9 Months

I can’t help but think about babies when I think about 9 months at Celebrate Recovery. Interestingly enough, I have several friends who either gave birth, or are about to give birth this month. As I’ve watched them wait with anticipation for this new life on the way, I think one word sums up a lot of what they are experiencing: Hope.

Hope that the new life will mature to its due date.

Hope that they are doing everything they can to prepare their home for the new addition.

Hope that this new life will be afforded all the opportunities that they’ve been blessed to have, and then some.

Who will they be? How will they change the world? 

When I come back each week…when I share my story or hear the stories of women in my group…I see the same thing…new lives being formed…I see hope. 

Bellyflop Faith

This past weekend I got to watch my brother’s kids. I love the time I get to spend with them because it never ceases to amaze me at what they teach me every single time. We ended up spending an awful lot of time near the pool. They both are on swim teams, and both had swim meets, so I got to see them in their competitive mode. I also got to see all the hours of practice pay off, as they are both very good, and brought home several ribbons.

But it’s the time we spent near the pool at home that left the biggest impression on me. It always ends up with someone who’s not supposed to be getting wet…well…getting drenched! The only competition that occurs is who can make the biggest splash. My 7 year old nephew gets his little legs going, yells at the top of his lungs, “Watch this!! Watch this!!” and proceeds to fling himself, face first, arms spread out wide, belly exposed….SPLASH!!!!

When he pops his head above water, I expect to see the look of pain and anguish, but instead, he just wants to see how big his splash was and who he hit with it (and if it gets his older sister…you bet that’s worth some braggin’).

I couldn’t help but think…I want a faith like that!

That’s the kind of faith I’m in need of during this season of not knowing what is next. I want to let go of what is holding me back, run full force with all my gusto, fully surrendered and ready to throw myself into wherever God sees me making the “biggest splash” for His kingdom! Sure, I know that along with that leap of faith might come a bit of sting to my belly. But I want my focus to be so transfixed to who the “splash” is reaching that all I can do is celebrate once my head comes up from below water!

So in the true spirit of my nephew, I'm ready to run full force, arms outreached and yelling at the top of my lungs to God, "Watch this! Watch this!"