Toes Up!

I am sooo loving the book Fervent by Priscilla Shirer! And here is why…

After being so sick this winter that I had to quit my job, thus bringing in no income to defray the winter bills for the motel. I felt like I failed.

So fatigued from this mystery illness that has twice had me in the ER. Add to that what seems like a million tests ($$$), and still no definitive answers. Which quite frankly was making me feel a bit like a hypochondriac. I attended more doctors’ appointments in the last months than in the 10 years previously combined.

I spent money we couldn’t afford to go to Mexico to finally get my teeth, and the last implant fell out minutes before my new dentures were to go in. 😞 I came home with no new teeth and no money.  (I took Tetracycline as a child A LOT because I was allergic to Penicillin and had persistent strep, so all my teeth had to come out).

I didn’t even complete any home fix up projects (we are so behind on those) or set up my new studio to paint or write the book I am so excited to write…on and on it goes.

Because of the stress of not producing, I was not even feeling rested and ready to pick up where I left off. In fact, I was feeling a bit (okay a lot) like a failure.

I have been praying A LOT. Begging for wisdom, asking God to show me what He wants me to do and how to handle EVERYTHING.

In the wake of this HARD, SNOWY, DARK WINTER this is what I learned:

MY VALUE IS NOT DETERMINED BY WHAT I DO OR DO NOT PRODUCE.

God is our provider, not Liz or even Dave. We have seen His hand of provision in miraculous ways this winter. Ways that even a non-believer in my best friend Jesus would have a hard time writing off as a coincidence. I could tell you stories!

A long time ago, a dear wise friend, (Janice York) cautioned me to slow down. She said if we don’t take time to rest and seek His wisdom for what He would have us do; He has a way of getting our attention by getting us “Toes Up” for a while.

So here I have been, TOES UP this long, bleak winter seeking Him for what He would have me do.

I am hopeful:

that this coming season at the motel I will work smarter not harder;

that He will send good help to aid me in my quest to achieve this goal;

that I will remember to put my relationship with Him first, before any tasks I may “need” to do;

that He will send the business we need to be successful this year, so that we can even more than usual, reward our employees as they deserve for their hard work;

that Dave and I will be wise in all, and that we will be together in every decision;

that we will make All the guests that comes to the Inn feel the love of Christ through each of us;

that my love for Jesus will shine through to every person I meet, both in Dubois, and to each of our guests and friends;

that my hope in Him will be revealed at every opportunity, to all I meet.

Usually, my to do list for the motel season is chocked full of tasks, and we of course have those too, we have to “run the business”. But this year my focus is a bit different.

This year, I want my witness to be of someone who Loves Jesus unashamedly, boldly, with the evidence of this relationship to be that of a changed life, one that honors Him and everyone I am honored to “make s’mores around the campfire with”.

How about you? What are your goals for this upcoming summer? I entreat you to take the advice of my friend Janice (and virtual friend Priscilla Shirer) to seek Him first so you can learn from my mistakes and avoid a TOES UP episode. 😉

From Fervent by Priscilla Shirer Page 141