Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!
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Few things in this world freak me out more than having a total brain lapse in front of a crowd.
You know what I mean– you are in the middle of sentence, addressing someone (or several someones) about something important then BOOM.… Brain. Goes. Blank.
This happened to me earlier this summer as I was co-facilitating a three-day national leadership conference for about 45 high school students.
My best friend Becky has invited me to be her facilitation partner for SkillsUSA Activate conference. After praying about it, I said yes with enthusiasm. Months of preparation and memorization led us to our go-time moment in Kansas City.
It had been a hot minute since I facilitated, but I knew God called me to this and he would help me through it. I wanted to serve these students during our five-day stint in KC. Even though it wasn’t a “Jesus” conference, I wanted to give God all the glory. And I definitely didn’t want to let my partner down.
I had studied material for hours. Day one went really well. Day two of the conference was the longest and most intense. Wouldn’t you know it, I woke up with a sore throat and clogged nose.
Really, Lord? You can’t give me like 48 more hours? Gah.
I told Becky about my dilemma and begged the conference coordinators to hook me up with some mild cold medication that would alleviate some of the symptoms but not turn my brain into a big pile of non-functioning mush.
They obliged. Well, sort of.
I popped a couple of cold pills right before lunch. After snarfing our food (time was limited) Becky and I reconvened to prep for the marathon afternoon sessions.
All was well until 5 minutes into the first afternoon session. Becky was presenting and my brain was waiting for her to introduce the next leadership activity, which my cold-fogged brain thought was an obstacle course.
Half listening, I heard her transition the floor to me.
Dear. Lord. In. Heaven. I have NO IDEA what we are talking about!?!? Why aren’t we doing the obstacle course!?!
Then I realized– the obstacle course activity was for the NEXT session. Right now it was my turn to impart wisdom on this group of young leaders and I didn’t have a clue what the next activity was supposed to be.
Stupid cold medicine.
I started to talk. I knew I was rambling, stalling for time. In the back of my mind, I begged God to show me what I was supposed to do next. I made eye contact with Becky and she could tell my brain was totally blank.
I begged one more time. Please, Jesus. Show me what to do.
Suddenly, like a breath of fresh air, the cold fingers of panic released their grip on my heart. All at once, clarity flowed through my head. I remembered the activity, set the context, gave directions and turned the students loose to complete it with a huge heart sigh of relief.
After the session concluded, I apologized to Becky. She, as always, was forgiving and gracious. She said no one but her noticed (Now you know why she is my best friend!) We are both devout believers, so I shared with her how God delivered in the moment.
The next 36 hours of the conference went off without a hitch. And I made sure not to take any more cold medicine.
If you have been a follower of Christ for more than 34 seconds, you know waiting for God is hard but necessary. We also know that God will meet all of our needs.
Fortunately, God knows when we need to wait to and when we need immediate assistance.
Sometimes, He answers in the moment.
In those moments we see Him in our everyday.
When has God answered your prayer in the moment with immediacy? How did it make you feel? How can we continue to build trust on this truth? Comment below.
Although that conference fades farther into the distance every day, I am constantly reminded of God’s faithfulness and how He showed up, answering in the moment.
We can stand on that truth that we don’t have to be battling a cold or facilitating a leadership conference for Him to deliver our immediate needs right when we need them.
Jesus is with us everyday… and sometimes, He answers in the moment.
Always praising,
“You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:19 MSG
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