day 367: learning to be Spirit-led

ok - time to get real. bear with me here as i confess a few things...& join me in PRAYing very specifically for a few others?

confession #1: this new school-year has been quite the [frustrating] challenge.

this past week was the beginning of the 2nd term & even still, our schedules are anything but concrete. timetables keep changing, teachers are rotating, hour-long classes turn into 20-minute slots without explanation & it seems as though our national partners' desire to join in schools is waning.

being the analytical thinker that i am, i've spent much time examining WHY this been so frustrating. & i've come to a conclusion:

confession #2: i'm a closet planner.

when it comes to downtime, i'm all about spontaneity. middle of the night prank? last minute beach-weekend getaway? spur of the moment cross-country road trip? not a second thought. however, when it comes to the nitty gritty of school, work & ministry...1,000 sticky notes surface & the scheduling of every minute & detail begins.

is that always bad? no.

can it be? yes.

how so?

i'm learning that sometimes such a focus on plans going as "scheduled" is to the detriment of a depenence on the Spirit's lead in the moment. now i'm definitely not advocating laziness; preparing well honors our Lord. BUT to step into each & every situation with OPEN EYES & a willing heart to follow His prompting...THIS has become my PRAYer.

challenged to look hard at jesus' approach to ministry during His short time on earth & can't help but notice:

- that in the middle of continual busy days (i.e., traveling, preaching, intentionally pouring into 12+ & personally touching countless lives from sun up to sun down)...[my busiest, most exhausting of days don't come close to this!]

- He was surrounded by crowds that followed & literally almost crushed Him, pursuing their own agendas...

BUT

- He (in all His humanity) was never too busy or distracted to sense & welcome a Spirit-led "interruption" 

just one example of MANY:

Jairus' 12-year old daughter was dying & Jesus was on His way to their home when the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years pushed through the suffocating crowd & touched the edge of His cloak. Jesus took notice. putting myself in His shoes, i doubt 1) i'd even noticed and 2) i would have taken the time to stop, knowing i was on a "mission." 

why share all of this?

as we've had the opportunity to begin work in 2 high schools, it's been so exciting to build relationships with older students! but there have been numerous times now where last-minute changes (although not surprises to our Lord!) have led us to step into unfamiliar territory breathing PRAYer for direction in the moment as we go, stepping out in complete faith. veering off our oh-so-planned paths & onto His has been such an incredible lesson.

all that being said, i need to ask for your commitment to PRAY very specifically for a few things. will you join us here?

- PRAY for an intimately close walk with the Lord & an ever-growing sensitivity to the Spirit's lead for it's only by HIS power in us that any good work is accomplished. this is not about me - this is not about us!
- PRAY for those students who are hungry & ready to hear, receive & study Truth! PRAY that He would draw us to them & them to us so that we can walk together, studying His Word.

PRAY for 2 students specifically, who i'll share more about soon:
- for 16-year old "N" - who we met with Saturday for the first time.
- for 16-year old "A" - who is not yet a believer but who is so hungry for Him!