All it takes, is Faith.

Lately in my life, God has been working soo much that sometimes it's hard to keep up or follow. He gave me the great opportunity to Intern for Ray and Destree in Axis. I got to speak for the first time ever and teach the beatitude "blessed are the merciful". It was an awesome and comfortable experience. I had Roy, Lance and Ray all pray for me to do well and not stumble over my words. Roy put some things into perspective for me, he asked me that if I did in fact, stumble over my words, and God had used that sentence to impact someone's life, that if I would be ok with that? And that it's not about how well I do, but how well I try. You see, I doubted God when I was scared about speaking. I was afraid that I would do horrible and make a fool of myself when I should have just trusted God. I do have a guilty confession though, I didn't prepare my message as best as I should have though. To better enhance my performance on stage I drank a whole monster, and I don't know if it was the Monster or the Holy Spirit but man I came alive on that stage. I got emotional and words began flowing from my mouth as if I knew exactly what all to say. God whispered the words into my heart and I spoke them. It was amazing how God was faithful when I was doubtful. It reminded me of the story in Matthew of how Jesus told the disciples to row to the other side of Bethsaida, while he went on a mountain to worship God. The disciples got caught in a storm and for 4 nights Jesus watched them. He finally walked out across the water and his original idea was to walk right past them. The disciples saw Jesus and cried out "it's a ghost!" and they were afraid. But Jesus said to them "Take courage. It is I, do not be afraid". Peter then said to Jesus "Lord if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water". Then Jesus simply said "come".  Peter got out of the boat and began walking on the water towards Jesus, but when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink. He cried out "Lord, save me!" Jesus reached out his hand and caught him and said to Peter "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
 This story is soo much like our lives. Imagine, your out on a boat, and it's pitch black dark all around you and  you're caught in a storm for 4 nights. When we come across struggles, that is the storm, when we are afraid, that is our doubt. But then Jesus, who comes through the storm says in a kind and gentle voice and says: "Take courage, it is I. Come". We want to go out on the water and join Him, but when we see our struggle we doubt and that's when we sink. Sink into deeper trouble and worry. But Jesus will catch you and say "You of little faith, why did you doubt?". Jesus saw me, when I was sinking, and He pulled me out before I drowned. The world saw me at my worst, and left me. Christ saw me and loved me, and picked me up out of the water. Sometimes, I worry. Sometimes I'm afraid. And sometimes, I sink. I doubt. But God always picks me up out of the water. He is always faithful. All it takes is faith, and God will do amazing things through you. Ministry was the last thing I thought I was ever going to do. I never grew up in a Christian home. We believed but never went to church or did Christian things. Now look at me, I'm called to ministry. If you would have told me that a year ago, I'd call you nuts. Ray told me that failure was just an opportunity for others to pour into your life. And to learn. Mistakes are just ways that reveal to you how to improve. I don't want to be "of little faith" anymore. I want to trust God in all aspects of my life. It can be hard sometimes because God's ways or plans may not always be clear or obvious. Jesus told these random fishermen to come and leave everything you know behind and follow Him. They left their families, homes and lives behind to follow a dude they never even met before. If someone came up to you and claimed to be the son of God, and told you to drop everything you had, leave everything behind and to follow him...would you do it? Faith, it's hard to have, and easy to lose. But just rest and know, that God is faithful if you are faithful to Him. And he will always come through your storm and say "Take courage, and take my hand. I won't let you drown".