One Girl’s Faith Journey

By
Pastor Dewey Moede
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tera ElnessBut God……I don’t WANNA say Yes… By Tera Elness of Windom, Minn

The past few days have been hot.
I mean………….HOT.
High temperatures paired with even higher heat indexes have resulted in school dismissals, sweaty kiddos, and super simple suppers.
Tonight was no exception.  After a most simple “breakfast-for-supper” feast, I stood at my kitchen sink washing up the unexpected basket of beautiful cucumbers I had found on my counter. As I worked, I praised God for this beautiful harvest blessing, and for the kindhearted friend who was willing to share in her garden abundance {grateful for her willingness to say Yes!}. As I praised, I heard God speak to my heart (I have found that I always hear Him most clearly in the midst of praise, go figure)……. 
“Tera, go for a walk.”Um…..No thanks God, not tonight.  I mean, it’s H-O-T out there.I continued to peel, and He continued to plea…“Tera, go for a walk.”But God…..I don’t wanna. After all, I’m really more of a “morning” gal, and it’s already after 7pm.
.
“Tera, go for a walk.”

FINE Lord (you can just hear my sassy-pants attitude, can’t you?)….I’ll go for a little walk.  

I told the hubby and the kids that I’d be leaving (to which they each stared at me blankly, surely thinking, ‘what? it’s almost her BEDtime!’), strapped on the tennies, and headed out.  I could walk around the neighborhood and be back before I broke a sweat…….or so I thought.

“Tera, take your normal route.”

But Goddddddd……….C’mon….my normal route is over 4 miles. It’s late. I’ve had a really full day.  I’m tired. And did I mention, it’s really HOT outside?
{At this point I realized I sounded more like a whining preschooler than a woman on a journey of saying YES to God.}

So I walked……..and walked………and listened……and listened…..and waited to hear what He had to tell me.  Nothing.

Gimme a Break God, You called me out of my air-conditioned haven into this sticky icky heat, I’m listening, now the least you can do is say or show me SOMETHING.

No booming voice from Heaven.  No divine meeting along the path.  No special signs pointing the way.  Instead, I saw..
……………………………… A Sprinkler.

Instead of avoiding it, I walked through it, feeling refreshed in the waters of baptism.

Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
……………………………………….A Hill.
                  Instead of avoiding it, I climbed it, recognizing that I can do all things He calls me to do, through His strength, and not my own.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.
……………………………………..A Cross.
                       Instead of walking by, I paused and gave thanks to the One who gave us His one & only, and for one & only  reason……He loved us so.
John 3:16   For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
and finally, I saw…………a Sunset.
                       And instead of hurrying to get home, I stopped. I stopped and realized that sometimes, often times, God doesn’t shout. He whispers.  He uses the everyday things of this world to captivate our attention, and draw us near to Himself, to simply talk…..and walk…by faith.
An act of obedience to God may be serving as a missionary in Uganda, it may be selling your home and making a move, it may be sponsoring a child in need or helping a friend through a difficult season, it may be a few kind words to a not-so-kind neighbor or sharing a gift with a stranger,
and it may just be, on a hot steamy night ……………..a simple walk.
Living it out and Learning along the way,
Tera ***Inspired by God and the amazing book, “What Happens When Women say Yes to God” by Lysa TerKeurst
For more from Tera click here: https://onegirlsfaithjourney.blogspot.com/
Tera is from Pastor Dewey’s hometown of Windom, Minnesota and we really are thankful for Tera’s heart for God! God Bless you and yours Tera!

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