This summer I’ve been attending an IF:Gathering at a friend’s church. They are watching the sessions from the conference that was held in Austin, TX back in February. It’s been amazing. I love the passion and the faith exploding from the women standing on the stage. Women with huge hearts for Jesus and dreams to make a difference in this generation.
Each week Jesus meets me exactly where I need Him. He’s stirring in my heart, reminding me of my own God-Sized dreams.
But the other day, as I was thinking about this movement and about doing these big things for God, I wondered if maybe I have it all backwards.
People often think to do the big things for Jesus you have to get on a plane and go to Africa. They think it’s about adopting a dozen kids or selling everything they own to live in a poverty stricken place.
Maybe God has asked you to do these things.
I still dream of going to Africa – a piece of my heart will forever be tied to Ethiopia.
But I wonder, what if the big things of God are really the small things.
What if the most eternal impacts we have are found wrapped up in the most mundane?
The mother sacrificing her own dreams for those of her child.
The wife fighting hard for her marriage.
The woman who is faithful to pray for others every. single. day.
The person who sponsors and writes and prays for the child living on the other side of the world.
The mother who cleans up another mess with a smile on her face and lavishes her toddler with grace.
The volunteer at the children’s hospital or the local homeless shelter – bringing hope to a place where it’s often hard to find.
I think there’s a deep desire in each of us to do grand and outrageous things for Jesus.
I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
We don’t want to be ordinary. We want more than a mundane life.
But sometimes we can get so caught up doing the big things, that we miss what He has right in front of us.
God wants to use what seems ordinary to us to do extraordinary things for Him.
Will we let Him?
***** Today I’m linking up for Coffee for the Heart here, for Three Word Wednesday here, and for Tell His Story.
A good reminder to not overlook our influence right where we are. I am glad we are neighbors today in Holley’s link up. Peace be with you.
Such a good reminder and what I needed to hear today. Thank you for sharing what the Lord is teaching you, so that we can learn through it as well. We think it would be easy to be sold out in the “Africa’s” of life, but the real challenge is being sold out in the mundane (which is not so mundane after all).
I love this reminder, Jennifer, because I agree we can get so caught up in wanting to do big and grand things for Jesus. But the smaller things (or at least what we can small) may be having a greater impact beyond what we are seeing. And I love that you have an outlet for going through the IF:Gathering videos. That is so very cool.
Much love to you.
xoxo