Stepping Out

These past few weeks, after reading and pondering about current world events, I found myself growing ever so anxious and restless.

Wars, rumours of wars, difficulty, polarisation and hopelessness invade our lives at every turn.

I began praying. What else could I do? I thought.

Of course, praying is amazing, running to God for comfort and peace is a must and surrendering our nagging need for control is (although almost impossible) completely necessary. 

But how can I serve God in this current political climate? I thought, How can I assist His Kingdom?

Then on the following Sunday service, a call for a reach-out event in Canterbury was announced, and I felt God calling me to participate.

Talk about way out of my comfort zone. I was totally prepared to tweet, blog or text some godly things but God called me to actually talk to people. Face to face!

I was anxious about it all week. Countless scenarios played in my head, none of which - dare I say - were pleasant.

I tend to overthink things and often dissect them to the point of giving up completely. God knows this about me and so He gave me a very realistic husband who told me (lovingly): “You’re not going up on a stage to preach to a million people who completely depend on you to be saved, love. No need to worry.” 

After a silent “Ouch”, I actually felt such relief. He was right! God is the one working all things out for His glory. Not me.

I had set huge expectations for myself on something that was entirely up to God. 

I repented and stepped out in faith. 

So, last Saturday morning when I arrived at the meeting point, I was so encouraged by seeing 20+ people (including quite a few youth members) gathered to bring the good news of God’s love to the people of Canterbury. HOW AWESOME WAS THAT!

After a prayer, God gave our little group three specific things to keep in mind!

A location: Westgate Gardens.

A picture: Ducks 🦆 

and a verse: “For God did not send his son to the world to condemn it but to save the world through Him.”

As we walked towards Westgate Gardens we prayed and followed the Holy Spirit as he guided us. 

We approached a few people and handed out leaflets.

On our way back, we noticed an older man sitting by the river feeding the ducks. I felt God telling me to sit and talk to him, his name was Andy.

Andy told me lots about his childhood and life in Canterbury, and when I asked if he liked the ducks, he said proudly “ I love ducks. I’m a duck breeder myself.”

He proudly pointed to a cute couple of ducks in the flock by the river that he had bred. I was so amused at how God chose to do that.

Andy said he didn’t believe Jesus was alive but with God’s help, I was able to tell Andy about Jesus, his sacrifice and resurrection and his love for us. The verse that God had given at the start, popped into my head and I said it to Andy - “For God did not send his son to the world to condemn it but to save the world through Him.”

All three pointers God had given us to use had found their mark. How amazing!

Andy was very open and by God’s grace, I could share the gospel with him. In the end, I prayed that God reveal Himself to Andy so he knows in his heart that Jesus is alive and loves him very much. 

He said thank you for stopping by and talking to him and went back to feeding the ducks.

May God continue to make that seed grow.

As I walked away, I was so touched and encouraged by God. How in either huge and mighty things or in the small events of everyday life, He is utterly sovereign. God knows each one of us and even the hidden, perhaps “insignificant” details of our lives are not hidden from his sight nor useless to his plans.

I hope this encourages you as it did me, that God is in control, and that he has gone before us in every way, that the seemingly “random” words or pictures he gives us are full of purpose and meaning, like arrows in the hands of a skilled warrior. 

They’ll never come back to Him empty but will hit the target and accomplish their intended purpose.

God rules over the nations, the climate and all international interests yet He uses stay at home mums to call old duck-breeders into His everlasting kingdom on sunny autumn mornings.