The Day My Son Thought I’d LOST IT!

“Mom, this is crazy.”

 

Is what he said just before we marched around a picnic table in our backyard seven times.

 

I’m sorry, you did what???

 

We marched around a picnic table in our backyard seven times.

 

Who: the cowboy, me, and our two boys.

Where:  on our farm

When: Wednesday afternoon, July 14

What:  I placed a #PrayBig journal in the middle of our picnic table and asked my family to pray with me as we marched around it seven times.

 

WHY???  Because sometimes God calls us to do crazy things to show us how GREAT He is!!

 

Remember that BIG DREAM I shared in a recent post? (If you missed it you could read about it HERE)

 

It had been seven days and no word.  I submitted the When You Pray Big Things Happen journal and  #PrayBig products for consideration for the Dave Ramsey/Christy Wright Business Boutique.  I’ve already seen God do exceedingly and abundantly more with this little journal than I ever thought He would or could so, why not?  Desperate for a yes or no because the unknown makes us CRAY, right?  Recently having read the story of Joshua thinking about the wall of Jericho, what he must have felt like facing such a task and pondering the question,  what is my current Jericho?”  That thing that seems impossible..too big?  Too far out?  Too crazy? Something only God could do?

 

For me, the thought of #PrayBig + anything related to Dave Ramsey seemed just, too BIG, too grown-up and mature for me.  It’s Dave Ramsey for crying out loud.

 

But the idea of marching and praying wouldn’t leave me alone.  So I did what I do.  I told J, “I have a crazy idea.”  And then, he did what he does.  He looked at me exhausted with raised brow and said, “Ok, let me hear it.”

 

“I want us to place a #PrayBig journal on the picnic table in the backyard, march around it seven times and pray.”

 

“Ok.”

 

“OK?!”

 

“Yes, ok.”

 

Before he could change his mind or I could talk myself out of it, I grabbed a journal, we gathered the boys and headed to the back yard.

 

I shared the idea with the boys. Without hesitation, my younger asked where to stand as my older declared, “Mom, you know this is crazy, right?”

 

“Yes son, I know it is, but sometimes God calls us to do crazy things to show us how GREAT He is!”

 

And with that everyone got in line.   J lead us, and I began to pray out loud as the boys followed us around the picnic table.

 

 

Lord, we trust you.  We believe your ways are higher than our ways.  We’ve asked you to enlarge our territory and provide opportunities for us to speak of your goodness.  You are faithful, good and true. We rest in your perfect will and want no more and no less than exactly what You want for our lives.  If you bless us with a yes, we will praise You as long as we have breath.  If You say no, we will praise You still. If You say wait, Lord, we will wait.  We fix our eyes on You the Author and Finisher of our faith.  In Jesus name, Amen.

 

As we headed inside I whispered within, “Lord, do this one for the boys.  Grow their faith.”

 

The next morning during my quiet time I felt a prompting to fast.  Something you should know.  I don’t fast much.  I just never have.  That’s one of the spiritual disciplines that has always intimidated me. What if I don’t do it right?  What do I fast from?  How long do I fast?  

 

So many questions and so often when I don’t know what to do I opt to do nothing.

 

But that day it was evident.  Knowing I wasn’t mentally prepared to fast from food and convicted over how much time; I WASTE ON SOCIAL MEDIA!!!!!!!! the decision was easy.  I will remove the social media icons from the home page of my phone and every time I think of vegging on white space I will pray.  I will declare, “Lord, Your will be done in my life.”

 

Before we go any further a few noteworthy mentions:  God is God, and He can allow or not allow whatever He so chooses because He is God. He is sovereign and Lord over all.  He is rich in mercy to ALL and is better to us than we deserve.  Sometimes when we pray, He says yes, sometimes He says no, and sometimes He says wait.

 

Now, finally,  as I removed the last icon from my phone’s home screen and just as I go to lay the phone down, I felt it vibrate.

 

A number I did not recognize from Nashville, TN.

 

“Hello, this is Erin from Dave Ramsey Solutions.  If you are still interested, we would love for you to join us as a VENDOR at the BUSINESS BOUTIQUE!”

 

My legs became noodles, and I found myself short of breath as I offered my-cool-don’t-FREAK-THE-FREAK-out-response,

 

“Sure, I’d love to come.”

 

We exchanged info and said we would be in touch over the next few weeks.  I couldn’t hang up fast enough.

 

I wanted to tell J, and I couldn’t wait to tell the boys.  Particularly one.

 

I tiptoed in his room, whispered, “Hey bud, guess what?”

 

Sleepy.  So sleepy he cracked one eye open.

 

“Hey buddy, guess what?  We got a yes! #PrayBig is going to the Business Boutique.”

 

He sat up and gave me the biggest smile.  He knew, and I knew, only God.  And, well, that’s better than a personal phone call from Dave Ramsey himself.

 

So what??

 

Friend, what’s your crazy?  What outlandish thing, DREAM, hard situation or impossible circumstance are you facing in your life right now??

 

I hope this story challenges you to keep praying.  Keeping trusting.  Keep believing in our great God. Keep resting in His perfect timing.  Keep giving thanks in all things.  He alone is trustworthy, faithful and good.

Tell fear to take the train!  Have fear grab his pal doubt as he heads out the door!!!!!  Fix your eyes on Jesus, be still and know He is God, get into The Word, #PrayBig and march forward into all that He has for you!

 

Waiting is hard, frustrating and rarely something any of us would choose but God knows best.  Truly.  And His ways are higher.

 

And don’t forget or be afraid to believe~

 

“…. sometimes God calls us to do crazy things so He can show us just how BIG He is!”

 

And if you are a small business girl or want to be or dream of becoming– COME TO THE Business Boutique!  Use #PrayBig for a discount:

 

 

In other NEW/UPDATES & such:

 

~Late to the party or still wondering,

 

“WHAT IS #PRAYBIG?”

 

Visit & Subscribe to Karmen Smith on YouTube! Then, leave a HUGE!!!! ALL CAPS  SHOUT OUT in comments to our friends Chris & Gina Dorough! They are our gifted, generous video editing team and by gifted editing I mean Gina shades out all of my sweat and perspiration because recording videos HACK ME OUT!

 

 

~Oh, and we are now a family of 5.  Our lives forever changed on July 19th as we welcomed our first foster child.  We have so many feelings and stories to share, but right now we’re savoring them offline.  We are praying through which stories to share or not.  THANK YOU to ALL who have sent messages, given gifts and mostly for your prayers.  We are eternally grateful.

 

~A 40 under 40 nominee!  Speaking of crazy!  I LOVE and admire and look up to so many of the incredible women on this list and am still searching for a thank you word big enough for those who nominated me to be a part.  YOU, seriously, are the BEST!  I know that sounds so cliché’ but I am so.very.thankful.for.you.

 

~Speaking page has been updated 🙂 View here!

That’s all.  The End. for now- Sweet dreams. Goodnight.