Wake Up!

(Katie) Its been one of those weeks where I am keenly aware of my limits, particularly in the places of energy, wisdom, and understanding. In the midst of responding to student crisis' in the middle of the night, entering into suffering, writing papers for Graduate School, preparing to hire a new team of students for next year, and speaking to incredible women about topics that I am passionate about.. I've come face to face with my own limits. The place where my strength quickly ends and God begins is quite clear. While I've experienced this truth over and over in my life, the beautiful thing is that I am finally at a place in my life where I don't beat myself up for not being stronger and I don't have the energy to "grin and bear it" or fake like I have it all together (HUGE breakthrough for me). Instead, I am learning to radically receive from God, fully acknowledging my need for Him.

A beautiful illustration of my growth is that I received a phone call in the middle of the night that demanded my response immediately across campus. All I knew is that it was urgent. I woke my sleeping husband up and asked him to start praying, threw on sweatpants, my jacket, and boots and started running across campus. As I ran into the dark night, all I could do was utter was the name of Jesus over and over and over. This was breakthrough in that my analytical mind would typically kick into high gear, thus depending on myself. Each time I said Jesus, the fear and anxiety decreased. By the time I reached the building, I still had no idea what I was about to walk into, but I felt a peace that surpasses all understanding that was not my own.

C.S Lewis says, "We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate. The real labor is to attend. In fact, to come awake. Still more, to remain awake."

Crisis is a gift in that it shatters our comfort zone, inviting us to attend to something greater- the presence of God. We quickly wake up when our circumstances exceed our own strength or understanding. Over the past 3 days, I have never been more aware of God's presence throughout each moment of my day. God is always present, we can "nowhere evade His presence."  But, the last 3 days, I've been desperately looking for Him, praying that I have eyes to see Him at work in circumstances that I do not always understand.

He is near. In my husband's intercession in the middle of the night. In a faithful coach. In the sunshine. In a nurse's vulnerability. In providing supernatural clarity to write papers in record times. In Scripture that is written on my heart so I could declare it at such a time as this when I didn't have time to find a Bible. In Trisha's prayers. In the encouragement and support of amazing community. In my husband's joy. In providing words to speak to a group of women minutes before the event started.

God is SO faithful.

The world is crowded with Jesus. He is all around you. Where have you met Jesus today?