Stolle-en Moments: Always Trusting God
BCM/D staff recently gathered for our monthly in-person staff meeting. Although we communicate regularly with each other on a daily basis, we feel that it’s important to gather together as a “family” to pray together, have a time of devotion, celebrate accomplishments, share what is happening among each other, and imagine the future.
Victor Kirk looks pleased with his crown made of sticky notes! (Photo by Tom Stolle)
Our January staff meeting was particularly touching for me. Kris Buckman shared the devotion. As part of her devotion, she provided sticky notes and gave instructions on how to make a small crown out of four of those stickies. The staff struggled some. Some produced better-looking crowns than others. While it sounded simple, the building of the crown was frustrating. Some comments as this exercise was occurring were: How does it stay together? I can’t get it connected! My crown doesn’t look good. And so on and so on. There was a joy because we were together, but the frustration was evident, and as I learned later, by design.
The genius of the exercise Kris walked us through highlighted that point. She asked staff for comments about what they experienced as they were attempting to construct the crown. The staff comments included: “difficult, frustrating, inept, excuses, can’t do it, not good at this, will you do it for me, and what’s the point?” But other comments included: “wonder, getting better as you did it, and appreciating direction.” I love gathering with my BCM/D family! I’m consistently touched by the passion in how they approach their service to the churches. I’m encouraged by their love and commitment to Jesus. We are in this together. There is something about being together with these men and women that feeds my soul.
Kris Buckkman shared an object lesson about trusting in God during the BCM/D staff meeting on Jan. 10. (Photo by Tom Stolle)
What was the point of the exercise? As we move into 2024, we don’t know what the future holds. It’s God that knows the future and holds it in His hands. We don’t! However, the exercise was a great reminder that while we may experience situations that are difficult, frustrating, or painful, we can’t choose what comes our way. We can choose if we are going to trust God with it or if we are not. Often, we tend to focus on outcomes — but we aren’t in control of outcomes. Instead we should trust God with the outcomes and instead focus on our process, our daily steps of obedience and commitment to what is in front of us, what we have to do, or what arrives unexpectedly in our lives.
There is a quote in a VeggieTales episode (My son Jimmy watches VeggieTales DVDs, so I am constantly hearing the dialogue) that states something I think about often: “Sometimes God asks us to do hard things, but they are good things, and they make us better people.”
I was reminded of what the angel Gabriel said to Mary when he told her she would have a son and name him Jesus. “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Whatever we face in the new year, know that none of it caught God by surprise. We can take daily steps, do what we are supposed to do, and trust God with the outcomes.
Somer Phoebus is having fun with the object lesson at the Jan. 10 BCM/D staff meeting. (Photo by Tom Stolle)
Do we really believe “For nothing will be impossible with God?” Will you take a moment to reflect on situations in your life in which you felt the circumstances were impossible or there was no way out, and perhaps you will remember how God made a way? We all need that reminder at times.
Let’s move forward, taking those steps of faith, even when it’s difficult, frustrating, or painful. No matter the circumstance or challenge, we can trust God with the outcome!