Hopefully if you know me, you’ve heard me say more than once, “There is hope!” or “Our God is a big God and He cares about us, down to the smallest detail of our lives. He still answers prayer.” So why do I still get so blown away when He shows up and shows off??

Case in point: 2 weeks ago I wrote a friend a letter and quoted Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Lamented in this letter that if I had written a blog that day it would likely have been called “Weary or Whiny?” I had piled my plate too full, I was feeling overwhelmed and this past week I was feeling my health start to suffer. I was becoming anxious and tired and not who I wanted to be. I wrote on the whiteboard in my office “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about EVERYTHING. Tell God what you need and thank Him for what He’s already done. And then you will experience the peace that passes all understanding.”

As I’d go through my day and start to get anxious, I’d read that verse, feel a little better and move on. Friday I called in to work with a migraine likely caused from exhaustion and stress. In the afternoon as I laid on the couch I remembered the verse on my wall at work and with a boldness I got up and reminded God “Your word says tell you what I need. I need you to open new doors! I need you to speak to me and show me I’m on the right path. I want to be blessed so I can bless others!”   Wasn’t too long until I started to feel better.  Well enough in fact, that after going back and forth on it all day, I decided to go to Heritage church in KY that night with my friend Shelbi. We heard a good sermon by Pastor Cleddie Keith. We were done singing, sermon was over – or so I thought – as admittedly I had gotten out my phone and was looking up “City on a Hill” times/services on their web-site. (Pastor Billy Price gave a good word over communion and I thought “I’ve been wanting to visit that church too – I need to look up their services.”)  That’s when I heard Pastor Cleddie’s voice over the mic… “You two young ladies in the back, I need you to come up here. The girl with the dark hair and the blonde…” What?!? Wait?!? Shelbi? ME?? I’ve been to this church 3 or 4 times. I don’t know Pastor Cleddie. But I knew what he was preaching about last night! We walked up and he was telling another couple something God spoke to his heart for them and I watched their faces intently as they knew they were getting a word from God. When he was done they confirmed it and told how it related to them. I was thinking in my head “Oh no. have I failed God? He knows I stumble and sometimes I pick up things and worry about them that I said I’d lay down. Is God going to use this man to tell me to keep those things laid down?!?” I was braced and ready if I had failed, I needed to learn. He spoke to both of us and said “you contemplated whether to even come here tonight.” I looked at Shelbi knowing that was true! He then gave my friend Shelbi an on-time word for her. Then he looked me in the eye and with a kindness and gentleness no rebuke came. Instead, this is what he said to me “I don’t prophesize over people. But… God has laid it on my heart to tell you that He has seen you NOT GROW WEARY in well doing. Be ready, your harvest is coming!” Tears started to fall…. THAT was the exact verse I had been speaking for the last month!! You see THIS is how God works!! He’s an on-time God! Just when I thought I couldn’t go any further, when I felt I was going to break, I reached out and said “God, I’m getting weary. I need some help here!”

Had one of my pastors said those words to me, I would’ve believed them. But they know the things I’ve been doing to try to help others so I may have taken it as just words of encouragement based on their knowledge. But this man I’ve never met, who doesn’t know anything about me says: “God said to tell you He’s seen you not grow weary” I was absolutely blown away!!  And this my friends, this is why I have the faith I do!! GOD is real! He’s alive. And I’m not sharing this to say anything about me at all.  He gets ALL the praise for anything I’ve accomplished.  What I’m saying is that God is no respecter of persons and will move in your life the EXACT same way, IF you seek Him! I’m saying that if you’ve been out there working and feel weary, don’t give up! For in due time, if we faint not, we shall reap blessings!  Never underestimate what a word of encouragement can do for another on this journey.

I’ve got a fire burning again! Watch out world – my boots are laced!