It’s been a while since I’ve written about my One Little Word – Dare.
This word has consistently been a part of my thought life this year. It never leaves me. Or rather, it never leaves me alone. And for that, I am thankful.
I am learning to dare more and more.
I am learning to put myself “out there”.
I am learning to listen to the promptings of God through the Holy Spirit and act.
So many times I know God is prompting me to do something, to say something, to DARE in some way and I ignore those promptings.
This year, especially recently, I am acting on those promptings and I am amazed at what God is doing through my willingness to be available and to dare to let Him use me.
Over the last few weeks, as I’ve read the blog posts on Good Morning Girls preparing for a new session, I’ve heard God speaking to me about starting my own Good Morning Girls group among my friends at church.
If you’re not familiar with Good Morning Girls, it’s basically an e-mail accountability group for studying God’s Word on a consistent basis. Good Morning Girls has Bible studies available that your group can go through together.
I wasn’t as interested in everyone studying the same study, as I was in just building community through being accountable for studying God’s Word…whatever form that may take for each person.
I did ignore what I felt God was leading me to do for a few weeks, but Sunday morning (the morning that the online study actually started) I felt a strong urging to act.
I prayed it over and decided that God was moving me to DARE to let myself be open to community.
You see, sometimes I close myself off from truly being open to others. I stop just shy of being transparent. We’re a military family and it’s often hard to completely open myself up to relationships and community knowing that I’m leaving to our next assignment before too long.
It hurts to leave close friends.
I have met some amazing women here in El Paso and already it hurts knowing that I’ll be leaving them next year. In some ways I don’t want to grow closer, don’t want to be more vulnerable, because then it will hurt even more.
On Sunday I knew that God didn’t want me to play it safe any longer.
I stood before my friends in Sunday School and told them that I felt the Lord was leading me to start an e-mail accountability group and described how it would work. Every morning after having my personal quiet time in God’s Word, I would send out a group e-mail sharing what I reaped from that time and any prayer requests. Throughout the day as others enjoyed their own quiet time, they would respond to the group in the same way.
I passed a sign-up sheet around the room for those interested to sign up to be a part of this new community. Eleven friends wrote their name on that paper.
I was humbled, thankful, and scared.
I went home and told my husband I was the world’s biggest idiot! Because…now I have to open myself up to this. Now I am truly accountable for spending time with God. My friends would be depending on me.
YIKES!
Well, y’all, after a few days of our “Good Morning Girls” group, I am amazed at what God is doing.
Hearing from my friends as they spend time in God’s precious Word each day is encouraging and uplifting.
Seeing God work in them through His Word is something that is beautiful to see and read.
Each morning after I send out the first e-mail, I get on the treadmill to walk.
As I walk, I begin to see the responses come in and I praise God for each and every one.
I pray for my friends as they share the things they are learning and being challenged with.
I cheer each and everyone on in their time with God like I’ve never done with anyone before.
It has just been a week, but I am so extremely grateful that I DARED this week to be in community with my sisters in Christ.
I am looking forward to what God is going to challenge me to dare to do next because with Him doing the prompting and leading it’s going to be an amazing adventure.