Mom and Dad on the streets of Latin America.

Following the Lord in His call to obedience is so simple an idea, and so difficult a task. It doesn't begin and end with following.

Once we realize what the Lord may be calling us specifically to, the way seems impossible. "Too great a task for such a simpleton," is how I often find myself feeling. I cannot see ahead. I have no idea how things will come together. I have to trust, and that scares me!

Trust is yielding your will to someone elses control.

That does not come easily for most of us. Especially when the task that is revealed to us is so much bigger than we are!

I remember a month or so ago, looking ahead to the week I have just journeyed through. Everything within me wanted to duck out of what I saw the Lord leading me to. I wanted to retreat into time with my family, and knew that I would have been fully justified in doing so.

I also knew that was not what God wanted. Deanna knew it too. She told me, "You have to go." She really didn't see that there was a choice to be made. God had opened doors and in order to be faithful, I needed to walk in obedience.

What began as 11 messages in 12 days, grew to 14 in 12 days. Today, there are three to go in this busy stretch. Two tonight, and one Sunday.

The Lord has taught me so much about looking to and leaning on Him. Where He opens doors, He provides and brings undeserved blessing.

I cannot tell you how incredible and even "out of body" much of this experience has been for me. When I see the results (or harvest) I find myself in disbelief of who God used to bring in the process of bringing about His desire for the lives of so many.

I have learned more about denying myself and allowing God to be God through this experience than I thought possible. When He calls you to something, He equips you and uses you if you don't get in the way. It can be tricky to stay out of the way. Pride is always lurking and threatens to rise up and help self claim credit.

I believe that is one of the reasons God often chooses tasks that we believe we cannot accomplish once He reveals them. He knows we will have to rely on Him. There is no way I could ever claim any credit for all He has done and is doing! The entire experience has been extremely humbling!

I remember (10 years ago) when I shared my testimony with my home church (back in Indy) about God calling me into ministry. I cried all the way through it. My pastor had to scrap his message because of how long it took me to tell my story between sniffles and sobs. That body was very patient with me.

My Lord has been even more so.

I continue to learn so much from Him and am so thankful that I serve a God who loves me enough to allow me to be used.

The journey into His obedience is an uncrowded road. It is not easy to follow where He leads, but the rewards far outweigh the fears (on the front side and throughout).

Follow where He leads! It is worth the cost!

dad