What's the last thing God's told you to do?

 If I asked you, "What's the last thing God's told you to do?", could you answer that?

I've been thinking about this a lot, and my answer involves you!

        The last strong leading I've been given is to share my story with you: my story of God leading me as a teenager. I've fought slowing down and sharing this with you, but today I'm going to obey. Today I'm going to slow down and do it. Is there direction you've been given that you can slow down and obey today?

So, here it goes. My story.

        As a teenager, I attended the youth group at Goodwater Baptist Church in Magee, Mississippi, and Chris Johns was my Youth Pastor. I saw Jesus in Chris Johns and I saw that Chris Johns saw me. He noticed me. He saw a Renee inside of Renee, and I could sense it.

        I attended the youth group regularly, but I was far from perfect; a teenager searching for love and missing the mark. A teenager with an inner image of chasing after God with all of her heart- no matter the cost- but wanting to fit in. My junior year, my world was shaken, security was lost, the natural plan I had made for my life came to an end and now I realize looking back, one of my very best friends on this planet left the Earth.

      I thought she'd be in my life forever, looking back. I admired her and the way she cared for her child in a way I had never seen a mother love a child. I wanted to be her. I loved her. And she left too soon. I've grieved her, but honestly at the time didn't know how to process it or who to run to, so I ran to my Father. My Heavenly Father. A seventeen-year-old with her plans- as seventeen-year-olds usually have- suddenly shattered.

      I cried out to God and knew my direction was to be found in my relationships. This inner image of chasing after God with all of my heart couldn't happen without a change of scenery and somehow, at the age of seventeen, I saw that. And now, looking back, I see that Chris Johns helped me see that. Thank you, Chris.

      So, on a Sunday night, broken-hearted with a hole of hopelessness inside that I had never experienced, I ran to God. I had felt Him the strongest at Word of Life as a child, so I started there. Broken-hearted and alone, I headed to Word of Life that Sunday night and truly surrendered my life to my Heavenly Father. It was real, and I knew I'd never look back. As I exited the church that night, a young girl walked up and handed me a letter. She sheepishly said, "God had me write this for you during the service." In this letter contained the answer to my prayer. The exact words I had cried out to God weeks prior. She wrote word for word, "If you're looking for some on-fire-Christian-friends, call me." She was obedient. She did the last thing God had led her to do. Her actions changed my life.

    That inner image I saw at seventeen, I'm living out today. Not without flaw. But I'm doing it. As I think of my own seventeen-year-old about to step out and brave this big world, do you know what the Holy Spirit keeps whispering to my heart? "Don't take your parenting role too seriously."

    This has shocked me over the past few months, because this is the exact opposite of what my flesh and emotions want to do. I want to research, I want to pray, I want to talk to all the Moms who have sent their babies out into this big, big world. And those are fine to do! But what makes the difference is what He does. She knows His voice just like I did. He has more connections. He knows the perfect timing. He knows Brelyn. I can let Him do that. I trusted Him with me and I can trust Him with her.

    You can trust Him, too. I promise. 

Let's Speak Well- So We'll See Well!

 I was looking for another picture today and came across this one (and no, I absolutely did not sob when I found it!). It's important to keep these images of our babies in front of us so that we'll speak the right things.

        Brelyn has such a great life ahead of her. She knows our Father's voice and leading and she'll never stray from it. She'll not be deceived by any trick of the enemy- God has directed her path and she'll walk in it, and live out the number of her days happy and full of life!

        No weapon will prosper against her.

        Speaking over Brelyn like this creates an inner image on the inside of me and that image causes faith for her to grow. I water that seed of faith by continuing to speak well and give thanks to God for all He's doing in her life.

        I have to protect that seed of faith with my words. On hard days, I can't go around complaining about Brelyn to my buds and Jay- not because God will be mad at me or any foolishness like that- but because I have to protect my inner image of Brelyn thriving. 

        "Father God, on this Tuesday, we ask for wisdom to parent our children well. We ask for insight into the small things that may be tripping them up today. We ask you, Father, to remove any wrong influences from their lives, in-person or online, and we ask for you to bring in the right relationships for them to do life with in this very season. No matter their ages, we recognize the power of relationships and influences. We ask you for the right ones to enter their lives right on time- we trust you with our babies. In Jesus' name, Amen".

        

 Now, let's spend some time today as we're going throughout our day seeing our babies thriving. No matter what we see in the natural today, let's spend time seeing them thriving and in the right relationships.

When we see them this way, we speak to them differently and they begin to sense what we're seeing inside, and they will rise to that inner image we have of them.

        Whew! I'm encouraged today sweet friends, and I pray you are too.

        Let's speak well- so we'll see well!

        ~Homework For the Week (Just What You Always Wanted!)~

• "If your faith won't move your mouth, it'll never move your mountains." (Pastor Joel Sims)
• "Prayer is the difference between the best I can do and the best God can do. And that's a big difference!" (Draw the Circle, Mark Batterson)

I encourage you to highlight  these scriptures in your paper Bible this week and speak these verses over your babies and watch your inner image of them begin to grow!

• "My eyes are always on the Lord, for he rescues me (and my loved ones) from the traps of the enemies". (Psalms 25: 15)
• "So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16: 31)
• "All your children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children." (Isaiah 54:13)
• "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7)