is essential. It's just hearing but not doing if we never put what we've studied into practice, though. We have to learn and obey. 

We don't study for learning's sake. We study to know God better and do what He wants us to do.

Do you want the favor of God to rest on your life? Do what Ezra did. Study hard, then do what you've learned. It's as simple as that.

See it. Do it. Teach it.

Those six frightening words helped turn inexperienced students into excellent doctors. They can turn us from new believers into dedicated disciples, too. If we'll follow them.

Today, let's study with fresh resolve. Fresh fervor. Fresh dedication. When we do, we'll know Him. Serve Him. Teach His word.
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: The Kairos Moment
Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List
Here's the link to my Global Outreach page: Leanna Hollis MD
#disciple

Jesus Compliance

We are, in an odd way, a nation of compliance, although it's not always the kind of compliance I wish we had. The government mandates an action, and we have to comply, because of the authority behind the mandate. There's HIPPA compliance. OSHA compliance. AHCA (Affordable Health Care Act) compliance. Tax compliance. Traffic law compliance.

In the midst of all the man-made rules we're required to follow, there's a more importance kind of compliance with which we need to concern ourselves.

Jesus compliance. 

Luke tells us that Jesus taught with the kind of authority that demanded compliance, as well. His, however, was a greater authority than any government on earth has ever had.

"and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority." (Luke 4:32 NASB)

Exousia is the Greek word translated here as "authority". It indicates both the power to do something (might or strength) and the right to do it (jurisdiction). The implication is that Jesus is not only an expert in his area, but also someone who must be obeyed. 

I tend to think of authority as one of three things, either police/enforcement authority, governmental/legislative authority, or expert-in-the-field authority. In this instance, "authority" means all three. 

When Jesus spoke, He was not merely an expert on Scripture. He also spoke as one who has power over how we respond to what He says, as well as the authority to enforce that power.  

He wasn't just speaking AS one who has authority; He was the one who HAS authority. 

That kind of authority demands a response. It requires that we evaluate our lives, see where we fail to measure up, and make any changes necessary to bring our lives into compliance. 

Jesus compliance isn't easy, but it's not optional, either. 

Today, let's spend a few minutes looking at our lifestyles. How compliant are we with the teaching of Jesus? How faithful are we to obey the One who must be obeyed?

Let's recognize our failings in comparison to Christ, acknowledge His authority, and make whatever changes are needed to bring our lives into compliance with Him.
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Why I Chose to Love a Terrorist
Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List 
Here's the link to my Global Outreach page: Leanna Hollis MD
#Jesus #Christian

The Importance of Understanding the Directions

I've been on a quest to restore the manicured look to my yard for the last week, but it's a losing proposition. To be perfectly honest, I've never actually achieved the manicured look. At best, I've had the barely-tamed look. Lately, though, the weeds and vines have been winning.

The holly tree, located in a ridiculous spot between two lovely oak trees, has always been an irritation to me. It's a fast-grower and obscures the view of the lake when it gets above shoulder height. Pruning is a constant challenge. If you get close enough to prune it, the leaves scratch you to shreds.

I decided the problem called for a Yard-Helper. Yesterday afternoon, I accompanied Yard Helper, complete with long pruning clippers, to the holly tree. 

I'm not saying that I'm a perfect direction-giver, but I have spent most of three decades giving doctors' orders. In a manner of speaking, I've made a career of giving directions.

Yesterday, however, you couldn't have told it by the results.

"This holly tree is too tall, and I can't see the lake. I don't want it any higher than your shoulder." To make the instructions perfectly clear, I put a hand at Yard-Helper's shoulder. "Right here. No higher. Trim these limbs as much as you need to, but I don't want anything above here."

Yard-Helper trimmed the holly tree. He worked for hours, and was so proud of the results. There was an enormous pile of limbs on the ground, which you may be able to see from the picture. It will take a pickup to carry them away.

When I went to inspect his work, I was momentarily speechless. He had trimmed as many limbs as he could, but had trimmed nothing above his shoulder level.

I now have a lollipop holly bush. It still obscures the view of the lake. 

Today, I'm getting out the chain saw.

The problem was not so much in the directions (although I'm willing to admit that the last few words might have been unclear...) The problem was in the listening. Yard-Helper assumed he already knew what I wanted from the start. 

"I'm gonna trim it back so you can see through the branches."

"No. I want it cut way back. Nothing above shoulder height."

The results of our failure to communicate are disheartening. As I stared at the lollipop holly, I wondered if God has as much trouble communicating with me. It didn't take long to know the answer to that question. Yes, unfortunately, He does.

My problem is the same one Yard-Helper has. I've usually already made a plan of my own.

As it turns out, God doesn't need my plan. He wants His own, because it's always better. His plans are designed to accomplish His purposes while helping me to become more like Him. 

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not harm you, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 nasb

It's only when I want His will more than mine that I can begin to be the disciple He intended. This requires the kind of surrender Jesus demonstrated at Gethsemane. 

Thy will be done, all-in, no holding back, surrender.

That kind of surrender doesn't just happen. For me, it begins by being quiet and listening for that still, small Voice. Checking it against Scripture. Once I know God's will, the right thing to do would be to instantly obey.

I wish I always did that, but I don't. I struggle with the plan. Agonize over it. Try to determine the outcome at the start. The problem, of course, is that God's will is always best, but it doesn't always look like it at the time. 

Loving my neighbor as myself sounds great in theory, but it's not quite as attractive when God asks me to love a neighbor who's antagonistic to me. Love a neighbor by giving more than I want to give. Love a neighbor by sacrificing me-time for their needs. 

When I try to adapt His plan to my will, it never turns out the way it should. 

Maybe you have that problem, too.

Today, I'm reminding myself of Jeremiah 29:11 and that silly-looking holly tree. God has a perfect plan, and it benefits me more than I will ever understand. Even when I can't see how it will work out.

My job isn't to give the directions. My job is to follow His.

So let's follow. Let's love God the most today, and love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. If we manage that, we'll have made a good start.

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In case you missed it, here's a link to yesterday's post: A Merry Heart is Good Medicine

#disciple #obedience #pruningholly

Dealing with unclean spirits, part 8: Blessing of obedience

While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed." But He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." (Luke 11:27-28 NASB)

In the midst of Jesus' teaching, a woman shouted out a word of commendation for His mother. "Blessed is your mother who bore you". Jesus replied with a phrase that is translated by NASB as "on the contrary" but might be better written as "yes, but". The word here is one that connects the two phrases and gives greater importance to the second. It's important to bless your mother. It's more important to obey God.

Jesus was not disagreeing about His mother but was moving the woman's attention from the physical to the spiritual. This woman had heard His words and cried out in admiration. Jesus agreed that His mother was blessed above all women, but He said there was an even greater blessing for those who not only hear the word of God but also obey it. 

When I read that, it's almost too much to imagine. The Virgin Mary was chosen by God, entrusted with His only Son, and honored by bearing and rearing the Holy One. One of Jesus' last acts on the cross was to make certain that someone would care for His mother after His death. He loved His mother. 

Despite the blessing Mary received, those who hear the word of God and obey it receive an even greater blessing. It's worth it to obey. 

Obedience is not always easy. I don't always like doing what God says. Praying for my enemies, doing good to those who curse me are not my favorite instructions, but I've been blessed every time I've obeyed. I've watched God turn enemies to friends and bless me when I've prayed that He'd bless them, and I've marveled every time. It makes no sense in the natural, but in the spiritual realm, it reaps big rewards.

It's not enough to read the Word of God, nor to hear the Word of God. What Jesus asks of us is that we obey the Word of God. It's often harder than I think, but it's also a greater blessing than I could possibly imagine.  Today, commit to obey the Scripture you know. Don't just read it, do it! 

Putting Up with Our Ridiculousness

Last night at church, we gathered in small groups to pray. One of the people in the group I was in prayed the most beautiful prayer I've heard in a while. The words have been on my mind ever since.

"Thank you for putting up with our ridiculousness."

Those words resonated in my heart, and they continue to do so this morning, for God certainly does put up with our ridiculousness. 

Just to be sure we're on the same page here, the dictionary definition of ridiculous is "absurd, preposterous, laughable." This is not a complimentary word. It doesn't bring laughter in a good way. 

My grandmama would have called it "foolishness".

During a recent discussion of things Jesus said for us to do, someone flatly announced, "I'm not doing that." Those words sent chills through me. Jesus said to do it and this person had not only chosen to refuse to obey but had opted to announce it to any who would listen, yet they expected to be blessed.

I hear that a lot about following Jesus. "I'm not doing that." 

Whether it be fasting or loving those who are different, or embracing the lost, the followers of Jesus need to do what He did.

Jesus fasted.

Jesus spent hours in quiet prayer and meditation with His Father.

Jesus loved sinners like me.

Jesus embraced the lost and the prodigals and called them to come home to their Heavenly Father.

Jesus loved and spent time with thieves and drunkards and people who had spent years in horrible sexual sin. He loved them and, after they'd gotten to know Him, He told them to stop their sin, and they did. 

Why did they change? Because they knew they could trust Him. They knew He loved them as they were but wanted more for them. He inspired them to be better than they were and He helped them to change. 

You know who didn't change? The Pharisees. 

It was the people who were a part of the church establishment who heard Jesus' words and said, "I'm not doing that." 

They didn't want to love the lost. They didn't want to embrace the unlovely, or spend time with the people trapped in a lifestyle of sin. 

It turned out the Pharisees were the ones hopelessly trapped in a lifestyle of prejudice and hate and unrepentance.

I do not want to be a Pharisee.

I want to be the follower who says, "I'll do whatever you say, Jesus." 

There was a time when I was the person trapped in a sinful lifestyle who couldn't figure out why I wasn't happy. People probably didn't want to spend much time with me, either, for fear my sin would rub off on them.

Praise God someone cared enough to point me to Jesus and He saved me. I shudder to think where I'd be if there hadn't been a follower of Jesus who loved sinners like me. 

So, today, let's remember what Jesus said, and let's do it.

"Love your neighbor as yourself." (Even if they do things you don't like.) Mark 12:31

"Take up your cross and follow Me." (Even if you don't like where I'm going.) Luke 9:23

Being a disciple is not about what we want. It's about Jesus and what He wants. So let's abandon our ridiculousness and embrace our Savior who loves us all.

Let's trade "I won't" for "I will" and follow Him.

Then He said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me." Luke 9:23 NLT

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: The Value of a Life: We Are Deeply Loved
 #disciple #Jesus #obedience #Pharisee #sin

Holy Week Day 3: Instant Obedience

There were two people who had a significant impact on Jesus' last week, but Scripture doesn't tell us their names. I call them the Unnamed Obeyers. What's important about them is not their names. It's their instant obedience.

We don't know if they were believers or not, but I think they might have been, because, when the disciples said, "The Lord has need," the Unnamed Obeyers said, "Yes. I'll be glad to help." (Leanna Paraphrase)

Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem would not have fulfilled prophecy without the never-ridden donkey. Jesus' last Passover meal with the disciples would not have been the same without the upper room. 

When Jesus approached Mount Olivet, he sent two disciples to the opposite village to find the colt. They were to untie it and bring it to Jesus for His triumphal entry. If anyone asked why they were untying it, they were to say, "The Lord has need of it." 

I am always surprised by what happened. The disciples found the colt, untied it, and someone asked them why. They said just what Jesus said to say. "The Lord has need of it." 

The owner of the donkey colt responded instantly. "Okay. Go right ahead." (my words) He didn't complain or tell them no. He just let them take his young colt for the Lord.

It was the same with the Upper Room. The disciples asked Jesus where they were to prepare the meal. "Go into Jerusalem and look for a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him to the house and tell the owner, the Teacher says, 'Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?'" 

This surprises me, too. Peter and John went into the city, found the man with the pitcher, and followed him. They told  the owner what Jesus said, and the man led the way to a large, furnished upper room. It  was perfect for their feast.

In both instances, as soon as the Unnamed Obeyers heard the need of the Lord, they responded with instant, willing obedience. They didn't argue. They didn't count the cost. They recognized the request was from the Lord and they obeyed. Instantly.

I wish I obeyed as readily. 

The disciples said exactly what Jesus said to say and nothing more. I'd have wanted to embellish the story, but they didn't. Jesus' words were enough. They obeyed him exactly.

The Unnamed Obeyers didn't argue or complain. They simply said, "Yes, Lord." 

I don't always obey as quickly. Once I know for sure what God requires, I'm happy to do it, but being sure isn't always instant for me.

The Unnamed Obeyers had one chance to provide the colt, one chance to provide the Upper Room. Delay might have given the opportunity to serve, and the blessing, to someone else. 

We don't know the Unnamed Obeyers, but their acts of willing obedience are still remembered more than 2000 years later. 

I'd like to have that kind of obedience, wouldn't you? 

When the Still, Small Voice whispers to us, let's obey without delay. When our Lord calls, let's respond instantly with, "Yes, Lord." 

Whether unnamed or not, I want to be remembered as an Obeyer. Don't you?

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*** Be sure to check the updated Prayer List. I have added Brussels to our list. 31 dead. 187 wounded. Airport closed. 200 flights cancelled.

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In case you missed one of the past week's posts, here are the links: What God Requires, Casting Stones, Forgiving, and Forgetting, Being Altogether Joyful, Choosing Molech and Sacrificing Children, The Aftermath: Louisville Tornado 2014, The Scandalous Act of Love, Holy Week, day 2: The Betrayer

#obedience #holyweek #JesusChrist #linesfromleanna #Leanna Hollis

Starting Over: It's Not as Easy as It Seems

I don't know if you've ever stepped away from the life and work with which you were comfortable to do an entirely new thing, but I have. 

It's not as easy as it looks. 

This morning, I read in Exodus about Moses' return to Egypt after forty years in his personal wilderness. He had been comfortable shepherding Jethro's flocks. He knew how to do what must be done, and he was skilled at it. 

I know about being skilled and comfortable in your work. It's hard to give up the sense of security it gives.

Shepherding people was an entirely different matter. Demanding their release from Pharaoh was a task that seemed doomed from the start, and Moses felt unqualified. He didn't want the job and he repeatedly asked God to get someone else.

I know about being uncomfortable in the new work God has planned. I've said, more than once, "I can't do this. You should call someone else."

From the beginning at the burning bush, God told Moses it would be hard. Pharaoh would not want to let the people go and God would have to force their release. 

"I'll do miracles that convince everyone. The Egyptians will give you their treasures to get you to leave. This will work out." (Leanna Paraphrase) 

I've heard "this will work out", too. It not much comfort when you're desperately trying to find your way.

No matter what God said, one thing was clear. Moses didn't want the job. The obedience he offered was half-hearted because he felt so unqualified. In the end, God sent Aaron to do much of the work He had called Moses to do.

What Moses couldn't see was that God had prepared him to the do the work. Moses had spent his first forty years living in the Egyptian court as the grandson of Pharaoh. He was familiar with the court and its ways. More important, he had been trained in leadership. 

Moses had spent another forty years in the wilderness. He knew how to manage livestock and how to survive in the wilderness. 

It's easy to forget that our journey through life is part of God's plan. Nothing is ever wasted. We serve a God who is more than able to accomplish what He intends. Even with us.

Moses, at the age of eighty years, returned to Egypt with every skill he needed to accomplish the work God had given him, but he refused to believe it. God could take the skills He had already placed in Moses to accomplish exactly what He intended. All Moses had to do was obey each step of the way.

When we, like Moses, move out of our comfort zone, we tend to see the uncomfortable, but we fail to see the detailed way God has equipped us in advance. 

We see the monumental task but we fail to realize the smaller steps along the way that will get us there. 

Like Moses, I'm in a new place. Writing fiction was not what I had planned to do with my life, but here I am. Struggling to make sense of point of view and character development. Agonizing over balancing emotion with story, depth with detail. It's harder than I thought. I know I'm not qualified. I'm pretty sure I can't do it.

But God. 

Our Lord reminded me again today that He released the children of Israel with one miracle at a time. It took one act of obedience after another to accomplish their deliverance. 

In that same way, this job is a series of tasks that, when completed, will make a whole. My job is to develop one character at a time. One scene at a time. In the end, the parts will make the whole.

Perhaps you, too, are called to a task that feels overwhelming. Maybe the job God has given is far too big for you. 

He has called you to a God-sized task.

Take heart. Our God is in the business of preparation. He will equip you to do that to which He has called you. All you have to do is obey, one step at a time. It may take longer than you'd like, but He will accomplish that which He has planned.
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In case you missed one of this week's posts, here are the links:    The Importance of Light, A Little Good News: Working Together,  Things I've Learned: There is a God and I'm Not It, Cutting Down a Tree and Praying for Miracles, and The Tree That Preached a Sermon, The Wounded Deer and the Unsaid Words, and Being Angry Without Sin.

#chronologicalBible #obedience #JesusChrist #authorlife #iamwriting #preparation