because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James 1:3 NIV

I knew beyond a showdow of a doubt that this was not one of those situations where stumbling blocks were warning me off. This was a time to stretch my compacity and help me to grow!

When I first opened that email, recieved so unexpectedly,  I knew I was meant to open it and follow its instructions.

I knocked out the questions right away, but I knew I was thinking to much about the answers I wrote. I was trying to please the ‘judges ‘ who would be reading my answers.

Next I had to do a video submission…..whoah!!!! Not my forte. God , for a year now, has been pushing me and pushing me creating videos and words on photos. None of it was high quality or ever really appealing to my eye. But I kept doing it….and now I know why!

Upon rereading the instructures I noticed I could submit just an audio. So I made one. Sent it over to three friends and the first to reply said it was good. So I went ahead to attach it. NO GO! Wrong type of file.

I am glad it was….

I spent the whole week alone, minus one day of an amazing zoom group and one day I was called to work my cleaning job. But I was still struggling feeling all alone. To top it off I wrestled about my submission. I had spent a day gathering information on a supporting document I wanted to create that would further explain my project. But the previously written part still haunted me as “not right”. So I sent those off to another friend.

She replied!!! It was a Sunday and I really hated to interupt her family time, but she answered! I needed her that day, to hear her input. It made a world of difference! She told my my story is what is so powerful, and that was the direction I had started but I struggled in how to tell it between four questions and a 60 second video. But I took her suggestions to heart and wrote down  portions of a modified video script.

Monday…..

Mondays have become my day for Sabbath.  Because of running Zoom on Sundays and the prep needed , Sabbath had to be moved. I woke around four Am the first time with video script running through my head, but I didn’t grab my recorder and put it down. Instead I prayed and thanked God for the day before and the many blessings in my life and prayed something for my friend that we had talked about.  After my prayer I easily drifted back to sleep.

I woke again later and started my “real” day. I started with prayer, then coffee and reading Gods Word. I have fourteen saved reading plans in Youversion. This way I have plenty to read off line. I don’t read from each one everyday, but on Mondays, I DO read from each one, and many I read several days worth of reading.

Not long into reading I was struck with inspiration ( from God of course!)

I had taken screen shots of the questions and answers I had written and thats how I sent them to my friend for review. So I started pasting the screen shots onto a fresh note sheet on my phone. Next thing I knew I was completely re answering the questions, counting the words ( only could have 150 words per answer!) From there I’d go back and make edit till I was at the correct word count. I did this with each question. All the words just flowed, like this story I am writing now. They flowed because each answer I gave had a component of my story in it! Just as my friend had suggested and with my mind clear and after asking God to fill me with his words, I just typed it all out!.

Breakfast time….

After all that, a couple of hours , more maybe, my stomach was leading to go have breakfast. So I did! Since this was my Sabbath I was not cooking food, but I did put together a small chicken sandwich,  a banana and a Waldorf salad ( my version of course!) that I had prepared in advance.

I went out to the main veranda , sat down, prayed this wonderful prayer of thanks and made another request for my friend ( and others) before I began to eat. The sun was shining but the breeze was a perfect temp. Birds were chirping and I could , as usual, hear the neighbor as she communicated with the children she was babysitting. I never know what she is saying but I love when I hear the children laughing and playing.

After breakfast I returned to reading scripture, not long into it I was prompted to pull up my video submission notes and next thing I knew it had been rewritten. I recorded it twice, after the second attempt I did add three more words. At this point I go inside and close the doors to block out all the background noise and recorded.

It was done!!
Now…all I have left is to re choose pictures and turn it into a slide show with my recorded message!!! ( completed and attached! Done Tuesday!)

God was pushing me to increase my compacity! And I knew this….I had said out loud ” ok God, I know this is not a road block to stop this, it’s you pushing me to go beyond my comfort zone and increase my compasity because I am stressed a bit from the uncomfortablness of this project. I except your Challenge God! I know you are with me and you will guide me. I will take this and break it down in steps.”

And thats what I did!

I still have to put together the supporting documents. One of which is a business plan and for so many years I have attempted to put them together for various ideas…. but ….this time…because this is God’s plan for me……I will be successful in creating one and finishing the rest of this project’s submissions!

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Galatians 5:13 NIV

Colleen Moore
Works Inspired in Faith