I also believe that a mind is terribly hard to control.

Seriously. Maybe you have the ability to control your thoughts all mastered, but I sure don’t. One tiny event, action, news story or comment from someone can send my otherwise Christ-centered, balanced, content and peaceful mind spinning in the wrong direction faster than a merry-go-round on an elementary school playground.

And the enemy of my soul absolutely LOVES it. Gives him great material to work with. Jerkface.

Let me give you an example…

Let’s say I’m out for a run and I hear sirens. No big deal, right? As long as I have my everything focused on Christ, yeah, it’s no big deal. But sometimes my woman brain kicks into motion before I even realize what is happening. I hear the siren, and I think, “I wonder where it’s going” which turns into “I hope they are ok” which turns into “It sounds like it’s headed in the direction of where my husband works (which is a huge place)” which turns into “What if my husband is hurt/was in an accident/etc” and BOOM.

There I am. Worried about something that isn’t even legit. And worry is a sin because it shows that I am not trusting God with my day/life/plans.

BAH. It’s such a frustrating cycle to break.

Then of course the Enemy gets involved and tries to play up my fears/worries/insecurities/need to control/etc.

It’s precious. (Not.)

Scripture says A LOT about the power of mind control. (No, not controlling OTHER people’s minds… controlling our own thoughts.) Romans 8:6 says, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”

Pretty simple, huh? The mind of us as sinners equals death… But when we let God control our minds, we experience constant life and peace.

Via deeplifequotes @ Flickr

You all know that I am a sucker for analogies, so I liken this concept to the airport security system. Our thoughts are the carry-on bags going through the nifty little X-ray machine… and Jesus is the TSA agent. We need to let Him sort through our thoughts and decide if they pass the test of worthy, holy, and pure. The yucky ones that don’t make the cut? Yep, they are confiscated. Junked. Trashed. Deleted. Whatever you want to call it– they are GONE.

2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us of this truth as well. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

So what do we do when our minds start to spin out of control? Well, we can run it through the Jesus filter. It has worked pretty well for me as of late… I often refer to Philippians 4:8~ “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  

If your thoughts that pop into your head don’t fit any of those descriptors, more than likely they are junk. Don’t give the enemy a foothold by thinking about the yuck that we have no control over. Instead, we can take every thought, run it through our nifty little Jesus filter and take it captive to Christ.

Now THAT is the power of mind control… Through Christ.

Minding Jesus,
SGK

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ~Isaiah 55:9 NIV

Loving my neighbor,
SGK

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Growing up, I, like other little girls, dreamed of our meeting my prince, getting married and having a family. Never did I imagine hitting a bump in the road, called infertility.

When Roger and I tied the knot we knew we’d love to have a family and decided to not use birth control and it would happen in God’s time.  Our first anniversary came and went and still not pregnant, no worries. We both agreed God had something else in store for us.  After being diagnosed with uterine fibroids and undergoing surgery to remove them we thought we were on our way to building a family. We sought out treatment at a fertility specialist and were told IVF was our only option for having a little one of our own flesh. But, Roger and I weren’t sure about IVF, we had always said that if it had come to that, we would adopt. But God had another plan.

Source: Juliane Bjerregaard via Flickr

As we prayed about what we should do, we both felt God leading us towards IVF. Nothing was guaranteed to us as we went through the process. It was a 50/50 chance of working. We transferred 4 embryos, due to the low quality. Our doctor informed us that not only did we have male factor issues; we were also looking at the quality of my eggs being not so great. But we hoped and prayed every night. God had guided us to this spot and he would show us our future.

However, 2 weeks later we found out that our cycle had failed. I went into a tailspin of depression. I was angry and upset that this could happen. I couldn’t understand how God could provide a child to those who abuse and hurt children, but we couldn’t have just one.  It took me hitting rock bottom to find what was important in my life again. I hit my knees in prayer and talked to God as much as I could.

 ”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

I went to this verse and had to remember that HE was in control not me, the doctors or anyone else. Only HE knew what plans he had laid out for Roger and I as a family.  I found peace and understood then that he had given us the path of infertility and the pain of a failed IVF cycle to prepare us for what amazing things he had in store for us.

We knew then that it was his plans for us all along to adopt, but that the little bumps in the road was to teach us to depend on him more.  I started researching adoption agencies and was astonished by the costs associated with adoption, but knew that he would provide for us.  It was super important for us to have a Christian Agency to work with and we found that with Bethany Christian Services.  We arrived in Fort Benning, GA in February 2013 and hit the ground running with all of our paperwork. We are working with an amazing social worker as part of their Domestic Infant Adoption program in hopes of having an open adoption. We are excited, anxious and nervous all at the same time. But, know that God is working on our perfect child for us right now.

When asked, “How are you so at peace?” I share how God brought me to my knees and renewed my faith in him. Without him, this journey wouldn’t be possible. After all, we are all his adopted children!

 ”Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”– John 1:12

Reflection: How or when do you rely most on God? Does it give you hope that no matter what you are facing in life, you are adopted by Christ? Share your thoughts below! 

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Mindy and Roger have been together 6 years. They met while Roger was deployed to Iraq and have been together since. She’s a stay at home Army wife who runs the household while also volunteering and going to school full-time. Mindy is a furbaby mommy to 2 wonderful dogs, Max, a fox terrier and Maxine, a toy fox terrier. She enjoys traveling, photography, helping others, and being outdoors. Mindy is excited to be a mommy to a child one day through adoption.  Until then, she continues to be a guiding light to others dealing with infertility and teach them the plans our amazing God has in store. They would love for you to follow their story via Facebook at “Roger & Mindy Are Adopting”. Please keep them in prayer.

As my Beloved Brandon and I make new memories with our little one as we seek out our new home with the army, I couldn’t help but get all gushy thinking about my parents. This post recalls one of my favorite childhood memories with my dad… and my heavenly Father. 

Where do you go to meet with the Father? I would love to hear all about it. Feel free to comment below! 

Praying today is full of Him!
SGK 

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Growing up in northwest Kansas as the daughter in a farming/ranching family provided me with many chances to “get away.” Ok, let’s be honest– we were 90 miles from the nearest Wal-Mart. We were always “away,” so actually going somewhere aka civilization was a big deal.

Anyway, Dad worked a lot of hours taking care of the cattle and crops, but some of the most precious memories I have of my youth were those moments when I would climb onto the bathroom sink, lather up my face and pretend to “shave” my face with my finger as he did the same in the mirror. We would sing as we “shaved,” and to this day the song “In the Garden” takes me “away” and back to solidarity on the farm… and now to solidarity with God.

The song “In the Garden” fondly reminds me of my youthful days on the farm and also of my relationship with God. It brings back around the importance of spending time with Him daily, reflecting in his glory and love for us.

I come to the garden alone

While the dew is still on the roses

And the voice I hear falling on my ear

The Son of God discloses.

(Refrain)

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody that He gave to me

Within my heart is ringing.

Refrain

I’d stay in the garden with Him

Though the night around me be falling,

But He bids me go; through the voice of woe

His voice to me is calling.

Refrain  

Check out the link to hear the song… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW0WA8OSXZg

Jesus deeply desires to spend time with us, love on us, romance us. Are you giving Him that opportunity? Where is your garden? Is it literally a garden? Maybe someplace else in nature? Perhaps at your kitchen table before the rest of the family awakens? It might even be at the bathroom sink, staring into the mirror, talking to God and thanking him for the memories of the past and the promises of the future.

Spend some time to go your “garden” with Him today. None other will ever know the joy you experience with Him as you walk, talk, and tarry there.

Walking in the Garden,
SGK

“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11

Hi. My name is Sharita Knobloch. And I am an overpacker. 

(This is where you all respond in unison with “HI SHARITA.” 

Seriously though… I don’t MEAN to overpack when I travel and/or move. It just sort of happens. I start out with a general packing list, and by the time I get done, I am standing in our driveway, staring at our car whispering prayers under my breath that all of this stuff will actually fit in our vehicle. 

As I type this, we are getting ready to move 3000 miles across country… With an infant. 

This oughta be good. (Feel free to start praying for us… Like, um, yesterday.) 

I’m doing my best not to overpack this trip… and I was considering this concept, I recalled a post I wrote a while back about overpacking when we walk with Christ. 

So, as a refresher for all of us… here ya go. As you read, think about the areas of your life that perhaps YOU overpack? Is it insecurity? Worry? Unforgiveness? How can you leave that excess baggage behind? Feel free to share your strategies below in the comments. 

Until then… I am gonna invite Christ into this journey we are taking and asking HIM to weed through what I really NEED… His answer? 

All we need is Christ. 

Packing by Faith, 
SGK 

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“Attention passengers, flight 324 to Rome, Italy is now boarding.”

I am far from a professional flier. In fact, I was nearly a sophomore in college before I had the chance to fly for the first time. After that flight from Kansas City to Washington, DC (which was a little nerve-wracking as my co-traveler was also flying for the first time), I started to gain confidence on how to navigate airports in a timely fashion.

I’ve had the privilege of flying to DC, Atlanta, Spain, Chicago, Denver, Portland, Orlando, Rome, and China (and probably a couple others that I am forgetting.) Compared to my first time flying my nerves are much more in check.

Now I really don’t stress too terribly much about missing my flight because I do all I can to plan accordingly. But there is one place in the airport my blood pressure tends to rise.

The security line.

Yes, I am THAT girl. The closer I get to the front of the line, the more thoughts are racing through my head. I am strategizing on how to keep my boarding pass on my person while ripping off my shoes and/or belt, emptying my pockets, unpacking my laptop as I gracefully walk through the metal detector trying not to look like a bumbling fool and tick off the person in line behind me.

Meanwhile, other thoughts are racing through my head. “Where did I put my plastic baggie with 3 ounce liquids? Did I take my mini-pocket knife out of my purse? Are they going to confiscate my dried apple slices? Does a fingernail file count as a weapon?”

This is how the Knobloch’s travel… Rome to Home. We were on our honeymoon. Can’t you tell?

I couldn’t help but wonder if we are sometimes like this in our faith. Are we carrying too much baggage that in the end just weighs us down? The more baggage we carry around, whether it is insecurity, things from a past relationship or worry about future “stuff” the more likely Satan is going to be like the TSA agent who digs through your bag and finds that nail file. He will pick through our “baggage” and find the one thing that will bring us down and ruin our day.

Jesus asks that when we are traveling with him to leave our baggage behind. Don’t believe me? Check out what he says to his disciples in Matthew 10:9-10 as He is sending them out to the world:

“Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.”

The Message version is even more direct:

“Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.”

If I was there as a disciple, I am sure I would the one in the back to raise my hand and say, “Um, Jesus? Yeah. Are you sure about this? I mean, I would really like to have a toothbrush and change of clothes. Oh, and what about my cell phone and charger? Jesus? Hey, where you going, man…”

While we all may still choose to fly with a carryon or pack our car with extra bottled water and trash bags, we can travel luggage free with Christ. He gives us everything we need. He has called us to come on a journey with Him. So what about all that extra baggage? Yeah, let’s go ahead and check it at the gate.

Traveling Light with Christ,
SGK

“Then Peter chimed in, “We left everything and followed you. What do we get out of it?” Jesus replied, “Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel. And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life. This is the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.” –Matthew 19:27-30 (MSG)

Covered by Christ, 
SGK 

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God has recently impressed on my heart how He is my covering. I’m counted as blessed because I get to take shelter in him. He’s showing me how He longs for me to come under His protection and allow Him to shield me from damaging elements in this world. If I seek shelter in Him, He will guide me to do things that I once feared. Under this protection, He’s also teaching me to step out of my comfort zone.

This is a story about when those two things combine.

I recently encountered a woman who was not protected from the elements. She was standing at a bus stop on a busy road, in the pouring rain, with no umbrella, and I could see that her fancy hair-do was slowly melting.

(I’m sorry to say it, but) My first reaction was just the thought, “Man, that really stinks! I bet she put a lot of effort into her hair and make-up this morning and now they’re both getting ruined!” Can you tell I was having a grumpy day?

And my second thought was (slightly better), “Oh, maybe I should pray for her. That would nice.”

I was actually going to drive off just feeling pity for her when God nudged me to look down and notice the (hardly used) umbrella on the floor by my passenger seat.

That’s when God spoke and reminded me, “Dear {Meghan}, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that {you} really have it? For instance, you come upon a {woman on the side of the road} and say, “Good morning, friend! {I’ll pray for you! Hope your hair doesn’t go flat!} Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and {drive} off without providing so much as a coat or a {umbrella} – where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense” (James 2:14-17).

Oh goodness, I was a bit intimidated when I realized that God wanted me to actually pull over and offer it to her! It’s not that I treasured the umbrella or anything, but I was intimidated to actually have contact with her and act on my faith. What if she rejected me? What if she thought I was some creep-o?

But could I let myself be guilty of trying to talk the talk without walking the walk? What good would my prayers for her be if she was still getting rained on?!

I knew that I had to listen to the nudge and pull over. So I did just that. I pulled over to the side of the road, rolled down my window, and called out to her. It was really inarticulate, but I was able to get her attention and she actually walked over to my car.

So I timidly said, “It’s raining! You look like you could use an umbrella, and I’ve got one that I never use. So… would you like it?”

She looked shocked and at first denied it. But I insisted, and she said, “ Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! For real? I can’t believe it! Thank you!” She was truly flabbergasted, and the light of joy on her face shone through the rainy day haze around us.

All because I gave her a measly umbrella.

But really, I think she was touched because I saw her. I saw her need, and I listened to God long enough to do something about it. I was able to show her that in this crazy busy world, there is someone who cares about her, and yes, even about her hair-do. I made sure to let her know that the “someone” was God.

So what can you do today? How can you put the love into action? Do not be content to sit back and let your faith grow lazy. Will you settle today for merely talking the talk, or are you willing to go out on a limb and walk the walk as well? Trust me, God has powerful things in store if you will trust Him and put your faith into action.

 ****

Meghan Stewart is the Young Adults Director at Christ Community Church in Columbus, Ga. She is a wife, sister, daughter, friend, and devoted follower of Christ. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys health-wise cooking and baking, running, reading, and spending precious time with her husband, Mason, and cat, Jake. She is basking in the joy of her salvation and loving every day that God blesses her with!

Today is the day we link up with Lisa-Jo and rock out Five Minute Friday.

For FMF, Lisa gives us a prompt. Then we write. Uninhibited. For five minutes.

It’s as easy as that.

So let’s see what is in store for us today…

Today’s Prompt: FALL

AND GO!

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Fall. It’s not just a season… It’s a verb (you know, one of those words that shows action…)

It has positive or negative connotations. We can fall down the stairs. (And up the stairs. I’m so graceful, I’ve done both. In the same day.) We can fall in love. (Done that too.) We can fall short. (Yep, sounds familiar.) And we can fall to faith.

Falling to faith is a beautiful thing… I don’t mean it is exceptionally graceful or easy– but it sure is a wonderful feeling, even though it might take immense effort and get a little messy sometimes.

When we are in a tough spot… We can fall to faith.

When we are unsure of what to do next… We can fall to God knowing that He has got our back.

When the enemy of our soul is all up in our grill and wreaking havoc on our hearts– we can fall into Jesus’ arms for protection.

When we are overwhelmed… We can fall to His feet for rest.

When nothing seems to be going right… We can fall forward onto the One who is and was and is yet to come. He never changes.

When this world starts to suck us down… we can fall to the Father in faith.

Falling to Faith isn’t easy. But it sure is worth it.

STOP!

****

This post is straight from my heart today, dear readers. (Well, all my posts are, but this one from the deep places in my heart.) I would so appreciate your prayers for our little army family. Things are changing quickly as we prep to move across the country… and as a Mama of a 3-month-old, I am trying not to become overwhelmed… but really, that’s easier said than done Regardless… I will continue to fall to faith.

Thanks for stopping by and may God bless you!

SGK

PS: How can I pray for you today? Let me know via leaving a comment, sending me a message on Facebook or dropping me an email at sharita{dot}knobloch{at}gmail{dot}com.

“When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” ~Matthew 8:10 NIV

Today I am so incredibly blessed to introduce you to a Soli Deo Gloria Sister, Jenn. She actually hosts the Soli Deo Gloria (To the Glory of God Alone) sisterhood link-up each week– and lemme tell you what, it’s a powerful experience. Be sure to share the love with her both here at 7 Days Time and over at her place as she shares a little piece of her heart and what it means to experience Jesus… Everyday! 

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I was incredibly afraid of taking them to another funeral.  I was afraid to watch them bury yet another great-grandparent.  I was afraid that they would fail to see the hope and the life and concentrate solely on the deadness, on the vacant body, on the loss.

But Mama Gal, or Mrs. Mavis to some, she didn’t plan to go out without reminding everyone for whom she lived.  And how can you instruct people to talk about your faith without imparting the hope that comes with the name of Jesus Christ?

The preacher extolled Mama Gal’s bible reading.  He held up clippings and pictures that she kept in her large-print bible.  He read some of her notations and shared some underlined verses.

And the mind of my eight year-old daughter absorbed all the hope she could as her eyes filled with tears.

It was a whirlwind trip to Shreveport, Louisiana, and soon as she got to her room, Abby took out her glittery Bible and opened the front cover.

Each Friday, I link up with Lisa-Jo Baker. She gives us a prompt. Then we write. For five minutes.

Easy-peasy, right?

Let’s get to crackin’.

Today’s Prompt: IMAGINE

AND GO!

***

If you would have asked me two years ago to imagine how today, May 31, 2013 would feel, I probably wouldn’t have even been close.

See, two years ago, my wonderful husband became a drill sergeant at Fort Benning. We heard that it was an extremely difficult assignment, (on step below deployment) but we were up for the task.

Now, two years later… We have come to the end of our time as a drill sergeant family “on the trail.”

And through it all, God sustained us.

My husband worked almost non-stop for 2 years, away from home more than he was here. But God kept us going. Huh. Imagine that.

I cried more tears from frustration that I want to admit, but God made our love grow deeper. Huh. Imagine that.

My Beloved has worked cold, hot, hungry, frustrated, exhausted for hours (ok DAYS) on end. But God gave him a heart of integrity and perseverance. Huh. Imagine that.

We prayed more than we ever have in our entire lives, and God heard our prayers. Huh. Imagine that.

This experience hasn’t been easy, but the my Beloved has trained hundreds of men, turning them from civilians to infantrymen soldiers. Through it all, God has helped our commitment, desire, level of patience and appreciation for each other grow richer than ever. Huh. Imagine that.

Friends, it doesn’t matter what you are going through. Remember when you are weary, worried, or worn, God is there. Stick with Him. Cling to Him. And when it is all said and done, you will see that He never left you, never forsook you.

And with inexplicable joy in your heart, you can say, “Thank you, Lord! Mission Accomplished.”

Huh. Imagine that!

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Today, we praise the Lord for sustaining us– we are gleefully imagining the next season of our life as an U.S. Army Infantry family. When has the Lord surprised you in your life journey? I would love to hear all about it!

Imagining and Experiencing Victory in Him,
SGK

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” ~Ephesians 3:20 MSG

We are down to hours of beginning a new, off the trail season of life. Thank you, Jesus for sustaining us!

Think about it…

When you cross the finish line of a race after weeks (or months!) of training… When you hit SUBMIT on that last paper for a really tough class… When you walk across the stage and receive that diploma that has been years in the making… When after 9 months, that little baby is finally laid in your arms for the first time…

Yep. There’s no other feeling in the world.

And interestingly enough, sometimes a strong finish is a beginning of a new season.

Which is exactly where we are today.

The Knobloch family (as in my Beloved, our baby girl Charis, our pup Justus and I) are preparing to celebrate a strong finish in what has been a very challenging (yet blessed!) season of our life.

The last 24 months have been very intense during our time as a drill sergeant “on the trail.” And now…we have just two (that’s right, count em, TWO!) days left!! THANK. YOU. JESUS.

My sweet husband has been in the army as an infantryman for going on 10 years… Which includes three deployments totaling about 45 months in an Iraqi desert. I asked him where our two-year stint of drill sergeant-ness fell on his scale of challenging seasons of the army. His response? This was by far the most difficult.

Not only were the hours crazy (typically working 12-24 hrs per day,  7 days per week for weeks on end) but we were also learning what it meant to be a family in the military who desired to treat Christ as our Commander-in-Chief.

Um yeah. It was not an easy task.

In addition to the crazy hours and tasks of the hubs being a drill sergeant and my call as a minister/blogger, we got pregnant, had a miscarriage, experienced some really sticky leadership situations, got pregnant again, and welcomed a baby into the world… among about 14 bajillion other intense life events.

Now, I’m not saying all these things to say “Oh look how big/bad/awesome/tough we are.” Because honestly, there were a few moments that I wanted to curl up in a closet and just pray for May 2013 to HURRY UP. It was freaking hard. Instead, I share these details with you because through all the frustration, tears, uncertainty… God was there.

God has been with us every step of the way. He has used these last two years to mold us, shape us, grow us in mighty and powerful ways. He has been preparing us for our next season of life, whatever that might look like.

Today, we rejoice in hope of finishing strong– and celebrate God’s faithfulness and goodness!!!

In what seasons of life do you feel closest to God? How do you feel when you finish strong? Are you preparing to “finish” a season of life? I would love to pray for you in that– just let me know by leaving a comment below, sending me a message on Facebook or an email via sharita {dot} knobloch{at}gmail{dot}com.

Also, we would like to say thank you to each of you that has encouraged us and prayed for us in this season. We are so grateful! As we countdown these last two days of this challenging season, our hearts are full of joy, relief, gratitude and anticipation of what this next season of ministry and army life (and family life!) will look like in our new army home in Fort Lewis, Washington.

So today, we praise God for helping us to finish strong– and that His love, presence and faithfulness is ALWAYS a reason to celebrate!

To the Glory of God Alone,
SGK

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” ~2 Timothy 4:6-7 NIV

When the going gets tough… The tough get Jesus. (And perhaps create an elementary school-type paper countdown chain, complete with a Bible verse for each day left on the trail as a drill sergeant.)

Moved by His Majestic Love, 
SGK

PS: Be sure to share the love with Meghan by leaving your feedback and comments below.

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Have you noticed that God is never really too concerned with leaving us where we feel comfortable? Nope. He’s just not concerned about that at all.

Throughout the Bible, God is shown stretching His people, calling them out of their places of comfort, calling them to be bold and to walk out into the unknown for His purposes. Our God called Abraham away from his home, asked Moses (a man with a speech impediment) to be a very vocal leader, and had the Israelites wander in the desert for 40 years. He called shepherds to be kings, called men to walk on water, and still calls his followers to trust in Him daily.

I don’t know about you, but I really like to be comfortable. Especially when it comes to sharing my faith. Maybe there’s something in the water, but I’ve noticed that even the boldest Christians will often grow timid when it comes to sharing their faith with strangers.

And God is not satisfied with that. He recently helped me to tackle my fear of getting out of my comfort zone in a place where I least expected Him to show up.

My husband and I were leaning against the wall in the emergency entrance of a local hospital one late and rainy Georgia night, waiting to pick up two friends who were rushed to the ER after their car accident. Honestly, by that point in the evening, I felt pretty burnt out and tired. I found that the only way to keep my mind from going to negative places (I’m ashamed to admit it, but I was actually trying to not linger on thinking about how few people in the ER had insurance and how much that would cost the government…I know, not nice…) was to zone out completely and turn numb to the many people in pain before me.

All of a sudden, my husband asked me if I was praying for Jesus to come into that place. Um… no, far from it!

I was sadly in a place where I didn’t even feel capable (or worthy) of approaching the throne of grace and getting into a spirit of prayer. But his sweet words convicted me, and, at a loss for words, started to pray, “Jesus…Jesus…Jesus” – there truly is power in His name.

Suddenly, I felt convicted to put my prayer into action. This is NOT the kind of thing that I would normally do. Like I said, I’m often quite timid about approaching strangers and sharing my faith, but God called me to be bold for Him, and then He even revealed exactly who He wanted me to pray with. Not for, but with.

I think that I actually started shaking as I realized that I had to go and actually talk with someone!

I noticed a girl who was writhing in pain in the entrance to the ER. Her mother had come inside to beg the receptionist to let her daughter be seen urgently because she was in much pain, but there was nothing that the receptionist could do. I saw both daughters of Christ, one in excruciating pain, the other burdened with anxiety, fear, and frustration.

Oh God, how many times have I been burdened by the enemy? And how many times have you sent people alongside me to lift me up? In this moment, I realized the human neediness for God’s gracious provision. How could I turn down my role in this?

So I made a choice and let God lead me out of the glass sliding doors towards the two. I simply asked the mother if I could pray with them, and to my surprise she reacted with excitement! I asked the girl her name, but she couldn’t look up into my face. As I sat down next to her and wrapped my arms around her, placing my hand where she was feeling pain her mother and I launched into prayer for her, asking God for His healing presence.

I don’t know that God’s intention was to totally heal the girl physically as much as it was to bring His light and warmth into that place where so many were numb from pain or apathy. After we finished, the girl was able to look up, and she was no longer moaning or writhing in pain. I was able to see her face and affirm her beauty to her. Her mother was so full of thanks and joy after our short time together, and I truly believe that God was able to change the trajectory of her night.

But lo and behold, God changed me in that instance, too. He changed my heart and my thoughts and my will. He allowed me to be sensitive to His voice, to follow His commands, and to be a part of what He’s doing in my city, even if it was on a small-scale. God cares not about the quantity of what we do, but with what quality our heart goes forth where He calls.

Praise and glory to our good Father who is able to heal the sick, cover over a multitude of sins, and redirect an independent soul like me towards His Kingdom’s purposes!

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Meghan Stewart is the Young Adults Director at Christ Community Church in Columbus, Ga. She is a wife, sister, daughter, friend, and devoted follower of Christ. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys health-wise cooking and baking, running, reading, and spending precious time with her husband, Mason, and cat, Jake. She is basking in the joy of her salvation and loving every day that God blesses her with!