...uh, one more thing...

I want to add to the blog about giving...

In my transition I am spending a lot more time with God than what I've done in a long time. It is precious, and He is most certainly busy doing something on the inside of me right now. I already stand back, have a look at myself, and I realize that I cannot go back to living the life I had before I stepped into this journey with God. Trusting God is crucial to me right now. I am determined to obey whatever God leads me to do, but I've also realized that trusting in itself is also obedience that is absolutely crucial right now.

Another friend of mine is currently on quite of journey of her own with God. She is much more new to the whole principle of walking in faith. We all crawl before we walk, before we run, and we all start out on spiritual milk. So some days she is more challenged than others and she tells me some of what she experiences. Then I try to tell her what I feel lead in my heart Holy Spirit wants to tell her. And she often mentions how she appreciates my making time to encourage her, whilst I must have enough challenges of my own.

However, I know that I'm safe in God's hands. He has a very secure hold on me, and I focus on this very deliberately, but I am not immune to the enemy trying to distract me. The difference for each person is just determined by what you choose to do when it happens. I also know the secret of giving, and that it is planting seed for blessings. Usually the time of the harvest is so perfect, that you can't deny that it had to be God! I do not feel it a burden.

Last night I was having conversation with God and I mentioned this to Him. I just realized again: The Bible says that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Whenever I reply to her mails I try to base it on Scripture, so that it is not merely my ideas. Contrary to human ideas, God-ideas are guaranteed to work for anyone who will believe, and apply them. So I make a point of showing her where to find it. I realized that as I'm passionately encouraging her – and having to look up every verse that I quote for her – I am reading, hearing, typing, saying and sending the very Word by which faith cometh. Before I know it, I am as excited about it as what I hope she is when she receives my e-mail. The result is that, whilst I'm busy encouraging her – giving to her – I am receiving something equally precious for my own journey.

I thank God for sending a woman on my path that has problems. Not that I'm glad she has it, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to sow seeds of faith, encouragement and strength, for the more I convince her how AWESOME God is, the more I stand in awe myself! When we uplift Him, it is impossible for our own heads to not be lifted too.

Bless the Lord; He's the Lifter of my countenance. Bless the Lord; He's the Lifter of my head!