God calls each of us to do something. When He calls, he doesn't promise that it's going to be easy. He promises it will be possible. In fact, it's probably going to be the most difficult road one must travel. One only needs to look at Moses and all the trials he went through to know that when one says yes to God, one can be certain the journey will be beleaguered with challenges, frustrations and trials.
In the midst of the early phase of shooting our movie, Shots in the Dark, I sometimes grow overwhelmed with all I have to do; but throughout this process I have had one consistent source of encouragement to help me push on.
Let me make myself clear: my life is filled with people who have joined me in this vision, and with people who are cheering our team on. In every endeavor, those who are involved with the making of Shots in the Dark are people that have made the making of our film thrilling. And it's not just because this story is one I have written, but because we're all a team and all have been working together toward one end. There is nothing quite like people who are pulling together for the completion of a project, especially as many of us were unknown to each other.
But I digress.
Not long ago, I awoke earlier than my usual hour, and could not go back to sleep. Weighting heavily on my mind were all the scenes – some very complex – which I needed to schedule, and the complexity of each was like an anchor around my heart. I got up; at that point I didn't see any reason to stay in bed fretting over what I couldn't possibly "fix" at that time in the morning.
What I could do and what I did, was that I started my morning prayer time (I write my prayers), telling the Lord about all I was feeling. Finally I prayed, "Lord, I am determined to embrace challenges and frustrations because I know You will use them to make me stronger, but I need Your help. I can't embrace them on my own."
Part of my routine in my morning prayers includes a stack of 4x6 cards, each with Bible verses that have come to mean something to me. I have them numbered, and each day I look at the next consecutive card with anywhere from 1-4 verses on each side. Most every time I do this, each of these verses seems to speak to me at the place I find myself in that day.
After I prayed about embracing the challenges, frustrations and trials that come, and asking the Lord to help me embrace them, I looked at the card for today:
In the midst of the early phase of shooting our movie, Shots in the Dark, I sometimes grow overwhelmed with all I have to do; but throughout this process I have had one consistent source of encouragement to help me push on.
Let me make myself clear: my life is filled with people who have joined me in this vision, and with people who are cheering our team on. In every endeavor, those who are involved with the making of Shots in the Dark are people that have made the making of our film thrilling. And it's not just because this story is one I have written, but because we're all a team and all have been working together toward one end. There is nothing quite like people who are pulling together for the completion of a project, especially as many of us were unknown to each other.
But I digress.
Not long ago, I awoke earlier than my usual hour, and could not go back to sleep. Weighting heavily on my mind were all the scenes – some very complex – which I needed to schedule, and the complexity of each was like an anchor around my heart. I got up; at that point I didn't see any reason to stay in bed fretting over what I couldn't possibly "fix" at that time in the morning.
What I could do and what I did, was that I started my morning prayer time (I write my prayers), telling the Lord about all I was feeling. Finally I prayed, "Lord, I am determined to embrace challenges and frustrations because I know You will use them to make me stronger, but I need Your help. I can't embrace them on my own."
Part of my routine in my morning prayers includes a stack of 4x6 cards, each with Bible verses that have come to mean something to me. I have them numbered, and each day I look at the next consecutive card with anywhere from 1-4 verses on each side. Most every time I do this, each of these verses seems to speak to me at the place I find myself in that day.
After I prayed about embracing the challenges, frustrations and trials that come, and asking the Lord to help me embrace them, I looked at the card for today:
"We are pressed on every side by troubles,
but we are not crushed.
We are perplexed,
but not driven to despair.
We are hunted down,
but never abandoned by God.
We get knocked down,
but we are not destroyed.
Through suffering our bodies continue
to share in the death of Jesus, so that the
life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies." 2 Corinthians 4:8-10
"So take a new grip with your tired
hands and strengthen your weak knees." Hebrews 12:12.
I felt like the Lord did much to encourage me in this and He did, indeed, help me get a new grip and strengthen my weak knees to press on and learn to embrace my challenges. When I told John about it, he said, "Those verses were just for you today!"
Later John and I read in our Bible reading together: "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." 2 Corinthians 1:4
John and I have a friend with whom I often speak. One of the things our friend has said, and with which I agree, is that when we allow God to use challenges, frustrations and trials to help us, these challenges, frustrations and trials help us grow stronger and more able to handle bigger challenges, frustrations and trials.
As I thought of all this, I felt I needed to write about it, hoping someone out there in the vast universal internet who needs a comforting word might come across this writing and be encouraged in whatever challenges, frustrations and trials they are going through. God knows what each person needs, and I know that He will bring this word to whomever He knows has a need for it. Whoever reads this, be assured that God is orchestrating your comfort today. It's every bit as miraculous as it was for me.
Later John and I read in our Bible reading together: "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." 2 Corinthians 1:4
John and I have a friend with whom I often speak. One of the things our friend has said, and with which I agree, is that when we allow God to use challenges, frustrations and trials to help us, these challenges, frustrations and trials help us grow stronger and more able to handle bigger challenges, frustrations and trials.
As I thought of all this, I felt I needed to write about it, hoping someone out there in the vast universal internet who needs a comforting word might come across this writing and be encouraged in whatever challenges, frustrations and trials they are going through. God knows what each person needs, and I know that He will bring this word to whomever He knows has a need for it. Whoever reads this, be assured that God is orchestrating your comfort today. It's every bit as miraculous as it was for me.
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