Posted in General Articles by Elizabeth Traylor on 6/7/2007
So it has been quite a while since I have written. Work has been horribly busy, and it still is, so I will keep this update short and sweet.
First, PRAISE GOD! He came through with an answer about the June World Race. It was a long and tedious road, but God is faithful, and He always answers those who call on Him. I had been praying for weeks, and finally one Saturday morning a month ago, I just felt a peace, like I had my answer. I heard God say STAY. Me being the skeptic that I am though, I asked Him to confirm His answer throughout the day. He did just that. I will go into more details in another post, but all I can say is GOD ROCKS!
Second, I have some majorly big news to share: I'M ENGAGED! Woohoo!
This is me and my Finace, Shannon (agggh I have a Finace!!!!). He is amazing and totally a gift from God. When I met him in November I had no idea that we would end up here. In fact, if you had tried to tell me I was going to marry him, I would have told you you were insane. Boy, it is a good thing God has His own plans! I love this verse:
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Cor. 2:9
In my wildest dreams I could never have imagined a man like Shannon even existed, and the fact that he loves me too, AMAZING! Shannon has pushed me to surrender all to the Lord, and he has helped me to grow in my relationship with God. I am going to write another blog later all about what God has been doing in our relationship and the big plans He has for us.
Third, I am still planning on going on the World Race; I am just not sure when. Shannon felt God calling him to apply as well (with no encouragement from me), so we are waiting to see if God has us going on this Race together. Right now, we are starting to plan the wedding, which we hope to have by November before my brother leaves on another tour of duty. We will see though...God has the timing all planned.
I will miss my original group now that they are heading out but I know God has a Liz-tailored adventure waiting just for me.
Thank you all to everyone who has been praying for me, especially with my decision about the Race. You are more valuable than you know. And keep those prayers coming...I will certainly need them as I discern where God is leading next.
| |
|
Posted in General Articles by Elizabeth Traylor on 5/1/2007
Today, an excerpt from
My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. (Courtesy of my boyfriend's mom; thanks Rebekah. :) ) Enjoy!
"When He had heard therefore that he was sick, He abode two days in the same place where He was." John 11:6
Has God trusted you with a silence---a silence that is big with meaning? God's silences are His answers. Think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything analogous to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still waiting for a visible answer?
God will give you the blessings you ask if you will not go any further without them; but His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into a marvelous understanding of Himself. Are you mourning before God because you have not had an audible response? You will find that God has trusted you in the most intimate way possible, with an absolute silence, not of despair, but of pleasure because HE KNEW YOU COULD STAND A BIGGER REVELATION.
If God has given you a silence, praise Him;
He is bringing you into the great run of His purposes.
The manifestation of the answer in time is a matter of God's sovereignty.
Time is nothing to God.
For a while you said-- "I asked God to give me bread and He gave me a stone."
He did not, and today you find He gave you the bread of life.
A wonderful thing about God's silence is that the contagion of His stillness gets into you and you become perfectly confident--"I know God has heard me." His silence is the proof that He has. As long as you have the idea that God will bless you in answer to prayer, He will do it, but He will never give you the grace of silence. If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the understanding that prayer is for the glorifying of His Father, He will give you the first sign of His intimacy--SILENCE.
| |
|
Posted in General Articles by Elizabeth Traylor on 5/1/2007
I have had a major revelation this week, and although it is not yet the answer I have been waiting for, I think it is HUGE. Here it is:
One of my reasons for wanting to go on The World Race is to learn to rely fully on God, to grow deeper in my faith, and to trust Him for everything. I am excited about the possibility of leaving my material comforts and coming to recognize His provision. Little did I know, God was going to work before I even left!
God has been teaching me EVERY ONE of these things as I wait on Him for this decision. HOW COOL! I have had to keep my eyes focused on Him and no one/nothing else. Here I was thinking I would need to travel half way around the world to truly experience God, when He was right here waiting all along! I know God has much more to teach me, whether on this Race or not, and I am His willing servant, ready to learn.
| |
|
Posted in General Articles by Elizabeth Traylor on 4/23/2007
There once was
a man who wished to live his life for the Lord; he prayed day and night
that God would speak to him and reveal His glory. Then one night while
he was sleeping, the man's room was suddenly filled with light and the
Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and
showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. God explained that the
man was to push against the rock with all his might.
This the man did, day after day.
For many years, he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing it with everything he had. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. The rock did not move an inch.
At last the man became so discouraged, he cried out,
"Lord! I have labored long and hard in your service, spending all my strength to do what you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not been able to even budge that rock. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"
The Lord looked upon him with compassion and replied, "My child, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your might. But, never once did I mention that I expected you to move it. Your task was only to push.
"And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so?
"Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are calloused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.
"No, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push, to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done.
I, My Child, will now move the rock."
Right now, I am the man in this story. Over the past few months I have struggled in vain to uncover God's Will for my life. Is the June World Race really where He wants me? Or is He calling me to stay put in L.A. and get rooted where I am?
Stay or Go? This decision has been my rock. I have felt like the man, pushing day after day, hoping it would move. I have toiled with this choice, weighing pros and cons, going back and forth, feeling the pressure of time creeping up on me.
I have sought God like never before in my life. I have fasted and prayed, I have studied His Word, I have called out to Him time and time again. Lord, what do you want?! And yet there has been no answer…except to wait on Him.
At training I felt a little like an imposter. There I was among all these people who know they are called on this Race, who are excited to see what God will do, and yet I am not fully committed. I wanted to be rearing to go, but God had not shown himself yet, and I didn't know when He would. I was fearful that He may never reveal himself, and I was growing weary of waiting.
Then, one night near the end of camp, I was prostrate in prayer as we lifted up our lives to God, sacrificing everything to Him. I was letting go, or trying to, of everything that could hinder the Lord's work in me. God was breaking me. I silently cried, "Father, I have tried so hard to seek you and to be obedient to you! Why won't you answer me?"
As I lay there weeping, I felt a hand on my back, and a quiet voice whispered, "The Lord has your answer! DO NOT FEAR!"
Those words meant the world to me. In that moment, I surrendered all my fears on both sides of this decision. God gave me overwhelming peace as I resolved to continue in obedience and wait on Him.
Now I am back in Los Angeles, and I still have no idea if I am going on the June World Race. But, I know God's answer is coming. I will continue to push on my rock, looking to God and growing in faith and stature. I do not need to worry, and I will persevere.
My rock is still here, but one day soon, God WILL move it!
| |
|
|
|
|
