Small Changes Turn Into Big Dreams

This morning's devotion is Joshua 3:5 and the version of the Bible used by the author says the word 'amazing.'  If you have read the old Monablog for anytime, amazing is a word to me that is overplayed and over used to describe truly mundane and pedestrian events that might be good or great, but certainly not amazing.  Only in Joshua 3:5 the amazing tells of God's doing and of course that really and truly is amazing.  When I read the verse in my Bible translation the word wonder was used.  Amazing and wonder...yep, those really describe God and His kindness toward us.

Kelly Fisher introduced me to Mark Batterson's blog and then book probably in 2005.  That is way back in the day when he could and would respond to your comments on his blog and that was a special treat.  From time to time I would stop in Kelly's office and we would talk about his blog posts or his book, "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day."  Fast forward to the Biltmore trip this month and Dena asked me if I would like to do Mark Batterson's 40 day Circle Maker devo book to finish out this year, together and it just so happens there was one copy in the Hammond LA Books A Million waiting to be picked up and bought.  So we began this journey on Sunday.  I have also looked back at his first book I read...Pit, Lion, Snow...and skimmed what was underlined and any comments made in the margins of the book.  And what I found was amazing!  No not really, but finding some things that I prayed about back then and seeing now how they are happening, well that is pretty much such a wonderful God thing.  Chapter Six, Playing It Safe is Risky... the points to remember at the end of the chapter

• Small changes and small choices become magnified over time and have major consequences
• Sometimes taking a calculated risk means giving up something good so you can experience something great
• On courageous choice may be the only thing between you and your dream becoming a reality
• The goal of faith is not the elimination of risk
• A relationship with God is the ultimate win/win relationship because you can never give up more than you get back
• We won't regret the mistakes we made as much as the God ordained opportunities we missed
• There is nothing passive about following Christ

This morning while praying after reading the devo for the day and then skimming over Lion Pit Snow... I was reminded of the choices we have made in the past few years...small choices that have reaped bountiful blessings.  I took the risk of giving up being a core group leader when I absolutely loved everything about it...well except making phone calls...when it seemed to be the only available outlet to serve the Lord with the gifts He's given me but making that courageous choice opened the opportunity of a dream, our home in NC.  There is much more to this story, more than this home that will have to wait for another day but Roy and I believe this is the first step and risk for the dream that God has placed in our hearts.  Yes, there in the midst of Baptist Church Land, we have a dream of providing rest and retreat for those working and serving and living in a weary land.   

The past few times while planning and then going to NC opposition from the enemy has been intense.  Heart beat issues that exhaust and heart rendering emotions that drain each time before or during the trip meant to trip us up and discourage and change our focus.  We knew we were on the right path.

Wow, what started out this morning with the attitude of 'oh boy, amazing' really turned into Oh God, You are Amazing!  Thank you for reminding me where this journey and seed began.  I am so excited about this, I might just see if that whistle in my nose, wrote about yesterday, can be trained to sound like a shofar or chofar.  First, I need to learn how to spell it before blowing it.  I will call it blowing my nosefar.