Trust Jesus

This morning in my quiet time, I read Luke 5:1-11: Jesus Provides A Miraculous Catch of Fish.

In this account, Jesus is standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and people were crowding around him, listening to the word of God. Simon Peter, James and John were there washing out their nets after a long, unsuccessful night at work. Jesus asked Peter to take him out in the water and he taught the people from the boat.

When he was done, he asked Peter to go out farther, into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch. Here's what Peter said, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

I can only imagine what was running through Peter's mind. I bet it went something like this:

   Dang it, I just freaking cleaned all these nets, man!
         This is useless and I'm exhausted, what a waste of time.
               Go back to work? After I've been out all night with no luck?
                     
However, what Peter said was, "But because you say so..."

They caught and hauled in so many fish that their boats began to sink. "When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

If my kids were there they'd have said, "Oooh Peter, you just got owned!"

Peter had the right response. He was obedient to Jesus even though He didn't know the outcome.

I'm having the same kind of experience while homeschooling my kids. When my daughter first asked me if I'd do it, I told her I couldn't because she was already smarter than me.

When she came again and said, "Mom, I don't want to be tempted by drugs, alcohol and sex and DO NOT want to go to traditional High School, I began to understand that this wasn't entirely her idea - God was in it.

Despite all my reservations and feelings of inability, I'm already able to see his miracles. I've already fallen on my knees a few times in gratitude.

When God calls us to do something, He will equip us and provide all that we need for success. He cares about our every day needs so we can trust him completely to come through for us.

What about you? Is there something you need to trust Him for today?

I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free. 

                                                                               Psalm 119:32

Crisis of Faith

Have you ever had a crisis of faith?

My definition of a crisis of faith is when God gives you an assignment or calls you to a task and you're not confident you can do it.

I'm having one now.

About six months ago, two of my children began having real problems in public school. Then, Katya, my 8th grader, flat out told me she wasn't going to high school because she didn't want to be tempted by drugs, sex or alcohol. She asked me to homeschool her.

     What do you say to that? "Sorry honey, I can't. Sucks for you!"

We happened to be sitting together in Barnes & Noble at the time. When I explained that I couldn't possibly homeschool her because she was smarter than me, she walked away. She came back five minutes later and slapped this book in my lap:

I laughed, but she was serious.

I prayed about it - hard. It's one of those things I said I'd never be able to do because I didn't have the desire or the patience. God confirmed that this is the path I need to take.

         Just a note - Don't ever tell God what you'll never do.

A lot happened in that six months and we've had many challenges since then. We've learned that my two other children, Dania and Sam, the ones who were having problems, have a form of Auditory Processing Disorder. I'm still learning about it and trying to wrap my head around what it means for us. Basically it has to do with the way sound travels through the ear and how it affects comprehension. It makes it difficult for my kids to learn in noisy environments.

We never had problems before because the kids were educated in a Montessori school with a smaller and quiet classroom environment. But now that the classes are getting bigger and the work is harder...

Anyway, that's what's causing my crisis of faith. The time is here and I've only got a couple of months to prepare for this new adventure in our lives. I haven't a clue about where this will take us or how it will affect their futures, but I have faith that God will equip and lead me to teach them in the best way.

I'm like the blind men that came to Jesus:

      As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"


     When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"


     "Yes Lord," they replied.


      Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored." Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this." But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region."  Matthew 9:27-31

Jesus never turned down the requests of those who came to him and he still doesn't.

Dear Jesus, thank you in advance for equipping us to do what you ask us to do. May you always get the credit for your power! Amen.