Giants.

"Measure your giants not by our abilities but by the greatness of God." --Pastor Kurt

What a morning it was to return to church. Never anymore is God's timing surprising. Nor do I bat an eye anymore when I hear God's message that seems to speak directly to me. Of course, I highly doubt that Pastor Kurt (or as I know him as Kurtle, with rights to call him as such) writes his messages specifically with me in mind, but God definitely uses him to convey messages that pierce my soul and rock me to the core of my being. It isn't often I get on my spiritual soapbox, but there are moments that keep happening that shake me.

And so, like David defeated Goliath, we have Jehovah Sabaoth--God and His armies. There are giants in our lives that are far greater than anything we can slay. Instead, we have a God that has armies ready to lay (lie, lay, whatever--I retired my English teaching career) out flat. He wants to defeat the giants that are before us. Those giants might be people--bullies. I have bullies that I am currently facing. The things that I want to put to my rest. I am tired of the things that haunt my sleep. Perhaps the giants are finances. You (I) wonder how finances will be provided. And as Pastor Kurt said, the bills may not have the bank account to pay it, but it is not about OUR money that we need to consider. God's got you covered.

I wonder how things are going to play out. Where will I end up? What will I do? It is confusing. It is an act of complete faith and trust. We can't figure out what tomorrow will bring when God has already taken care of our todays. This season of life for me, as challenging as it may be, is a moment when I get to be in the homes of others. I still marvel at how I get to be part of families. I get to see the moments that make a family work and the things I want to model for my future. I am thankful I get to sit at the tables of others for meals. That I get to continue to spend time with friends near and far.

There are moments when I struggle thinking I had all the security in the world, or what I considered security. A full-time job. Benefits. A home of my own. A great car. Today, I don't have a steady full-time job. I am trying to start a company (great people have been part of that journey--bringing attention to the happy juice you have to drink when the highs and lows hit in entrepreneurship). I am navigating Obama Care (gotta do it). I live with friends (thankfully--and what a godly example they are to me and others. What a gift it is that they offered up their home to me as I am making some different decisions that have been unexpected). And my car is now always on the fritz these days (a current smell of mildew is lingering as there is a new leak--it is pretty amazing. Take a whiff). But in all reality, as I have been stripped from my comforts and routines, this is most definitely teaching me to give my heart FULLY to the God that created me. I have started the process to give Him part of it, but here I am, ready to give Him ALL of it. Back where I started. Home (which has a crazy new meaning). And ready to finish what has been started.

Thank you, Pastor Kurt, for your words. And thank you, Ed Plant, for saying it through art.

And on a sidenote, it is no coincidence that there is an Art Show at church this Saturday, right after I blogged about needing to tap into my creative side.

(Stepping down from spiritual soapbox)

p.s. I also feel like in the near future, I am going to share some things that tend to lean on the funny and on the vulnerable. As of late, I feel as though I have been a bit reflective and introspective, which suits my journaling needs, but I say this as I plan to share the other humorous pieces to this puzzle.