LEX

learning to trust

i went rock climbing yesterday morning. it was the first time in over a year and it felt great. it was a beautiful day, no rain, and enough cloud cover to keep our eyes shaded.

one of the biggest problems i have with rock climbing is trusting my feet. i have to trust my feet or i'm not gonna go anywhere on that rock except down. and though i have some very patient belay friends, going down just isn't a good feeling when you should be going up.

but the more i climb, the more i use my feet, the more i learn the trust them, the higher i get and the quicker i get there. all i have to do is plant my feet firmly on the rock and trust. that's the way to the top.

i just happen to be one of those people who likes to be in control of everything in my life. i want to know what's gonna happen and when it's gonna happen BEFORE it happens. and if i don't know, i get a little anxious and flat out stressed out.

and then i spent a year in the dominican republic, where nothing is predictable. i spent a year learning to trust God to teach me the language. i spent a year learning to trust God to provide all of my financial support. i spent a year learning to trust God to teach me about my place in His plan for the world. i spent a year learning to trust God.

and God taught me the language. He provided my financial support. He showed me what He created me for. He proved His faithfulness day after day.

and then i returned to austin with no job and plans that were more talk than reality. i spent a mere 2 weeks, two stress free weeks, getting readjusted and going to one -yes, just 1 - interview. and then for no good reason that i can think of, God gave me the almost perfect job.

did God have to give me that job? no. did i get it because i trusted Him more? maybe. does trusting God mean everything will always turn out this good? definitely not.

but as i sat in church this morning and listened to the testimony's of those throughout the room of how God had also provided for them - from a $200/mo. pay raise that exactly matches a car payment, to the long awaited completion of an MA degree, and even the simplicity of servant friends who get the job done 5X faster - i was reminded once again of God's faithfulness and how, if we will just plant out feet firmly in Him and trust, we'll make it to the top.

posted by Alexia & Jeffrey @ 11:34 PM