Y From the Heart Coincidence? No. God-incidents? Yes!
Have you ever had a book sitting on your shelf for years that you had good intentions of reading? And then one day, you seem drawn to the shelf and notice the book. You begin to read it, take a deep breath and let out a contented sigh, knowing that this book was meant to be read at such a time.
Have you ever bought a curriculum that you just “knew” would be perfect for your family, only to find out that it wasn’t? Then, a couple days later you’re speaking with a mom, new to home education, for whom your “perfect” curriculum actually would be perfect? She uses it and loves it and can’t believe it was ready and waiting for her exactly when she needed it.
Have you ever had the burden of prayer for someone, pressing upon your heart and the substance of that prayer so clear? For weeks in a row, have you laid awake for hours in the middle of the morning, being obedient to that call to prayer; still waking later in the morning refreshed? Having felt the tug to share the burden of your heart with the prayee, have you seen the awesomeness of the Holy Spirit that truly connects us to one another by His prompting?
Incidents like these and many others seem to occur more and more frequently now in our lives. I am blessed to hear how the Lord is working in your lives! It encourages me and increases my faith. I guess the world would call these incidents “coincidence” – an unconnected series of events that occur by chance. I choose to see them as “God-incidents” – a very orchestrated series of events that our heavenly Father has carefully planned.
Last fall, after reading a book called In His Steps by Charles Sheldon, I began to expect and experience some changes in my spiritual life. Subtle changes, at first, then increased discernment in people and situations, so breath-taking at times that I felt like I’d better just strap in and get ready for the ride. Soon afterward, Tiffani and I started attending Community Bible Study (CBS) and through the studies and circumstances we found ourselves in week after week, I not only saw a leap in my own walk with Jesus, but Tiffani’s as well. What a blessing!
In June, I started reading one of many books that has been on my shelf for years, waiting for the perfect time to be read. My Utmost for His Highest, a daily devotional, by Oswald Chambers is a marvel of a little book, seeming to express the most complex ideas of the Christian walk in the most eloquent, yet simple phrasing. I giggled as I read through several of the June dates that seemed to confirm a message I’d received just a day or two before, about reaching out to the ladies in my neighborhood. I had written out the ideas as they had come to me regarding a neighborhood get-together for these ladies, and had prayed, “Lord, is this truly what you are calling me to do?” What more did I need?? I had been given the invitation wording, the format of the Saturday morning, the whole checklist of organizing the event, down to “ __ take a walk and write down all the addresses on your street.” Really now…what more did I need?
As I read Mr. Chambers’ thoughts on God’s commands, requests and prompting, I realized that the shoemaker Nike had borrowed his attitude: Just do it! He wrote in his book for June 18, “If you debate for a second when God has spoken, it is all up. Never begin to say – ‘Well, I wonder if He did speak?’ Be reckless immediately, fling it all out on Him. You do not know when His voice will come, but whenever the realization of God comes in the faintest way imaginable, recklessly abandon. It is only by abandon that you recognize Him. You will only realize His voice more clearly by recklessness.” If you “think” you hear the Lord call you to do something biblically sound, don’t question it, there’s no need to wait for confirmation, it might not come. Act on faith that you heard correctly and do it. Isn’t that what we expect from our children? An attitude of obedience to react the “first time?”
Each year my family’s home education journey has been full of different blessings besides the academic…one year, it was incredible new friendships. This past year, it was Tiffani’s prayer to ask Jesus to be her Lord and Savior in the midst of discussing a science topic; and to see her compassionate heart become a prayerful heart. For myself, it was an intense focus on what it means to be obedient to Him and abide in Him continually.
This is my third and final year as the “leader” of DCHEA. I continue to keep in mind that “leadership is action, not position.” Much of my action is found in prayer. Thank you all in advance for your prayers for DCHEA, the board members, and all other parent volunteers. Most importantly pray and thank the Lord for the opportunity to home educate, freely teaching the Word, as we have been called to do. Last school year was wonderful! New clubs and the educational co-op flourished. I am humbled and in awe at how the Lord is working through the families in our little desert area. I know there are great things in store for us this year as well.
May the love of Jesus permeate your life: Abide in Him. Obey Him. Pray to Him. Ask Him. Know Him. Trust Him.
In His Service, Traci J