Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)
Has God called you to step out of your boat?
Whether or not you saw that moment coming, how did you feel when it was time to actually swing your feet over the railing?
For me, that’s when the “Are you CRAZY???” feeling really sets in and when I think to myself, “What on earth am I doing leaving my country, my family, friends, support system and life as I know it?” That’s when I come to the end of myself and completely throw myself on the waves, the boat seemingly long gone…
Sometimes, stepping out of the boat seems extremely scary, utterly wild and fully intense. Every single moment means holding your breath as you fall into faith, believing that God has each step under His full control. Seeing myself in this very real and sometimes ugly process of daily obedience, I remember Jesus did not SEND Peter out of the boat by himself. Jesus CALLED Peter to “COME!” to Him.
I feel new trust and faith growing inside. Where I am about to go, Jesus is already there, waiting for me to come to Him.
No matter how scary it seems to step out of the boat, we can know that Jesus meets us on the water. Let’s keep our eyes fixed on Him, knowing He is there to hold us up. Let’s step out of our boat.
Daily.
Today is the day!
Today I am flying to Arizona where I will volunteer for ten weeks at NAOMI House (Native American Outreach Ministries Inc.), an emergency shelter and licensed foster care home for Native American children in need. Thank God I am not making this journey alone! The God who commands the winds and waves is with me and wonderful people like you are joining in this mission through prayer and cheerful giving and words of encouragement. God has surrounded me with an amazing support team here in Leeds and beyond. I am blessed and encouraged as I ponder how He is leading me on the water.
Originally from Germany, Paula has been working cross culturally with Mosaic Church in Leeds and is now exploring a call to the Lakota in North America. You can connect with Paula and subscribe to her newsletter here: paula.cross.culture@gmail.com
