On taking the next step.

Photo courtesy of some Tumblr. Can't remember.

This is probs the first part in a 22-part series called Ashlyn Doesn't Know What She Is Doing After May. But--and I apologize for it's length--this below is how God swoops in and provides me my manna portion daily. How I know the next step is going to be okay. I just keep obeying Him. And it will be okay. He tells me so.

Whew. Deep Breath. Praise God.

Below, transcribed from "Zealous for One Thing," Church at Brook Hills. God through D. Platt says it better than my elementary verbage can. It's long, just go with it:

"...And as we obey his commands, he directs our steps. Paul had no idea what was coming that night. (I should maybe tell you we'd just read Acts 16:6-10.) He couldn't have organized. it. Planned it. Forseen it. He was OBEYING. And as he obeyed, God lead him. As a result, the Gospel for the first time would go into Europe, to most of our ancestors in this room. He couldn't have planned it. He was obeying and the Sprit led. Isn't that Proverbs 3:5-6?! 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways--in your ways, as you're walking--acknowldge Him and he will make your paths straight--he will make. Them. Straight.'"

"God is not up in heaven trying to keep His will from you. Trying to make it difficult on you. He wants His will to be accomplished in your life, Christian, so much that he has put His Spirit inside of you! He's not even going to just give you directions; He's saying 'I'm going to LIVE in you. And I'm gonna change your thoughts and your desires. And I'm gonna drive your steps. You walk in Me, you abide in Me, and I will direct your steps.'"

(here's where it gets gooooood...)

Now it's not always the most direct route. God could've given Paul this visition a few nights before he started to go this direction. The Spirit somehow stopped it. He could've given him this vision from the beginning, he could've laid out his plans. Ever wish God would do that in your life? (Chyeah. Like, daily. I hate surprises.) Like, all those questions... But there are so many things not in His word for sure! Like, 'Who am I gonna marry?' Her name isn't in here. I mean, ha, it might be, but I dunno which one--there are a lot of names. 'And so what job do I take, where do I live? (Hello, my name is Ashlyn and this is the story of my current life.) What decision do I make here or here?' We're wrestling with these. But you don't have clarity in the Word on it."

"And you're thinking, 'Man. It'd be nice to have a little Macedonian vision, and aight--BOOM. There she is.' It'd save a lot of dating stress if you could just have a vision, right? So we WANT that. And the reality is, God could've given that, but He didn't. Maybe there's something deeper here than just instructions on where to get to. Maybe the destination is even deeper than Macedonia..."

"Maybe God Himself is the destination.

Maybe he's the goal--maybe more than the answer to our questions is."

My next job stint isn't. My next little appartment in the city isn't. Some guy isn't.
The Creator of the Universe wants me desperately to arrive at His feet.
Talk about love...