​This phrase came  during a time that God was stretching me beyond what I thought my limits were. He was asking me to do things that were way outside of my comfort zone and I had no idea how much those 4 words would encourage me in the days to come.

Several months earlier, I had told God I was ready to go with Him to do what He needed me to do. I was tired of all the doing and just expecting Him to bless it. It was exhausting that way.
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Well, I had no idea what that little prayer of surrender would unleash! God wasted no time inviting me to the party! It was like He had been waiting for me to say the words for years.(hee hee).

I would be lying if I didn’t tell you I was terrified as He started letting me know He wanted me to join Him in His work around me. After a while, I began to get excited.
It seemed as soon as I would work up the nerve to accept His challenge, He would throw another one. Another ‘way-too-big-task’ right after another. Jesus…I can’t!! I struggled during this time. He was asking me to do something I knew nothing about. I had no training or even an idea on where to get training. I struggled knowing I wasn’t the best choice to do this.
 
When my kids would tell me “I can’t Mama!”, I encouraged & talked straight up when needed to help them see that keep working at it perseverance was the key. God was like that with me! He listened to me whine and make excuses. 

BUT GOD….He wouldn’t hear it! He is a patient God, but He also has a way of reminding us…”ummm, you DO realize that I AM GOD and you aren’t, right??!” ouch.

So that is the beginning of this online blogging adventure He has me on. I still shake my head most days and wonder why He chose me to do this. I mean, seriously! I am pretty sure I never made above a C- on any paper, ever. I am not computer tech savvy as I once thought I was, but I'm learning. I cannot tell you the months of frustration that came (and still come at times) with the technical side of things. I keep praying He will send me a tech genius partner one day😊

I set out to obey His leading, “start a blog to share your story”. I was working furiously. Every spare moment after work. Hours before work. Entire weekends at times. And at times it seemed I would never be able to do it.

Anytime I would get frustrated or discouraged, the enemy joined in to try to get me to quit. Digging up those lies that for so long had been my truth. You know the ones… ‘who are YOU to have a blog?” “no one will read it!”, “it is going to be a huge failure because you are no Lysa Terkeurst!” “really, YOU??hahaha”

Those lies hurt because they felt like truth. My emotions believed those lies, even when God was telling me different. Those lies were normal to me and God is teaching me that they are LIES and that I must CHOOSE to listen to TRUTH.
God is still working on teaching me in this area. :)

One day in the middle of one of those pity parties, God sent such encouraging words to me...
"IF BUT FOR ONE”.

That day, he reminded me this blogging adventure is not about me. At. All. It is about YOU,  the reader, seeing (hearing) JESUS. That ONE person He wants to reach out to today. And the one tomorrow. And next week.

“If but for one” has been such an encouragement when I begin to wonder what the future holds in all of this.

My brain can conjure up so many questions, still hoping for a plan or a list to go by. I know that is not going to happen. He knows me….the list would probably become my focus instead of Him. :/

When I begin to look around, looking for signs of 'success',
He lifts my eyes back up to His and says…
“remember my plan - if but for one! What I told you then is still true today and will be true forever…If everything you have done up to this point saves ONE soul, you have been successful! If your entire ministry was started for a very special individual soul to become my child, it was most successful! Success for the Kingdom will bring riches and blessing beyond measure! Trust me! 😊”

 This phrase always reminds me Who’s ministry it is.

What is your ‘If but for one’ job with Him today? The one where you feel you work so hard and will never be considered a success.

Is it mothering babies? Is it teaching to kids who are not yours? Is it caring for aging parents? Is it the wearying task of trying to raise godly teens? Is it working in the place where it seems your faith is not seen or cared for? Is it caring for ailing loved ones?
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God sees every effort and sacrifice. He sees every little thing you do for another. He sees your love, prayers, kindness, and patience.
​They may seem to go unnoticed, but He sees and He is using it in ways you cannot imagine. 😊