I've been reading The power of a Whisper by Bill Hybels.
I'm not too far through it but I just wanted to type up some encouragement cause I can't sleep again. And this seemed like a wonderful idea.
This book Explains personal testimony of Bill's and the first major thing I hold tight too from the first Chapter was when Bill was a teenager, he was offered a free dinner with a church elder and he asked him. "What are you going to do with your one and only life?" and eventually changed him with this. "Put your whole life in God's hands and trust him fully-tp lead your life- every area- until the point he proves himself unworthy. At that Moment you can bail. But until then give God control."
This really has stuck with me sense I read it. I took it as my own Challenge. Continued through the book he tells of his whispers form God and I recall times in my life when God has spoken or nugged me one way or another.
The first time was when I think I was fifteen or younger and I was on fire for a God I barely knew worshiping with my EP3 player and sitting on our back fence row. For some reason I looked up and saw the stars for their true beauty. I turned off the MP3 and just got lost in the wonder of the night sky and God showed me his love and it was overwelming. And it changed me forever.
There have been many times I ask God very serious questions. One time he gave me a dream that I didn't reliese it was him till three months later. But it was an dreamed that I remembered and I useally don't remember so I wrote it down in my journal. When i was reading through it in dispair, I saw that and smiled and looked to heaven. For he did answer my question. I just didn't like the answer so I didn't bother with it.
When I went to Camp for all the highschool years and I expected God to give me is Gameplan for my life and I would follow it. Well no gameplan book for the frist three years and this is where all the spirtual stuff happened was at youth Camp so this was the last year. God has told me little things and people praying for me have told me things. But I could be day dreaming it or maybe even they could. But there was always a clear message. First it was always about Love and Show my Love, going back to the fence. Second was Wait....
I stink at waiting...
But God was clear. So I waited till the last year of camp. I made it this was the time God was finally going to give me the playbook! And maybe ask witch 0ne I'd most enjoy going with. But the morning of the last day.... Nothing. God was all through the Camp. But I didn't get the playbook and special talk with God as my Coach, and what he wanted from his eager little servant.
The last morning I felt I need to write something down so I took my pen that was with my Bible and asked my friends if they had scrach paper that I could use. Well no one had anything and this pull in my heart got stronger. So i opened my bible and under Church Notes I started writing and I keep writing till it was done. It was a message from God to me. Saying.
-It is not for you to know when things will come and pass. I know what will come and pass. What you are to do is to trust that I will be with you. You will overcome the challenges. What will come, will come. What will pass, will pass. I am your God and I ask you to love and trust.
I staffed the following week and I still wanted the gameplan. A simple reply was "Wait." I still bug him to this day about giving me my orders. While I wait I try to grow more spritually but I get sidetracked sometimes. Every often to be honest.
Another question I asked God and right away, I felt peace inside of me. I was desprite for the answer. So I felt it was from God and Joy came over me and I felt his control over the situation. Again, it didn't work out the way I believed my answer said it would. I felt God's Control over that that wasn't a Yes from God. Just that he was in control. For a while this really bothered me. But I just have to see this a hard time in my life that I must go through to become the man God wants me to be. I am so blessed with my strong loving Godly Family. I just need to keep my nose in his word and have "Samuels Ears" as The Power of a Whisper quotes.
Life is hilly, hard and it is easy for me to let myself slip. But God is bigger and he always picks me up again if any of us let him he will. Love and Trust, his time and his place.
-The Beast
