Hi friends!

If you know me well, I have a lot of stories and many people have told me to compile them into a book. I really have no desire to do that, but I do think all these stories have something in common… GOD. Every crazy thing that I have experienced points right back to Christ.

Repeating this in Mark chapter 5 verses 1 through 20, Jesus sent demons out of a man into pigs. How “crazy” of a story is that? Anyway….

There is a lot we could take from this lesson, but for the sake of this blog post topic I want to emphasize the part where Jesus says “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” (vs. 19)

When I was in middle school, I decided I was going to try to play softball. Never picked a bat up before or even tried to throw anything, let alone a softball. If you’re into sports or if you or your kids played Parks and Rec sports, you probably know by the time they are in coach pitch it is getting competitive and it is taken very seriously. I didn’t start till it was fast pitch, so you can imagine. Well, I realized quickly how good everyone was, first practice I was ready to QUIT. I got really upset (probably was even crying, but that detail is fuzzy), my mom got down in my face and said something that I have carried with me throughout my life, “Psych yourself up not out. You are finishing the season, because it isn’t about you.”

Kind of like life, often times we (and when I say we I mean ME), tend to talk ourselves out of doing something that is good. Probably because we (erm…. I) don’t feel good enough.

I would like to think that I would jump and run to do what ever God told me especially if He was talking to me from a burning bush, but I probably would be just like Moses and say something like “God, I am not the girl for the job, I say stuff a bit direct and might say something I shouldn’t and then what if I turn people away from you? Yeah, maybe someone more qualified would be better. ok bye.” Actually, I had this conversation with God recently.. OOOPPSSS.

The thing is, I am most definitely unqualified to “rescue” or “save: people, but God isn’t and when I stop worrying so much about myself and how I don’t measure up to a standard that God isn’t even holding me to, instead allow God’s name to be glorified in my life things really change. That’s when I get a whole different kind of confidence.

Who am I to say I am unable to do what God tells me to do when He is the one that created everything into existence?

Kind of like this blog, I have had so many doubts. Is this really what God wants me to do? Do I really have anything important enough to share? Do I know enough about the Bible to truly share? The thing is, God wants me to go and tell what He has done. I do have something important to share… His Mercy. Ehhh, probably don’t know enough about the Bible, but I can learn.

My life has been FULL of doubts or as my mom says “psyching” myself out.

For full transparency here are a few of them and God’s truth. Maybe you can relate.

As I became a mother: I am not sure I am cut out for this.

God said: “I formed you inside your mothers womb.” Psalms 139:13 He CHOSE them and created them in me. Obviously, knew exactly what He was doing and who He was entrusting them with.

In my job: Over the course of the last few years I was working with the elderly population often I doubted what I could do and if I made a difference.

God said: ‘Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 4:23) It’s not my place to decide if I am making a difference, because it’s not about me. If I am doing the right thing and loving the Lord then that is all that matters.

It’s not about me.

This is where I’d be like “well duh, it’s about God.” I mean we all know that right? In theory. But do we (again I) ever actually live that out? It’s hard.

Gideon in Judges 6 was instructed to rescue Israel, in short Gideon said “Uh, God I’m weak.” God returned with “I will be with you.”

Let’s go back to Moses in Exodus 4, he said “I’m not good with words.” God said “I will be with you.”

Fast forward a bit in Jeremiah chapter 1 God called Jeremiah to be a prophet. Jeremiah said “I am too young.” God replied “I will be with you.”

I don’t know about you I am seeing a trend here. When we take ourselves out of the equation God is allowed to work through us to do His work. When we (I) stop focusing on my inadequacies, but allow God’s name to be glorified my little ole doubts don’t seem so big anymore.

Another way to say it to keep on a trend of sports I am going to use what Babe Ruth once said…

So, How?

How do we psych ourselves up? How do we not let fear keep us from playing the game? How do we focus on Jesus instead of the waves? Well, we practice. We make the daily choice to put away our own insecurity and lean into “I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 Not just wake up in the morning say you will, by noon start to forget and then while in the bed think “man will try again tomorrow.” I mean that’s well and good we do need to keep trying, but I think we could put a bit more effort in. Every time I have thought about not being able to do something God has called me to do, I reflect on why, remember that I don’t see the big picture and that it’s not about me.

As our minds are slipping in to doubts, we must refocus on the God who created us and placed us exactly where we are to do exactly what He has called us to do. Eventually, it gets a lot easier. The habits change.

What if we changed the Little Engine That Could quote from “I think I can” to “I KNOW GOD CAN”

So out of all the points in this post here’s my in short (very direct) take aways:

1. I (we) need to tell people how merciful God is.
2. We can do what God has called us to do because God is with us.
3. We must focus on glorifying His name and not on the doubts.
4. God will do pretty cool stuff if we aren’t selfish.

I am sure you’re wondering what happened with my softball career. Although short lived, I did get slightly better by the end of season, played outfield most of the time and loved when they kept me in the dugout. I did come out of the season with a love for watching the sport and understanding the rules, but most of all came out with a life lesson that I have been reminded of throughout my life.

“Psych yourself up not out.”

Off topic: I really wanted to find a Moses playing baseball clipart, but was out of luck. I did find some of “Jesus” playing baseball that was kind of funny.