My lazy eyes roamed over the view I had from the top of the bluff I hiked that evening. While taking in the grand splendor that is Colorado Springs, I let my thoughts wander to the central issue of my life at the time: What exactly am I doing here?
As someone who has loved media her entire life, making the decision to go to Charis Bible College to pursue God and leave behind all dreams of a future in media was no small feat. My dream was to attend the University of Georgia and study broadcast journalism. My plan was to become a sport’s broadcaster. But as my high school graduation day drew closer, it became obvious to me that God had other plans. I shared a little more about this in my previous blog post Dreaming Big with God.
Moving to Colorado seemed like the death of every dream I ever had for myself. And yet, because I had been pursuing God so strongly, I knew in my heart that this was the right thing to do. So, sitting on the bluff that day, even though I felt like the setting sun was taking all of my dreams along with it as it disappeared behind Pikes Peak, I knew I was where God wanted me.
In Andrew’s teaching Lessons from Elijah, he explains,
“I really believe that God doesn’t show you His perfect, total will for you all at one time. He does it in steps and in stages…. So, God is going to show you things one step at a time, and if you want step number two or step number ten, you’ve got to start doing step number one.”
A lot of people thought I was crazy for moving to Colorado without a solid plan. I thought I was crazy. But it wasn’t until I made the decision and took the first step that I began to see God’s plan unfold in my life.
Andrew continues,
“[Elijah] didn’t get the second word from God about how God would protect him and sustain him through the drought. He didn’t get that until he had delivered the first word. Step out in the direction that God is calling you to go, and then God can direct you and confirm. But you have to take the word that God has given you and act on it.”
Taking my seat in the first-year classroom the next day, a special announcement was made. Charis would be starting a Third-Year program featuring several different schools, including a Media School! I don’t think I heard anything else after that.
It wasn’t even the school that impacted me the most; it was the fact that God was speaking directly to me. In that moment, He showed me how all of the dreams that had been in my heart since I was a little girl were in fact from Him and that they mattered. I didn’t have to give them up to serve God. Rather, in using them, I would bring glory to Him in a way that only I was created to do.
Andrew concludes,
“Are you doing what God called you to do? Are you obeying everything? Is there any leading that God has put into your heart that you haven’t yet stepped out on? If that’s true of you, well then you know what, God’s provision is going to where He told you to go. There is supernatural anointing, peace, rest, finances, and people that are going to help you. Everything that you need is there. Are you there?”
Nothing in my original plan could have brought me to where I am today. God knew what He was doing all along. I just needed to trust Him and take my first step.
If this has inspired you, post a comment below.
