Walking out in Faith.

There is a bit of background story here.

When I started college a year and a half ago, (That is really hard to believe that I have been here for a year and a half.) It was time and time ago I heard the sermon about Jesus and Peter walking on water. We have all heard the story. You step out in faith and keep your eyes on Jesus you can walk on water. But every single time I heard it in this period, it wasn't about really the walking on water per se, it was stepping out in faith into this big world unknown and knowing that God is going to take care of you. Stepping out of your comfort zone into a place that is dark, and uneven, and needs to hear Jesus.

While I was going through the Leadership Training Class to become a small group leader for Chi Alpha this message kept popping up about walking on water. Sometimes it was a sermon, or someone quoting that phrase, or a book title at Wal-Mart, or even a song. It never failed that it was going to show up somewhere. At this point I was dead set on NOT being a small group leader. When I started the class I was NOT going to be a small group leader. Then this walking on water thing would come up, someone would talk about it, it never failed. It was like a knock upside the head from God saying "Okay I have tried to give you clue after clue about what you are suppose to be doing, but since you aren't taking it I am going to make it so obvious, there is going to be NO way that you can get around it." And of course he kept to his word. I then became the thing I said I would NEVER do. I became a small group leader.

I use this as a testimony over and over with my girls in my small group. You never know what God has in store for you, and a lot of times it might be that very one thing that you DO NOT want to do. I still don't think they get it. Most of them are still living so much in the world that it is hard to see Jesus through them. That is my goal this semester. Is to show them that living for Jesus is not such a horrible thing with a ton of rules and horrible lifestyle. It is a choice to make for the better of yourself and the world. To honor and glorify our King. To show him that we are giving that up to him. Giving up the world, that we really don't need that since we have Him! It will be a struggle but am excited for what God has in store for my small group girls.

Okay now onto the real meat of this story.
This morning when I was laying in bed checking twitter and facebook since I don't have classes today,  one of the twitter pages I am following posted a picture that said, "Faith is taking the first step. Even when you don't see the whole staircase." written by Martin Luther King. Of course, the thought of walking on water kept flowing through my brain. Not really sure why other than the picture, but then it clicked. If you have been reading my posts lately you know that I am struggling with whether I am suppose to try to go on a mission trip out of the country, (I really want to go to Eurasia) or if I am to stay here, just not sure and have been praying for direction. This was my sign from God. I do not know the whole staircase, I do know that I am to go into the mission field. That is my first step. I have two different people I am talking to at the moment about mission trips, but not clear on which one. As of right now, I am taking that first step, getting all of the information, talking to parents, PRAYING, and then God will lead me to the next step. Again, I may still not be able to see the whole staircase, I may only see a step at a time, but through Faith, I know GOd has what is right for me in mind and knows that I am willing to do whatever He wants me to do. (WOW! Bold statement)

I am ready to do God's will not only here at college, or in my town, or in my state, or even in the US, but also around the world. I am ready to take that step of Faith. (Just like walking on water!) It is crazy how a year and a half later the same message is still applying to me full force! AH. Goes to show how amazing our God is. Just love Him! Keep praying for me friends. If you have any words of encouragement, words from God, bible verses to help me along, your story, or just want me to know you are praying, you can comment or email me at arielpaige5893@yahoo.com I would love to hear from you.

God Bless!

Ariel(: