I chopped off all my hair and I turned 35 in August. More amazing things have happened… but these are a few that have happened this month. I just got back from seeing the Pirates of the Caribbean movie and I want to be a pirate. I am already a gypsy in my own mind, so why not be a pirate too?? Crazier things have happened. Movies always inspire me, I think that’s why I watch movies instead of TV. TV depresses me and takes far too much time. Movies inspire me and are usually only an hour or so long.
On a more serious note… I have learned recently that anything can happen. I just read that in my Bible… really! The cool thing is this, however… I think I actually, finally believe it. God used my trip to Peru to clarify many things in my mind and heart. I eluded to this in a recent post, but I want to encourage any of you out there who are hiding in any sense from who God has created you to be, to believe that anything can happen. Because I think I have been in hiding for a few years myself, yet I believe it is time for me to take a few steps toward areas in my life where I know God wants to use me, yet I have not had the confidence in the past to trust Him in those areas.
God whispered to me in His own sweet way on this trip, that He is not finished with me yet… and that woos me to no end! I am going to be a pirate… that’s what this is all about!!! God has called me to be a pirate. Just kidding. But it is similar in a way… When we step out in areas where we are unsure if we will succeed or not, we are stepping out in faith. The fear of failure has always kept me on shore in the area of Art in my life. I know I have a bit of talent… but in my mind, it is in no way close to the talent of others. I have painted a few wall murals in my life and thoroughly enjoyed it. I always thought it would be great to do it professionally, but never thought I was good enough. Well… I am setting out to sea in this area of my life because I will never know if I am good enough if I don’t try. And I just turned 35… so I better get going!!!
So, the scripture I read about anything being possible comes from Mark chapter 9 and I read it in the Message, so It has a bit of fresh language. A man asks Jesus… “If you can do anything, do it. (about healing his son from a demon) Have a heart and help us!” Jesus answered him like this… “If? There are no ‘if’s’ among believers. Anything can happen.” Then the man answers Jesus like this…”Then I believe, Help me with my doubts!”
I am aware that Jesus was talking to a specific man about a specific situation in the context of this section of scripture. But I think we can apply it to our lives as well. We need to trust God to do the things in us that He has placed on our heart. If we trust ourselves, we will certainly fail. But if He is calling us to be a pirate in certain areas of our lives, I am newly encouraged to believe that we need to trust Him to work those things out in us… He can do what we can never do. He says it Himself… “there are no ‘if’s’ among believers” He is not calling us to trust ourselves. He is fully calling us to trust Him. In this area of my life, I have always trusted myself and I know I am not good enough. However… I am finally ready to trust Him with it now, and see what happens.
Woo Hoo!!! I get to be a pirate! Pray for me.
Rebecca Rushmore 4:07 pm on October 28, 2006 Permalink |
Hey Cyndee,
I just read through the posts you linked on an email from August… sad, I know. Its almost the end of October… craziness. But I loved your blog about turning 35 and chopping your hair off. Happy Belated Birthday. I suck at sending cards anymore to anybody… even my aunts and uncles don’t get them anymore. But, back to the blog, I especially loved the part about you stepping out in faith to use your artistic talents for God’s glory.
I think our self-doubts and fears hold us back way too much. I took voice lessons for fun in May and June and this awesome instructor who was so funny, talented, and charming encouraged me to try to put a set list of songs together and that she would be interested to hear what I could come up with. Just knowing someone believed in me gave me the confidence to try writing songs. I just played my first song with another guitarists and two other vocalists in church this past Sunday! It was so neat to share the song God had put in my heart back in July with the whole congregation and for the glory of God. I am having fun with this new adventure in my life and so I am excited to hear your enthusiasm. Its so true… we’re 35, why not try this? What do we have to lose? And we and other people might have so much to gain. Its not going to hurt anything for me to try, and in fact, it is such a blessing in my life as I sometimes have lyrics pop into my mind out of nowhere… yet out of somewhere – they are sometimes so evidently from God. Its so neat. I pray you will place your confidence in God alone. I haven’t read any of your recent posts, so you may have already updated on this.
I love you, Cyndee.
Becca