Everyday God: Day 1

I've been wanting to do this for some time now, so since my life is about to get crazier and crazier with student teaching... now's the time!

For the next 30 days I will (do my best) to write down at least 1 thing I've seen God do that day, or a place where I've seen God. It might be a sunrise when I'm working out (or the fact that I'm working out at all), driving myself to work, the smile on a child's face or even bigger things like the birth of a baby, praying for a person who receives breakthrough or just life lived another day. It might be simple, it might be complex. It might be one sentence, it might be book length.

So, here's day 1:

On my walk into work today, I had this thought: "I'm so glad that I am at a place where I can finally minister to other people again."

You see, I just recently got out of a very tough season. I'm glad to say that only on this side of it can I make the distinction between how painful it was and how much better it is to be on this side of things.

I walked through a season where I had to stand up for my beliefs. I had to defy people whom I loved deeply because I disagreed with their choices. I had to choose what the Bible says, not what society calls right and wrong. (They're two very different things). I lost sleep. I lost weight because of stress. And I lost relationships with people I loved. Honestly, it sucked. And it lasted what felt life forever. On the flip side, it was a little over a year. I was so spent that my body was crashing and my soul was dry. But it has required a lot of time to recover and a lot of time to heal.

For months I felt like I didn't have anything to give anybody. I felt like there were many people who were pouring into me, but I didn't have anything to pour back out. I was always on the verge of tears. It was like Psalm 42:3 says, "my tears have been my food day and night." Today, I'm really glad to know that season has broken and I have the ability to pour into people again.

So, this morning when I was walking into work, I was thankful to think to myself: "I know I'm filled to be emptied again, the seed I've received I will sow." - from The Desert Song by Hillsong.

I got into a conversation with a woman at school who was looking for a church for herself and her children. She wanted a church that was alive. Turns out, I go to a church that is alive - one where you actually meet Jesus when you're there, not just go through the religious motions. One where worship affects your life and infects your soul, not just words on the page of a hymnal published in the 19th century.

They came. The kids loved children's ministry. She loved the service and wants to come back. She met new people. We had great conversation. But even if they never come back, they felt loved.

I can give again when, at one time, I didn't have anything to give. That's God, isn't it? That's me growing. That's me using what I've been given to become a stronger person. That's me changing and becoming more and more of the woman God is calling me to be. And it's an answer to prayer - I just want to be used.

That is how I saw God today.

ps... one of her sons sat in my lap for lunch yesterday and kept telling his mom that he wanted to go home with me. "To win the affection of a child is to have truly lived."