Sunday, November 2, 2008

Wondering or Walking

Wonder . . . to think or speculate curiously, to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe, to doubt. Wonder . . . what are you wondering about today? A new job, falling in love, pursuing a lifelong dream, walking in your calling? We all spend time wondering, dreaming, wishing, hoping, and praying for the 'desires of our heart.' Often times we picture what life would be like if we actually fufilled those dreams, those desires . . . the picture may look rosy and filled with joy. Wondering . . . it can be a safe place to be and stay.

But what happens when the day comes when the Lord opens a door to one of those dreams? A friend shares a new job lead, you casually meet a person you may be interested in, a friend invites you to come and immerse yourself in her ministry, or your pastor asks you to be a leader? What is your response? Do you ignore it - brush it off with doubt thinking . . . oh nothing will ever come of this why bother? Do you ponder it eventually talking yourself out of it? Do you call everyone you know and get their opinion first before asking His? (I must confess I am talking to myself here.) Or do you pray, seek Him, talk to Him, listen for His voice, seek wise council, and start to walk?

To walk is defined as . . . to advance or travel on foot at a moderate speed or pace; proceed by steps; move by advancing the feet alternately so that there is always one foot on the ground in bipedal locomotion and two or more feet on the ground in quadrupedal locomotion. Walking, not running, where one foot is always on the ground!!!

A few weeks ago I began to walk in a dream, a calling, that I have felt for years. I traveled with two other women to Romania to immerse myself in a small, remote village so that I could feel and experience the needs of the people. Before I left I 'imagined' how my experience would look and feel . . . an image filled with love, appreciation, and smiling faces; however, what I soon discovered was my own insecurities and that fufilling a dream or calling does not always 'look' like what I imagined it to be and that takes it takes hard work, perserverance, strength, and guidance which can only come from heaven above. If I wanted to pursue this dream vs. turning around and running away as fast as I could (believe me this crossed my mind more than once) then I needed to slow down, to walk, even crawl, and keep one foot grounded . . . in Him, in His word, in His promises, in His presence, and in His love. I needed to depend and lean on Him and not my own understanding.

Now that I am home it would be easy and 'safe' to return to just wondering and re-thinking what 'my dream' would look like. That would be easy, that would be safe. And then the Spirit reminds me of a few things . . . the parables about the 'talents,' the dreams He has placed in my heart, and the faces of the children who are waiting to hear and experience the Good News. And I know that I need to keep walking.

(This photo is of the Roma children in the village waiting behind the church gate for our arrival.)

If you would like any more information about the work we are doing in Romania please e-mail us!

Blessings, Kim

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