A WORD WHEN I NEEDED IT

Some people start the new year and get a word or a verse from God that is dedicated to that year. Oh how I longed for that word and maybe it was there the whole time but I wasn’t listening. It finally came today. And you want to know what...it came during a moment of time when I was talking to my mentor about how I have been feeling dry in my spiritual life and just bothered by everything. Not the joyful person I normally am.

As we were talking though I felt the word CONFIDENT come to mind. Now if we are being honest - since I think this Beautiful and Messy Life blog is about being just that - I am anything but confident. I may have my moments that I’m not “afraid” but confident is not a word I would use to describe me. As I drove home, I kept saying the word and it was like clarity had struck my mind.

After I got home, I knew there was a verse that had confident in it, but it was just failing me. (Did I mention I was in a dry/struggle period?) But thanks to modern technology, I quickly put confident into Biblegateway.com’s search bar and then...I felt a little silly.

While there were a ton of verses on confidence, I eventually scrolled down to find the one I was looking for. It was this:

Want to know why I feel silly? Because a depiction of that verse is TATTOOED ON ME!

“OK God I hear you - Confident it is!”

This got me thinking. Why did I need to hear the word confident today or yesterday or this year? Well, I don’t know what is to come, but I do know that I have a have all these great ideas and ways I want to help people and then I just don’t. Sometimes I am lazy and I like “me” time, but I think at the root of it all - again if I’m being honest - is that I don’t want to mess things up or fail or hurt someone’s feeling. I don’t step out in a way of confidence and I tippy toe around situations.

One of the things that has been on my heart is leading a bible study based on the Case for Christ so I can invite people who may be searching or not sure about Christianity to hear from a man who once lived to prove Christianity wrong. In March, I was changing step and taking the initiative on things and finally just said “I’m buying the study and six books and we’ll see what happens.”

Now that I have the study, I’m starting to doubt. What if no one comes, or I can’t find the time, or what if I don’t have all the answers!? CONFIDENCE Ashley. My mentor said, “just set a time and expect no one to show up, so even if there is one it feels so special. But I imagine God will surprise you.”

Thank you Jesus for people like my mentor who is real, but also confident in the Lord.

I’m only on the first chapter of the study (i’m going through first to get a feel for what it offers and how I need to prepare) but I’m praying that God starts stirring in people who need to hear this message - that they would feel brave enough to maybe step outside their comfort zone and find the confidence they need to take the next step with Jesus.

Honestly, CONFIDENCE has infused an anticipation of what God is going to do!

I can’t wait to share more soon!

XO - Ashley

#god #word #verse #confident