Faithfully Pedaling
God's faithfulness is amazing.
I have been home for three weeks now and have finally regrouped. I came home into a whirwind of March Madness basketball. I forgot how much I missed it. The WILDCATS made an amazing run to the state tournament, and although the Lady Gophers struggled in the post-season, another group of my former coaches are in the Final Four!! As much fun as it is to watch basketball, I have enjoyed catching up with everyone even more. From urgent stops at Chipolte to lunch dates at small town hot spots, or from opportunities to share at church to opportunities to dress my friends up in Bangladesh clothing, or simply from hugs and walking and knitting and even watercolor painting God has used you to encourage me.
I have always heard others declare God's faithfulness, and without much thought found it easy to agree. Now I am on a journey of learning His faithfulness on a deeper level. God has been showing me how faithfully He answers prayers, especially when we truly trust Him with our concerns. I would consider myself a "get-it-done" type person. When I see a need or have a need myself, I instantly try to figure out what I can do to address it. How can I change this problem or that situation? I am learning that it is not about what I can do. It's more about what I can't do. Alone, I can do nothing. When I seek God and chose to work through Him, anything is possible. When I wholeheartedly surrender control, God shows up and shows me the way.
A good friend sent me this poem, and it really added perspective to the things I have been going through.
At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn't know Him. But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal. I don't know just when it was that He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since.
When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring and predictable....it was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains and through rocky places at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to hang on.
Even though it looked like madness, He said, "Pedal." I was worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventrue. And when I'd say, "I'm scared," He'd lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance, and joy. They gave me gifts to take on my journey, my Lords and mine. And we were off again.
He said, "Give the gifts away; they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, the the people we met, and found that in fiving I received, and still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it; but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take away sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning ot shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I am beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.
And when I am sure I just can't do it anymore, He just smiles and says....."PEDAL!"
I feel like I am on a "long cut" right now. I had this idea that going back to Bangladesh in April would be the best thing for me, but God is taking me back on a different path. I will be planning to go in July, and in the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the ride!
I have been home for three weeks now and have finally regrouped. I came home into a whirwind of March Madness basketball. I forgot how much I missed it. The WILDCATS made an amazing run to the state tournament, and although the Lady Gophers struggled in the post-season, another group of my former coaches are in the Final Four!! As much fun as it is to watch basketball, I have enjoyed catching up with everyone even more. From urgent stops at Chipolte to lunch dates at small town hot spots, or from opportunities to share at church to opportunities to dress my friends up in Bangladesh clothing, or simply from hugs and walking and knitting and even watercolor painting God has used you to encourage me.
I have always heard others declare God's faithfulness, and without much thought found it easy to agree. Now I am on a journey of learning His faithfulness on a deeper level. God has been showing me how faithfully He answers prayers, especially when we truly trust Him with our concerns. I would consider myself a "get-it-done" type person. When I see a need or have a need myself, I instantly try to figure out what I can do to address it. How can I change this problem or that situation? I am learning that it is not about what I can do. It's more about what I can't do. Alone, I can do nothing. When I seek God and chose to work through Him, anything is possible. When I wholeheartedly surrender control, God shows up and shows me the way.
A good friend sent me this poem, and it really added perspective to the things I have been going through.
THE ROAD OF LIFE
At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn't know Him. But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal. I don't know just when it was that He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since.
When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring and predictable....it was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains and through rocky places at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to hang on.
Even though it looked like madness, He said, "Pedal." I was worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventrue. And when I'd say, "I'm scared," He'd lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance, and joy. They gave me gifts to take on my journey, my Lords and mine. And we were off again.
He said, "Give the gifts away; they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, the the people we met, and found that in fiving I received, and still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it; but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take away sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning ot shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I am beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.
And when I am sure I just can't do it anymore, He just smiles and says....."PEDAL!"
I feel like I am on a "long cut" right now. I had this idea that going back to Bangladesh in April would be the best thing for me, but God is taking me back on a different path. I will be planning to go in July, and in the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the ride!
posted by Lindsay at 7:22 AM
