It's not about me

God is stretching me.

Today was our second Preview Service. We plan for about...a month for each of these. Mostly because we have them once a month. Anyway, Friday night, and I'm talking midnight, Donny asks me to do the Connection Card moment. for those of you that know me, I like schedules. I like to be well aware and well-prepared. So, '36 hours' as Donny said hardly seemed enough prep to stand and talk in front of 50 people with little time to practice. I told Adam and Donny that I was scared to be stretched this way.

I know God is in control. And that He gives me the benefit of the doubt when I whip out my planner as if, if I could just write it all down in neat time segments, then I would be in control, able to handle whatever comes. So, when He pulls fast ones on me, I flounder for a bit. Earlier this week I thumbed past 1 Peter 5. In pink highlighter, I have marked: "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."

That's exactly what I did. God has called me and extended immeasurable grace to me. I suffered for just a little while, and just a tiny little while in this instance. And He restored me. In all of my feeling nervous and being sure I would stutter for 5 minutes until someone had mercy or Adam called in the dogs, I forgot. The Bible mentions nothing of me restoring myself. It does say that my attempts to redeem myself are proud, ridiculous, and a waste of the existence God offered me. But I can't restore myself. I can't do it alone. In fact, it's not even about me. "The chief end of man is this, to glorify God." I exist to bring Him glory. So, as long as I submit to Him, a living sacrifice, pleasing and acceptable, He will do the rest.

I'm glad I remembered that in time. Otherwise, even a Connection Card moment, done on my own strength, would have been a major disaster. Both for me, and for everyone forced to endure it. So, it's not about me.

"Rid me of myself, I belong to you. Lead me. Lead me to Your heart."

Glad for all this grace.