“But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. “Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD. Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.” —Jeremiah 1:7-8 NIV
Jeremiah didn’t feel qualified for what God was calling him to do. He expressed his limitations to God only to learn, it didn’t matter. God was the one sending Jeremiah, Jeremiah wasn’t sending himself. God was the one speaking through Jeremiah, Jeremiah wasn’t trying to conjure up words himself!
God instructs Jeremiah not to be afraid! And then He reaches out His hand and puts the words into Jeremiah’s mouth!
This is a big, Yay God!
Today I want to encourage you in your calling! I want to encourage you in your dreams and your destiny! If God is for you, who can be against you (Rom. 8:31)?
You are royalty! You have destiny! You have purpose! You are called by God!
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. ‘For behold, darkness will cover the earth And deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you.’” —Isaiah 60:1-2
I sense there are world changers out there who are hidden and God is beginning to call you to step out. But because of fear, intimidation, lack of support, a sensation of not being enough, etc. you hesitate to take that step. You may not even know where to begin, you just know God is stirring you to do something.
That’s how it all started for me.
Four years ago I was an exhausted new mom of a two small children. When I was 15 I had an encounter with the Lord that shifted everything. It was then that God began to give glimpses of His plan for my life which included writing books. Yet here I was, nearly 30 and had no idea when or if that dream would ever be fulfilled. But in the months after my son was born, winter 2011, I began to feel God reviving that dream and stirring my heart,
“Just do something,” I heard Him say.
“But what?” I wondered.
I didn’t know.
Until one day I happened to read an article in a magazine I received in the mail. It was one of those free ones I had never read before, but for some reason, this day I thumbed through it as though looking for something.
There, on the very last page of this magazine was an article by a woman about the day she “sat down and started writing”. She had known for years that she was to write a book; she just had no idea how and where to begin. One day she heard a little voice say, “just sit down and start writing”. Earlier that day she had heard Oprah query from the television, “if not now, when?” which now seemed to echo in her spirit as she put it all together, “Just sit down and start writing… If not now, when?” So she did. And now, she has written many, many books.
I was so stirred I knew that was the something God was prompting me to do: sit down and start writing.
So finally, on January 7, 2012, at my kitchen table during naptime I sat down and started writing. I did something. And that something ended up being the start of what is now, Not Alone Ministries. But that’s not all. Little did I know that was the first step in moving forward in God’s plan for me to write books! Four years later, I now have a book deal in the works and my first book set to release spring, 2017!
God is faithful, friend!
It all starts with a step of obedience—often times it’s a seemingly simple step. So when you feel that nudge from the Holy Spirit don’t be afraid of it and don’t underestimate it. Steward it in prayer. Begin to ask God to show you what that step looks like.
He will give you the courage you need to move forward, you need not be afraid!
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” —Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV
He will equip you with everything you need to accomplish what He has called you to do (Heb. 13:21).
Like Jeremiah, He will send you. He will tell you what to say and what to do. He is the author of your destiny. Simply yield yourself to His leading. Surrender all and be of courage—God thinks you can do anything! It’s His life giving Spirit living inside of you empowering you in all things!! Releasing you into all authority over the enemy (Luke 10:19)!
“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” —Romans 8:11 NIV
I love you,
Krissy
P.S. How can I be praying for you today?
