I can't do it.

My take away from Youth Camp- I can't do it and that's the way it is supposed to be.

I spend/waste minutes of my life fretting about the fact that I am not witty enough, slick enough or smart enough to say just the right thing to those wonderful teenagers who came to camp with us.

I love these people.
God did some mighty things in their lives this week and I can take credit for none of it, which is just as it should be.


I spend/waste minutes of my life trying to scheme up a plan to build up our youth group, our church, my husband, my children, etc...

Then it hits me- I don't have what it takes,
ONLY GOD DOES!

Sigh, pressure is off, weight is lifted, burden is light.

Two points of good news here Christian (one who has given God the driver's seat because He deserves to be in it):

1.) Jesus through His Holy Spirit lives in me. Mark 13:11 says in times of trials "for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit".  This past week the camp pastor called us to follow the direction of scripture to "speak the truth in love".

To do that we need to have a keen sense of what was truth and what was our own opinion.

I really have to watch that. I have tons of opinions that will never change a life. I have to back that truck up and get out of the way for the truth to speak through me. God's word is the truth and I need to know it.

2.) God's got the best plans ever- EVER that EVER existed. Let Him handle it.

The camp pastor told this story. He needed a facility to train youth mentors. He placed earnest money down on a 5 acre building in Alabama. He had no rest that night. In the morning he realized why- he could totally handle paying the note and moving into this facility with out any leap of faith. He knew all God had done in the past with him involved great leaps of faith and this required none. He had no peace. The real estate agent called. The property was zoned for a church only. The agent said he would just have to become a church and the problem was solved. No way, no how. He backed out of the deal and was able to get his money back. After six more months of prayer a man approached him about another property. It was in Georgia, on the top of a mountain, included a hotel/resort and 150 acres! God had better plans. That property is were we were this past week because God gave it to Global Youth Ministries.

Trust me on this one- You don't want the 5 acres. You don't want Mr. 5 acres- when Mr. 150 acres is waiting. You don't want the 5 acre career, the 5 acre life plan, the 5 acre church, etc... You want what only God can do, what you could never do or deserve.

Don't give up, Don't lose hope, Don't lose heart.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living. Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage. Psalm 27:13-14

The faithful don't have to wait until Heaven to see Glories and Wonders. The faithful don't have to be smart enough, rich enough, strong enough or perfect to see it.

Just clean out your spiritual ears, listen for the Holy Spirit in prayer and God's word.
Obey what He tells you.
Trust what He says.
One day at a time. I know I can obey today. I know I can trust today because of His power in me.
Faithful days become faithful months and years and the gates spring open for the Wonders and Glories of God.