Our God is gracious and
loving, beyond our understanding. We
will always have a tainted view of love, as the best we can compare with is
only what we know humanly. And all
humans… are just that: human and therefore flawed at best BUT God is perfect
and His love knows no end. He’ll never
push His love on anyone and hence our free choice. It would be like a prearranged marriage
otherwise and then you never really know if you really are loved. God doesn’t desire that. He doesn’t want a bunch of robots. God grants us a choice, for He desires so
intimately to do relationship with those that desire Him. I desire such. More than anything in my life do I want to
KNOW Him, to know His thoughts, to feel the breath of His very being in me, His
Holy Spirit. This might be too deep for
some, but I am convinced that there is so much more to God and our own
relationships with Him so I’ve let him out of the box; off of the pages of
scripture to fill my heart a fresh. I
want to tap into all of this, here and now before we step into eternity and my
faith becomes sight… for then we all stand in awe. I believe now.
I say all of that to lead to
simple way God lovingly leads and causes me to step into something new. He’s so funny actually. As I write this I’m smiling because He just
so knows me and the best way for me to lovingly step into something HE wants me
to that I wouldn’t have on my own accord.
Many of you know I’m a
trained fitness instructor/personal trainer.
I haven’t taught for years but still have my own personal love for it
and hence my running, biking, etc. I’ve
felt the nudge since we’ve moved to West Kelowna and with starting a church to
once again lead a fitness class for women.
BUT… I didn’t get to it. Lol… but
God had another idea.
There’s an instructor I’ve
gotten to know close by where I live who was getting married and 4 days before
her wedding she was running around a bit stressed and was supposed to teach a
class the next morning. She heard that I
teach and asked in a desperate plea if I would please consider taking her class
this once. I felt so bad that I caved
and agreed.
Well…. it was God’s way of
reminding me how much I loved teaching women in this and their response, to be
honest, overwhelmed me. A few days later
I was asked to teach again and so I did and now… for the fall I have agreed to
do 5 classes per week.
This time teaching is
different though. Before each class I
really pray that the Lord will fill me with His spirit to inspire these ladies and
fill me with joy, etc. and to be sensitive to the needs in the class and
remember the ladies names.
So one week I realized one of
the ladies who didn’t seem to have too much including running shoes came to my
class. I went to my car in between songs
and grabbed a pair from my trunk and I knew the Lord wanted me to give them to
her. So I did. You can imagine the shock on the other
ladies’ faces as I did this. The next
week she came and was wearing them. I
can’t even begin to tell you how much joy this brought me, making a point to
not acknowledge the shoes as to not embarrass her.
Then the following week, I
have another woman that forgot her shoes and is literally trying to run on a
treadmill in sock feet. This woman was
with her husband. The difference was
this couple is very wealthy. I realized
in this moment that despite how wealthy she was in this moment I too could
bless her with her “need”. And so I told
her I had an extra pair of shoes in my car she could use. She was shocked, as was her husband that I
was willing to try to help her out in this situation. Her husband came over to me as well
incredibly thankful. They ended up
watching for me a few weeks later to which her husband returned the shoes,
incredibly thankful. I realized in these,
“back to back” instances that everyone, no matter how rich or poor, has
needs. And if I let go of myself to
listen, observe and then reach in love, God can use me in a way that sets me
apart. A way that allows me to bring God
glory, in that I am HIS girl; a daughter that He is teaching to love others .
I could feel the sweet
delight of my Father upon me as He had opened this new Fitness Instructor door…
called me into it and then opens my eyes to love in a new way. With songs, sweat and shoes… I would’ve
never guessed and yet I love it!! The
funniest part of all is when they all find out I’m a Pastor!!!???? God’s got an awesome sense of humor!!!!
I testify to these scriptures being active and living right
now in my life!
The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to
him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to
anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and
to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
