Transcript

Wait for it · Fostering Faith

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Welcome back to Fostering Faith. And so I want
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to welcome you. For those that have been listening
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and those that are new, thank you so much for
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tuning in this week. I know that there's a million
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podcasts, but you chose to listen to this one
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for just even just a brief moment. We want to
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thank you for something that could possibly change
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your perspective. Thank you for tuning into this
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episode. My name is Tracy Foster. I am the host
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of Fostering Faith for this episode. And we're
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going to be talking about God's timing and trusting
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what he will use and what he wants to do through
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you. And so welcome back. And so we are in a
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conversation that I really do feel hits close
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to home. And so it's all about God's timing.
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I'm so glad that you're here today. If no one
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has ever told you lately, you matter. Your story
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matters. Your presence matters. And what God
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is doing in your life, even right now in the
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waiting, in the wondering, in the middle of the
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unknown, it matters. Today we're going to be
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diving into something that I think that every
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single one of us has wrestled with at one point
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or another. God's timing. Because let's be real,
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waiting is hard. And with the click button society
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and Amazon Prime, that used to be Primer than
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what it is now. But I mean, you have things on
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your doorstep within a matter of minutes and
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we don't want to wait anything and we don't want
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to buffer and we don't want to do anything. And
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it's really hard. to wait sometimes. Trusting
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is hard. Watching other people's lives take off
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while you're stuck feeling like the same place,
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doing the same thing, praying the same prayers.
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It's hard. But here's the truth. I want to speak
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it over you today. God's timing is perfect. And
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not only can he use everything that you're walking
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through to, if you allow him to, the messy, the
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mundane, the mistakes, the miracles, he will
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use it. And the biggest piece of the puzzle is
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believing. truly believing that he wants to do
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something powerful, purposeful, and personal
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through you. And so let's settle in, lean in,
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and open our hearts to see what God wants to
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say today. And so as we are in a season of being
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busy and not having patience and wanting things
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yesterday, whenever we ordered it today, but
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it's not here fast enough. And so How seeing
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God work in the middle of your day. And so let
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me start off by asking you, have you ever felt
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like God forgot about you? We've done an episode
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before about being left on read and where you
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think that God has not heard your prayer and
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has just left you. I mean, let's be honest. We
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know in our heads that he's always with us. We
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sing songs, we quote the verses, but our heart
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sometimes says otherwise, doesn't it? We say
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all the memory verses that we've memorized. We
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know that God is good. We know that he is all
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the things. But in our hearts, what's our heart
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really say? We see others moving forward. We
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watch friends announce engagements, promotions,
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new babies, breakthroughs. And we're just here.
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Waiting. Wondering. Working. Hoping. Maybe even
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crying when no one else is watching. If that's
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where you are today, I just want to say God has
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not forgotten you. We have Ecclesiastics 3 .1
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that says, There is a time for everything and
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a season for every activity under heaven. And
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what that tells me is this. Your time is coming.
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But if you skip the preparation season, you won't
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be ready for the purpose season. So you know
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who I think of when I think about God's timing?
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David. And so as we get into David's story, I
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want to share real life timing. And so in the
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office this week, I was able to encounter an
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atheist. And so I had met them and I was just
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like so ecstatic that... Whenever they came in,
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they were just like, you know, that they're an
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atheist. And I was just like, oh my gosh, that's
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wonderful. Did all the things and see you back
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here in a couple of weeks. So was able to pray
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for them and pray for them and just ask and pray
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for God. Just give me a chance. Give me an extended
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visit. Give me something that I can do to show
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her or him the way that you love. And so. As
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they had an appointment, they missed their appointment
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and I am booked and they messaged me and said,
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I overslept. And I was just like, okay, I don't
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know when I'll be able to get to see you. I go
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back on my schedule and the exact same time I
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had a patient cancel. So I was able to bring
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them in and was able to walk through 45 minutes
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of what would have been a 15 minute appointment
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if she didn't oversleep. And it was such an amazing
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process. Tears were shed, like weight was lifted,
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seeds were planted. And I got to tell her that
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she had been prayed over, that she is loved,
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that she sees the confusion in her heart and
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the unbelief and the questions that she had that
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weren't answered, which turned her away. He sees
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all that and he allowed her to be in an atmosphere
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where she is loved, where she is seen, where
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she is heard and where there is no judgment.
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But there is grace and there is mercy and there
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is education and there is just a presence of
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just being loved on whenever you've never been
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loved on before. And so I had another incident
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where a patient needed to be seen. didn't have
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any room. Um, my nurse had told me, you know,
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Hey, uh, it needs to be like a quick, a quick
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visit, but we don't have anything. What do you
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want to do? And I'm like, just, just double book
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this, just double book it here. Um, and then
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we'll just, we'll just make it work. Uh, so we
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double booked it and, um, another patient canceled.
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And so, because they couldn't get it because
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their car wouldn't start or something of that
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nature. And so was able to spend the appropriate
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amount of time walked through And almost everything
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that she needed to go through in a, in a manner
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of childhood trauma and the, the presence of
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God and just the timing that he is orchestrated
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and what he has put on her heart and the anxiety
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of her and her being disobedient and knowing
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what she's supposed to be doing, but she's not
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doing. And she was just like, oh my gosh, like,
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I cannot believe this appointment. Like, this
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is such a God moment. I mean, she was in tears.
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You know, I welcomed her into the family. And
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everything that she has been going through had
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led up to God's timing. And so if we allow God's
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plan to be worked through us, because God's will
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will be done, but will we allow him to use us?
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Because it is all free will. He will never make
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us do anything. And so it's about us being in.
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his will to do his will. And there is no better
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job to spread the light and the love that he
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has given to us. But we have to be patient. We
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have to have just a knowing that he is working
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behind the scenes. And so we have David. David
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was the appointed king as a teenager. The oil
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was poured on his head while he was still smelling
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like sheep because he was a shepherd. But did
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he go straight to the palace? No. went right
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back to the pasture. He was in there years before
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he ever took throne. And during that time, he
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was chased. He was hunted down, misunderstood,
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hidden in caves, forgotten by people, but not
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forgotten by God. Because what looked like a
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delay was actually development. God was forming
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something in David that only could be built in
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the waiting. And what he wants with your life,
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He'll do it, but you have to do it in the waiting.
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The waiting seasons are not wasted seasons. And
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so you're praying for a promotion. You're praying
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for a job. You're praying for this. You're praying
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for a spouse. You're praying for money. You're
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praying for whatever. But he's like, no, like
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you are not mature enough to have this. Like
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you cannot be in. a managerial role because you
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can't manage your house. Like I'm not going to
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give you and make and give you extra finances
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because you can't even manage what you have now.
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Why would I give you something that you cannot
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handle? Why would I give you something that is
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going to harm you? And so it really is about
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that waiting season while he's pruning things
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away from you, while he is allowing you to grow
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and mature into the person that he has created,
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but you have to realize it. So he is going to
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make you wait just like any good parent would.
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And so let's talk about something that's important,
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what God will use if you will let him. So to
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get you caught up on thinking we have been polished
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and perfected before God can work, let's think
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about it like this. And so like, let me fix this.
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Let me clean up. Let me get it all together.
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And then maybe I'll be worthy of getting something
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great for the kingdom. But friend, let me tell
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you. You are something God has been whispering
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in your heart. Has there been something that
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God has been telling you? And I can use anything
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if you surrender it to me. Have you surrendered
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what you're holding on so tight for? Your job,
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your career, your finances, your relationships,
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your heart. Has he whispered? I can use anything
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if you surrender it to me. Hear me. Anything.
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That broken relationship, he can use it. The
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season of loss, he can use that. A poor decision
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from 10 years ago that still you beat yourself
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up over, yep, he can use that too. Your past
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does not disqualify you. It gives you a testimony.
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And so just talking to a patient today, they
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were in a season of just being mad because of
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what happened. And she could not believe that
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God would allow this to happen. I said, but what
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happens if you let him use that pain for purpose?
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What happens if you use that testimony to help
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someone else out? And so she was just like, oh
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my gosh, like I've been wanting to be. a counselor.
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I just can't get, I can't shake it. And it's
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because she had went through trauma and she was
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able to walk through that with him. But yet she
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had a period of being mad and being just like,
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you know, just disconnected from God and kind
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of walking away because all these negative things
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happened. I said, but yeah, but what happens
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if you allow him to use that pain for purpose?
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And we have Romans 8, 28 that says, and we know
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that all things. God works for those who love
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him and who have been called according to his
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purpose. That means that good things, hard things,
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ugly things, confusing things, all things, things
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that we do not understand because it's above
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our pay grade and we have no business knowing
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because if we were meant to know, he would tell
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us. But if we have no business knowing, he is
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not going to tell us. He's going to keep us safe.
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Stay in your lane. I'll tell you what you need
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to know. But the key is, are you willing to give
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it to him? Are we willing to say, Lord, I don't
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know how you're going to use this pain, but I
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trust you with it. I don't know how you'll redeem
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this mess, but I'm giving it back to you. Take
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my story, take every part of it and use it for
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your glory. And so everything that we do, everything
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that we do. would bring him glory. Your job,
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your finances, your marriage, your relationships,
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your text messages, all the things can be used
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to bring him glory. Because listen, God can work
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through surrender a whole lot more than he can
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work through self -sufficiency. Let that simmer
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for a little bit. And so let's talk about something
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even a little deeper. Believing in what God wants
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to do through you. Not just believing in God,
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but believing that God actually wants to use
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you. Do you believe that? Not that you show up
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on Sundays looking all put together. Not that
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you are that person that is seen on social media.
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I'm talking about the real you. The one with
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the doubts, the insecurities, the struggles,
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and those secrets. It's the things that go behind
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closed doors. It's the belief of I've screwed
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up so bad. There's no way that he would give
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me integrity. There's no way that he would give
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me that honor into growing his kingdom. That's
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the God that you choose. That's the you he called.
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And that's the you he can use. The doubt, the
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unbelief, the struggles. He can use all of that
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if you will allow him. Ephesians 2 .10 says,
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for we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ
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Jesus to do all good works, which God prepared
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us in advance for us to do. In advance, not delayed,
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not late, but his perfect timing. That means
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that we're on assignment with your name on it.
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things only you can do people that only you can
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reach lives that will only be changed because
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of you. If you step into what he is asking you
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to do, but you got to believe in it. You've got
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to grab it and hold onto it. You've got to. let
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go of the silence of the enemy's voice in your
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head that says you're not good enough. God says
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that I am chosen. God says that I am called.
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He says that I'm a masterpiece. And so that is
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what you are controlling your thoughts were because
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whenever the God, whenever the devil says that
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you're not worthy, that you are not worth it,
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no one is going to believe you. You screwed up
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too many times. That was, that was your last
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chance. He has created you for a season, a reason,
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a purpose, a calling. And it's because of you,
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you went through that circumstance and you're
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going to be able to help that one person because
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it's you, because you had a testimony, because
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you faced whatever you had and you have street
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credit in that. If you had a parent that was
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murdered and you've walked through that anger
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and that grief and that disbelief and just been
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mad at God, but you now see his glory in that
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pain for purpose. I don't have that street credit.
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I don't have that. But do I have the street credit
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of being 300 pounds, being on a fitness journey,
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being on over 100 units of insulin, reversing
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my Hashimoto's? Yeah, I've got to do all that.
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But I don't have the street credit that you have.
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Because God has allowed certain things to go
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through your life. Because you are chosen. Because
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you are the ones that are called. The things
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that we go through in life are not for us. It's
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to help somebody else out. It is a testimony
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on the other end of it. And yes, it's scary.
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Stepping out in faith is scary. Trusting him
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can be hard. Because we're walking by faith,
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not by a plan. Giving him your pain is vulnerable.
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But obedience... will always lead to blessings,
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even if the path is uncertain. He's not going
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to give you a blueprint and tell you what to
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do. That's not the God that we serve. He's saying,
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trust me, let me know what you are doing and
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allow me to work in your life. And so let's take
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a few takeaways from this. If you're driving
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or running or folding laundry, while you listen,
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Let's settle your spirit and let's just kind
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of remember these five things. And so God is
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never late. He can use anything. God wants to
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do something through you. Don't rush the process
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and believe even when it's hard, even when you
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can't see it. And so let's walk through those.
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And so one, God is never late. He is not stalling.
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He is not unsure. He is working behind the scenes
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in the ways that you can't even imagine. I mean,
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the microseconds, the appointments, the cancellations,
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all these things, he's orchestrating months in
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advance, days in advance, years in advance. He
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is in your tomorrow. And number two, God can
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use anything. There is nothing in your life he
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cannot redeem. restore, or repurpose, but you
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have to allow him to. You have to open up your
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hands and surrender. Whatever you feel like you
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have to be in control over, please know that
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he will do a better job at managing it than you
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ever would. Number three, God wants to do something
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through you. You're not here by accident. You're
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not disqualified, but you are chosen. You are
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equipped. and you are loved, and you were made
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for just a time as this. Everything that has
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happened in you, all the mistakes that you have
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made, all the paths that you have chose on your
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own, but yet you're still here despite your best
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efforts. And so God can use all of that if you
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allow him and invite him in. Number four, don't
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rush the process. What God is building in your
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waiting, during your wait, will be very... foundational
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to what you stand on later. And so while you're
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waiting, while you're praying, while you are
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weeping, while you are crying, while you are
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on your knees, while you are fasting, he is building
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a foundation, a firm foundation, because we cannot
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have wavy faith. If we're going to walk and be
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a disciple, if we're going to be a Christ ambassador,
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we have to have a strong foundation. before us.
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And so he is building us up. He is building us
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up from the foundation, from our feet up. And
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so whenever we stand firm against the enemy's
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schemes, we are well rooted and well, well established
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in what the word says. And so therefore we cannot
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be shaken. And so number five, believe even when
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it's hard, even when you cannot see it, believe
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that he is still working. He is still seeing
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you, that your breakthrough isn't canceled. It's
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just being cultivated. And so even when it seems
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hard and you know that God has called you to
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whatever it is you feel like you're supposed
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to be doing, even whenever you cannot see it,
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there's no way I am going to be an entrepreneur.
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There is no way that I'm going to be and produce
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music. There's no way that I'm going to be a
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doctor. There's no way that I'm going to be a
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nurse. There's no way. There's no way I can afford
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that school. But he has a plan. But we just have
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to walk and trust and know. that he is working
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all things out for those that are looking and
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honestly seeking his face. He is not a genie.
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He is not rub a lamp and just like pray for things
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and get it. No, he's not like that. He is a father
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and he wants the best for his children and he
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loves you and he wants you to want him. And so
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I want to challenge you today. What's the one
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thing that you need to surrender? What's the
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one area of your life where you need to stop
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fighting for control and start trusting in God's
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timing? What's the dream that you need to believe
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in again? What's that dream that he put on your
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heart 10 years ago, 15 years ago, five months
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ago, and you gave up because he didn't give you
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a plan, but you didn't take the step. And so
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what is it that you need to do to surrender what
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God has called you for, but yet you won't let
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go of? Write it down. Speak it out and take it
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to prayer. And so, you know, I'm a huge fan of
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journaling and write it down, speak it out, go
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to him with it and take it to prayer. And if
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you're listening and thinking, Tracy, I want
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to trust him, but I don't know how. Let me remind
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you, you don't have to have it all the answers.
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You just have to take the next step. One act
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of obedience at a time. one moment of faith at
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a time. It is not a sprint. It is a marathon.
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And so you take that first step of the branch.
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And if he pushes you, he will either teach you
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how to fly or he will catch you. One of the two
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is going to happen. And so I want to thank you
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so much for spending this time with me today.
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I hope this has encouraged your heart, filled
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your spirit, and reminded you that God is still
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writing your story. If this episode spoke to
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you, share it with a friend. Text it to someone
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who is in the waiting season and remind them
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and yourself that God's timing is worth trusting.
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His plan is worth believing and your story is
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worth sharing. Until next time on Fostering Faith,
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one moment at a time, one step at a time, one
22:03
surrendered season. at a time. And so we would
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love to pray for you. We would love to encourage
22:10
you to write, review, leave some comments, help
22:14
our podcast grow and share it with the unbeliever,
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share it with people that are not of faith, because
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it is about. being fishers of men and not watchers
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of the aquarium. And so let us pray for you.
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Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for today.
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Thank you so much for yesterday. Thank you for
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allowing us to have seasons of waiting. Thank
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you for allowing us to have seasons that we do
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not know. Thank you that you are there whenever
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we need you. Thank you that you're... making
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a plan in advance. Thank you that you're always
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working in the background. Thank you for our
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trust. Thank you for our faith that is growing,
22:46
that is maturing. Thank you for the firm foundation
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that you have set before our feet. Thank you
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that you have made us wait. Thank you that you
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have molded us. Thank you that you have pruned
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us. Thank you that you have searched our heart
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and rid us of the bitterness and the anger and
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the resentment. Thank you that we are seeking
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your face. Thank you that you have plans to prosper
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us. Thank you that you love your sons and daughters.
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Thank you for all that you do. In Jesus' name
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I pray. Amen. So we hope this message encouraged
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you. Have an amazing week. We love you guys.
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Have a great day.