One year ago yesterday we were opening up a brand new daycare center. We had taken a small 10 child home center and morphed it into a 100 child capacity full blow facility. We were in over our heads, probably, but we had a dream and a vision and nothing was going to stop us. We had spent at least 7 months renovating the building – painting, ripping up flooring, laying tile, buying supplies, setting up classrooms, going over schedules, hiring staff …

We also had just been announced about a month prior as the interim pastor’s of our church. Something that started as, “Hey, can you come up and lead worship for a few weeks” morphed into something so much more. In less than 2 weeks, we would be officially voted in as lead pastors at what was supposed to be a “let’s check in and see how they’re doing as interim” meeting.

I wasn’t fully prepared to be a lead teacher again – nor was I fully prepared (or even slightly prepared it felt like) to be a lead pastor. I had my side kick, my ride or die, right beside me to pastor along with me, but it still was so insanely terrifying. I kept telling God that I wasn’t good enough, I wasn’t smart enough, I lacked communication skills, I was a children’s pastor and daycare teacher for crying out loud! Lead pastor?! That’s insane and just something that could not possibly be within my wheelhouse. And apparently a year ago God heard my cries and took me to the book of Judges ….

In the book of Judges, there’s a guy named Gideon. Gideon we now know of as a mighty warrior. He is someone that is looked up to and he defeated armies. But did you know that when the Angel of the Lord first called Gideon to do what was needed Gideon gave excuse after excuse after excuse.

He wasn’t good enough.

His tribe was the least of all the tribes.

He was the least of HIS tribe.

He wasn’t strong enough.

He wasn’t skilled enough.

He wasn’t brave enough.

Sound familiar?

And in Judges 6:14 it says “Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”’ (NLT) He didn’t say he had to be perfect. He didn’t say he had to be brave enough, strong enough, mighty enough. He didn’t say to go as someone he wasn’t or with things that he didn’t already possess. God told Gideon to go in the strength that He already had because he was being sent.

(Not my picture just found on a quick google search)

Sometimes it seems like the impossible is standing right before us. It seems like we will never succeed in what God has called us to. What he has promised us to. What he is asking us to do that is right in front of us. All of a sudden the feelings and thoughts of how much of a failure we are floods our minds. I know it did mine. But then all of a sudden you’re a year down the road. Have things been perfect? Absolutely not. Have there been learning moments and learning curves and moments you wish didn’t happen at all? Absolutely. But also were there moments when you saw the strength of God working through you, in you, and all around you? YES. Were there moments when you seriously thought you couldn’t hang on any longer and that you surely didn’t hear from God like you thought you did – YES. But it is in those moments where you say, “Okay God – just like the old adage – YOU called me to it. You’re going to see me through it.”

He doesn’t leave us.

He doesn’t forsake us.

He doesn’t call us to things and then leave us on our own to try and figure it out and do it by our might and our might alone.

He calls us to be obedient and it’s as simple as that.

Go with the strength you HAVE for I am sending you ….

And with that I’m going to leave you all with this quote from David Wilkerson ….

It doesn’t matter how strong you are. How courageous. How perfect. How brave. How intelligent. What matters is that you’re being obedient. Because where God has called us He is there with us. Joshua 1:9 “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

He isn’t sending you alone. He hasn’t sent you alone. He’s there with you. Lean on Him and He will give you the strength. He will give you the courage. He will give you the wisdom – all you have to do is ask.