I now have Week One of building my support team under my belt and I am just so humbled and encouraged by peoples’ generosity and excitement about what I’ll be doing. I’ve been blown away. God has also shown me some other really great things, and I’d like to share one of them with you.
For part of the week, I was staying with a couple who are good friends of mine. They have a 4 year old daughter, precious as can be, who God used to encourage me. My last night there, she wanted to play a game – Twister. I’ve been sick so I told her that just wasn’t going to happen, and we ended up playing Candy Land, which she’d played and won many times earlier in the day.
Expecting to win, she was very disappointed after the first game because her mom won in just a handful of moves. That didn’t sit well, so she spent a little bit of time pouting and being upset that she wasn’t the winner. Her mom and I explained to her that we need to be happy for the winners, even if we don’t win ourselves, and that we should be glad we had an opportunity to play and be with friends and family. It’s not about winning.
She understood what we were saying, but the response after she lost the second game was similar to the first. There was more discussion and then another game. Somewhere in the midst of the 3rd and 4th games, she began to cheer for everyone as we drew cards. She would cry out, “Yay Mommy!” or “Yay Jen!” whenever we would get double colors or candy cards that would move us a large number of spaces. Then it was her turn. For a number of turns she drew a single color that just happened to be the color in front of her piece; but, instead of getting upset or frustrated like she had before, she would yell out, “YAY!”
As I watched her get excited about one step forward each round, I began to realize that this is often how life is. Sometimes, we expect certain things – to be “winners” if you will. We believe we need to “win” or we deserve to “win” for some reason or another, and when we don’t, we get upset or angry about it. It can be easy to fill our minds with reasons why we should be the “winner,” but instead, we should rejoice with others in their successes, encouraging each other, and building one another up.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15
“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” 1 Corinthians 12:26
God also showed me that I should take the time to look at my own progress and be encouraged by each move forward, no matter the length. This is extraordinarily applicable as it pertains to building my support team right now. I may not be able to jump 45 spaces all the time and in fact, most steps forward are probably going to be one at a time. A prayer partner here. A one time gift there. But, God is faithful and as He moves me forward, I should greet each step with the same thankfulness and enthusiasm no matter the number of spaces I’ve gone.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18
I’m excited to be a part of what God is doing, and I can see Him working mightily already. I can’t wait to see what is to come.
And in case you were wondering…she won that last game of Candy Land. :)
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice…And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Philippians 4:4, 19-20