Skip over the snare!

3:35 p.m. Today's project was to enjoy the wonderful doings of the Lord in several areas of my life, business, and ministry.





Years ago, a fellow Bible study leader at Harvest told me that she learned the meaning of Jesus' exhortaion in Luke 11:9, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Their family really needed new carpet in the house they were renting, and they had prayed and prayed, seemingly to no avail. Oddly, she kept hearing the words, "You have not because you ask not." Puzzled, she told the Lord, "We have been praying for new carpet!" He finally spoke to her saying, "You haven't asked the landlord!" Armed with fresh courage, she and her husband asked the landlord, and new carpet was laid down in their house!



It seems funny to recall it now, but I've never forgotten her story. I sometimes find myself not going any farther than the initial, most important step, lifting up my need to Jesus. He hears, and if my prayer is in agreement with His will in the matter, He faithfully answers. But sometimnes the path to that answer goes through other people. And we'd surely agree that we feel more timid, nervous and uncomfortable about asking others for assistance than talking it over with the Creator of the universe! It's that "fear of man" that snares us, as Proverbs 29:25 warns against.



For weeks, I've been praying, thinking and working on the next Heart to Home session, needing a third class to follow my gardening class and Cindy's canning class. I really wanted to emphasize home thrift, but didn't want to teach another class. Actually, the Lord has shown me many workable ideas that I could present, but a most rewarding aspect of my ministry is to mentor and encourage other women to step up to leadership roles, and to develop and use the gifts they have to bless others. Nevertheless, a rather shaky class was being pieced together, but I wasn't satisfied yet.




Then the Lord had me call Joanna, an active young mom at church who co-directs a Moms' Bible study and is brilliant at finding shopping deals for families. She promised to pray about the April 5 date. I needed an answer by today, because this is the last evening Bible study for the season, and that is the best way to spark interest in our Heart to Home offerings. And I'll make the announcement Tuesday at our morning study. Before church yesterday, I spotted another bargain shopping young mom, Jennifer, and caught up with her afterwards. She delightedly answered yes to either teaching the class or assisting Joanna! By afternoon , we had a class formulated, with me teaching daily household thrift ideas, and the two "Titus 2 Mamas" teaching "Showers of Savings." All in time to make a flyer for tonight's Bible study announcement, thanks to speedy Marianne, the church's office administrator!



Another intimidating endeavor over the last four years is calling my Mary Kay customers for appointments. Even though the responses I get are uniformly positive, calling never gets any easier! It's that "snare" again! What's the worse they can say? "I don't need anything right now" or "This week is too busy?" We always end up having a comfortable chat, catching up on family news, sometimes praying together, so the phone call is uplifting. In spite of my hesitancy, the lord has given me a fine week. Friday, one recruit became an active consultant, a good step for me. I then asked four women for no-obligation interviews about possibly becoming beauty consultants, and they readily sat down with me. My goal for today was to invite 2 or 3 of them to our meeting Thursday evening. So far, one has agreed and I left messages for two others. I then found the courage to send out a marketing email to 30 customers announcing a gift with purchase. Just what was I afraid of? Success? Being blessed in my business for being diligent?

Sometimes we can find ourselves laughable, can't we? Is it lack of faith, lack of obedience, or a little bit of both? What we need to remember is God's faithfulness and his great love for His children, shaky and timid as we can be sometimes! In closing, keep in mind 2 Timothy 2:13:

If we are faithless,

He remains faithful;

He cannot deny Himself.