THAT'S MY GIRL!

From my last post, you might have gotten the idea that I am a little blue, and you would be correct. I'm not navy blue, just a wedgewood blue. I was praying the other day and I said, Lord, I know I have lots of things that I need to work on, but I just don't want to hear one more area that I am NOT up to snuff!"

Don't get me wrong - I really believe we are "to work out our salvation with fear and trembling." I don't mean we have to earn our salvation but that after we are saved, God starts sanctifying us - He loves us too much to leave us as we are. But to be honest, I've been feeling a bit sanctified-out. I needed a bit of encouragement.

God, as always, heard me and answered me in two ways - one He uses a lot with me and another one that was unique. First, was through something I read. God does that with me a lot - answers my questions or meets a need through what I am currently reading. I was doing my Bible study, Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver. This is the follow up book of Having a Mary Spirit in a Martha World. Anyway, she shared this story about her youngest son Josh who was born without a lot of muscle tone. This made him a bit slower in some of those developmental milestones and made some things a bit harder than it was for others. She shared how she was watching Josh hit a new milestone - sitting up and reaching for a toy and how hard it was for him. She and the babysitter whooped it up as if Josh had just won a gold medal. She scooped him up and said, "That's my boy!"

It then hit her that that was what God does with us - He is rooting for us, delighting in every bit of progress we make. He doesn't have a chart in hand and tap His divine foot as to why we haven't reached x milestone by y time. He knows how hard things are for us and He is cheering us on. He is ready to scoop me up and say, "That's my girl!" Weaver shared this story with her audience, as she was at a women's conference speaking at the time, and while she was speaking, another truth hit her - despite the response of the women listening, many of whom had tears in their eyes, it meant the MOST to Weaver because Josh belonged to her.

Just as my Father watches each little bit of progress, cheering me on, wanting the best for me, with a vested interest because I BELONG TO HIM! In Psalms it says God delights in us. Wow! What a concept - I sometimes have a hard time envisioning God clapping His hands in delight over the times I choose to obey or when I choose to extend kindness and grace to someone else or when I give some of my blessings to others. Kind of changes my focus from trying so hard to get it right all the time and just walking with God as He holds my hands and steadies me when the path gets rocky, resting in His strength not my own. Why? Because I'm His best girl!

Blessings,
Bronte

p.s. I'll share the second way tomorrow! :)