Tuesday, May 17, 2011

A Lesson from a Dolphin

Hey Friends!

I just realized it's been 2 whole months since I wrote on here last! A lot has happened since I started my new job (Praise the Lord!), and my life has been crazy busy lately. I have witnessed God do some pretty incredible things in the past few weeks and months. As I sit here, I am in complete awe of the fact that God would even want to work in and through me like He has. I think I am a living example of the fact that God really can use ANYBODY! I am so grateful for His love, mercy and grace!

As a matter of fact, God taught me a pretty awesome lesson this weekend, and I thought it might encourage some of you reading as well:

Saturday morning, I woke up early to head to the gym for my morning workout. However as I was driving, I decided to skip the gym and head straight to my most favorite "Jesus spot" in Vinoy Park. I parked my car and slowly strolled along on the seawall, breathing in the fresh morning air and gazing at the beauty all around me. All of a sudden, my peaceful walk was interrupted by a loud sound that startled me so much I almost lost my balance. I looked down below me and to my great surprise, there was a dolphin that had come out of nowhere just to jump up out of the water right below where I was standing. He continued to swim on down the edge of the seawall, so I began to follow him. He was moving pretty fast, so I was having to hustle to keep up with him.

As I was in the process of chasing my dolphin, all of a sudden I heard what I thought was the Lord say, "Sit down". This was of course not an audible voice, but I heard it pretty strongly in my Spirit. At first, I questioned whether it really was the Lord I was hearing and I took another couple of steps. I then heard Him say again, "Sit down", and I knew that it was the Lord speaking. I found myself saying, "But Lord, I am trying to catch up with my dolphin! He's getting away!" Then He said to me again, "Jenifer, sit down". I wasn't ready to sit down! What I really wanted to do was follow that dolphin! - But I decided to obey what God was asking me to do, as peculiar as I thought it may be. I sat right down on that seawall with my legs dangling over the waters of Tampa Bay just like I had so many times before while meeting with my Jesus. I sat and watched as the dolphin disappeared into the distance.

As I sat there with the Lord, He began to show me that just like that dolphin, there were things in my life that I was still chasing after instead of being still and waiting on Him. I opened up my hands and with palms up, I stuck out my arms and told God He could take it all - even if He had to take every single dream and all that was important to me in order to fulfill His purpose in my life. It was not an easy thing to do. It was painful to think of having to relinquish control of what I valued the most. However, I have come to know my Heavenly Daddy's heart. I know that He doesn't ask me to give Him everything so that He can just take them away. Everything He does in my life is for my good and for His glory. He always does the most loving thing - whether that means allowing some dreams to be shattered so He can give me better dreams or to just hold off on some dreams until He is ready to give them back to me.

After about 40 incredibly blessed minutes there with the Lord, I got back up on my feet and was about to turn around to head back to my car. Right as I was beginning to turn around, out of the middle of nowhere - what just so happened to jump right up out of the water at my feet? Yep! You guessed it! There was my dolphin! I didn't even see him coming! I was so ecstatic that I'm sure I caused a scene to the nearby joggers as I jumped up and down and squealed with excitement!

God is so incredibly amazing! As soon as I was obedient in being still before Him and allowed Him to teach me the lesson He wanted me to learn, He brought that dolphin right back to me! What dream or longing does the dolphin represent in your life? Could it be a relationship you are longing for? Is it a job or promotion at work? Or maybe it is a dream for a loved one - maybe a child who is not walking with the Lord? What is it that you are chasing after? Maybe God just wants you to "Sit down", be still and wait on Him while He works in your heart and the hearts of your loved ones. He wants to bring those dreams right to you in His time. He loves you, and He is truly working ALL THINGS together for your good!

Lamentations 3:25 (NKJV)
"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him."

I pray that each one of you who reads this blog will experience the goodness and the faithfulness of God that comes when we are willing to be still and wait on Him.

Love always in Christ,

Jen