Handing Over the Paddles

You know how God brings certain people into your life at the perfect time?  Well, he did that with Miss L not too long ago.

As we walked down a short strip of shops, looking for one selling ice cream, she began asking about the ministry I'm doing now. We settled on a doughnut shop, as ice cream was nowhere to be found (how that is possible still puzzles me).  And I began to share.

Miss L has served in Thailand for over 20 years as a single woman. She could relate to a lot of my experiences and had a lot of good advice. Toward the end of our time, she prayed for me and shared a picture God had given.

In the picture, I was sitting in a kayak in the middle of a beautiful lake. There were two paddles. One, I was holding onto, the other I had let go of already. God was asking me if I would let him paddle the kayak, or if I was going to continue to fight for rowing control. 

I know in my head that I want to let him do all the rowing. I get too tired and end up going the wrong way, but it's hard to let go. It's scary not knowing where I'll end up. In the end, that's the best way to do it though.

That's a big part of faith.  I'm trusting God to guide my kayak exactly where I need to go.  For now, that looks like being faithful to the relationships I have and pouring into the people he has placed in my life.  It means trusting him to do the work in these people's lives, while being available and loving them along the way.