We hear this often in church-“He doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called”. And I say “Amen” and nod my head in agreement. But when you don’t feel ready and He calls you all kinds of emotions take over, and usually not the good ones-Fear, Anxiety, Dread, Panic, Doubt and more.
This has been me over the summer with my upcoming trip to Kenya. I didn’t “feel” ready like I have in years past. I was excited. I want to see my team. I know it will be amazing. But I wasn’t “feeling” ready. I didn’t feel equipped suddenly. And Satan LOVES to enter our lives through our weak spots. He uses scare tactics to get us to back off. We start to doubt God’s calling. We start to think we aren’t enough, that we can’t do it, that we must’ve misunderstood God, etc.
But the thing about being in close relationship with God is I KNEW that He wouldn’t use fear to communicate with me. He wouldn’t use doubt either. If He wanted to redirect me then He would do it in a different way, not the tactics the devil uses. So, I pressed forward and moved on despite my mood, my emotions, my doubt, my fear. And, wouldn’t you know it, I’m ready! I “feel” it now! I’m equipped!
God has been so good to me the past few weeks (well, He always is) but He’s given me some much needed “love nuggets” as I like to call them. Little trail markers that let me know I’m on the right path (some of the things highlighted in this newsletter/blog are such trail markers). He has given me renewed hope and energy. I feel like myself again, but I had to push through. It was rough. But just like a bad storm might be scary in the midst of it, it can also refresh dry streams, make flowers bloom and so much more!
While we know and trust that God has us on this path, it’s not easy leaving our families for 2 weeks to go literally half way across the globe, without cellular service. So, we kindly ask for your prayers for our safety and prayers for our families. Heather and I both leave behind small children that often want their mom and husbands who have pretty awesome wives running the back end of their lives! Ha! We leave work responsibilities (or try to do them from there) and we leave behind the comforts of our homes. However, when we are there, we receive so much joy, renewed passion and the ability to share with you all the voices and the stories of the lives we are impacting. It’s so, so, so worth it!
I hope you will follow along on our journey by following me on FB, encourage us through comments and share what we are doing with others. We can only do what we do though joining arms with other generous world changers.
Thank you for bearing with me these past few months as I battled against the enemy’s attack on my joy, my peace and my passion.
Some lyrics from my anthem right now-See A Victory by Elevation Worship
The weapon may be formed, but it won't prosper
When the darkness falls, it won’t prevail
Cause the God I serve knows only how to triumph
My God will never fail
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to you Lord…
I’m not backing down from any giants
Cause I know how this story ends…
Gonna worship my way through this battle
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And you turn it for good. …
In Christ,
Christa Amoriello Horst
