A Dot-to-Dot Story

Back in the day of ditto sheets and textbooks, and the little girl in class that tailed the teacher, brown-nosing every chance she got?  Always eager to assist and more than willing to take any teaching materials the teacher was willing to cast aside. That was me.

 

Dot-to-dots were my ABSOLUTE favorite teacher discard.  ABC, dot-to-dots, 123, dot-to-dots.. Good golly, I just loved them!  So much love for the dots!!   One to ten or one to one hundred, the more dots there were, the giddier I got.

 

Over the last three years, I feel like I have been living a dot-to-dot story.

 

Each scary step=a dot.

 

Each new face, new friendship=a dot.

 

New opportunity= a dot.

 

Forrest Gump said it best, “Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you’re going to get.”

 

So, what IF we began viewing the scary, disappointing, unexpected turns in life as dots?  Dots that are part of a grander plan?

 

What IF we began to look for the activity of God in the small dots and the BIG dots?

 

What IF we lived as though we REALLY believed verses like this:

 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

 

How would holding fast to God’s Word shift the way you live day-to-day? (#ifgathering)

 

What IF we diligently prayed, “God give me one pure & holy passion…to know and follow hard after you..”

 

The ‘START HERE’ in my dot-to-dot, began in our living room just over three years ago, when I emptied my heart full of questions for God onto a scratch sheet of paper, in the wee hours of the morning.The prayer in our living room that closed the door on my career in the public classroom, that led me home to home school our boys-which ultimately made me available for a summer mission trip to Indiana-that led to a women’s’ conference in Indianapolis- to pray a prayer that led us to purchase a feed store -on to North Carolina to pitch a book, to serve at a conference in Texas….

 

All dots.

 

One, uncertain-how-this-is-going-to-play-out dot at a time.

 

Our dots look different, yet each tiny dot, for you and for me-significant.

 

My next dot is a mission trip to Honduras.

 

One more wake up before I leave the woman tapping these keys behind and embrace all that God has for me in the next step.

 

And even though the struggle for a desire to see the dots connected …for a sneak peek at picture God is working in and through each step–I want Him.  Just Him and exactly what he wants for me.

 

Friend, do you want what God wants? 

 

Nothing more, nothing less.

 

I WANT IT FOR YOU.

 

I invite you to live FREELY in the uncertainties of this life.

 

Precious ones, to be okay with not knowing how it’s all going to play out or what it will look like when we’re done.

 

To believe that God has a plan and a purpose for each dot.

 

I’m COMPELLING you to get alone with God and ask Him:

 

Father, more than anything I want what you want for my life.  Show me the who, what, where, when is my next dot? Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart soft enough to respond to your call. Amen.

 

Dears, do you have any idea how much you are loved?  I don’t say that to blow wind up your skirt.  It’s true.

 

The creative Creator of the Universe loves you and I adore you.  I pray for your hearts as you visit this space. I pray for your people, your prodigals, your sick loved ones.

 

We are in this together. And now, more than ever, I believe

 

So much love to you while I’m away & always,

 

 

PS- Tomorrow marks 23 years ago the cowboy and I had our first smooch  our first date.  I have a gushy post I’m working on about things I’ve learned from life with a cowboy.  So be a jewel and SIGN UP to receive your Blessings Beyond the Barnyard email (just under my dorky picture in the right side-bar)  because it’s going to be cheesy and everybody likes cheese.