I’m sure you’ve heard the joke about Texas weather before – you know, if you don’t like the weather wait 20 minutes and it will change. If you thought this was just a funny statement, I can assure you this is not just comedy, it’s the truth.
See, one very hot and humid August day last year, I was helping on the sideline at my son’s football game. The temperature was above 100 degrees. We were playing on a field that offered no shade or break from the intense heat. We setup a tent for our team so the boys could rotate in and out of the game and get a break.
I was playing the role of “water-mom” making sure all the bottles were filled. Feeling a sense of accomplishment that all six bottles were full and waiting for the players, I decided to sit down under our tent and take a much needed break.
You know that feeling when you’ve been going and going and you finally sit down and you realize how tired you are? Yes? Then, insert that emotion here.
So there I am, I’m sitting on the sideline. Hot and tired under a tent. Not bothering anyone. When all of a sudden a gust of wind comes out of nowhere. Like, there hasn’t been any wind all afternoon.
The tent comes out of the ground and flies away. At first I didn’t move thinking it was a lost cause (and did I mention I was hot, tired and emotionally drained?).
But then, the wind stopped (and I came out of my trance). So I jump up to grab the tent.
Right when I reached the tent, you can probably guess what happened. The wind started blowing again, but in the opposite direction. So, naturally, the tent that was blowing AWAY from me is not blowing directly INTO me.
The top of the tent is now on top of my head and relentlessly slamming into my body. (Insert emotion of feeling like you must look like an idiot.)
I yelled, “Oh no!!!”
Right about this time, a kind stranger came running over and grabbed the tent. He not so kindly yelled for me to “get out there” as if I had chosen this position on purpose…
Together, we were able to stabilize the tent. We restaked it and thankfully we were able to use it for the remainder of the game.
AFTER the game, my “friends” (and son) told me how ridiculous I looked getting attacked by a tent. I vaguely remember seeing them pointing and laughing too. I’ve forgiven them in the months since the incident. In fact, I’d completely forgotten about the entire debacle until yesterday when I reading my Bible while the boys were at swim practice.
John 3:5-8: Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
The wind (especially in Texas!) truly does blow wherever it pleases.
So does the Holy Spirit of God. When we accept Christ and receive His Holy Spirit, we should begin to expect the unexpected.
I have found when I surrender to the guidance of the Spirit I am in for an adventure. The plans God has for me are beyond my expectations and my wildest imagination.
As I told you in my previous post, the Lord led me to go back into the corporate world. Remember, I wasn’t looking for a job. But God – in His ultimate wisdom – knew that me returning to work was exactly what my family needed. He prepared the way for me completely. And then He prepared me – He softened my heart and made corporate America appealing to me. The peace that I have about making this transition is so unexpected that I know it has only come from God and being in the center of His will for my life at this time
The Holy Spirit blew this change into my life and as the scripture says, I could hear His sound, but I didn’t know He was coming or where we were going.
I have found the Spirit will blow me in several ways:
To Move: These are times when I am traveling down a certain path and the Spirit changes my direction. Really, this is about me getting out of the way of God’s blessing. God wants to do a new thing and I’m stuck on the old thing. So He sends His Spirit to blow me out of my own way. It’s hard sometimes to see the value in the call to move from the front, but when you turn around and look back, the view is clear and awesome!
To Start: Sometimes, the Spirit will urge me to create a new habit. Earlier this year, the Spirit told me to record the blessings of the Lord. Since January, I have been writing down prayer request and recording the answers to those prayers. I’ve also been recording times when the Lord worked on my behalf or showed me favor in a situation. I’ve written down the blessings He’s placed in my children’s lives as well. My next step is to start a blessings wall somewhere in my house – the wall will have sticky notes where anyone – myself, my husband, kids, family, friends, visitors – can write down a blessing they have received from the Lord. The idea is to remember the benefits of a relationship with the Lord.
To Stop: Often times, I over-commit myself. The Spirit told me to STOP. I was Football League President, PTA President, teaching classes at church, attending a Bible Study…the list goes on! The Spirit told me something had to go – and nothing could replace it. Somethings that are good, just aren’t a part of God’s plan for my life at this moment. If I want His best for me, then I have to agree that He knows what’s best for me.
To Speak: Truthfully, in my life, this one is more about NOT speaking. Every thought that comes into my mind is not meant to be shared. The Bible tells us that we have to take our thoughts captive and get control of our tongues. I have to yield to the Spirit blowing me to shut my mouth. And when He does tell me to speak and I say the words He has given me, I’m not up in the middle of the night wondering if I’ve offended someone or how I will reconcile a relationship.
When I’m blown by the Holy Spirit to move, to start, to stop, to speak – without a doubt I know that it’s Him. I can hear His sound, but I cannot tell where He comes from or where He’s going. But I just know I need to act!
I love that! It comforting to know that God wants to be personally involved in my life – if I will let Him. God wants to send me opportunities and blessings and unexplainable joy and content peace – if I’m willing to be blown by Him.
Are you willing?
My prayer is that the Lord would help me to sit still long enough to hear His wind moving in my life.
I was inspired by my friend to try ten days of quiet. Ten days of getting into the car and sitting in silence. Ten days of letting the calls go to voicemail. Ten days of putting off podcasts. Ten days without Kidd Kraddick in the Morning. Ten days without voxer. If you use voxer, then you know how extremely hard this can be – to hear the walkie-talkie buzz and not respond!
