Those that know me well know that I love to blow bubbles. Some think it is silly, some immature that a grown woman delights in blowing bubbles. Honestly, bubble guns are my favorite--I get a lot more bubbles with very little effort. Hehehehe
I haven't always been so playful. Once upon a time I was very serious and didn't really find humor in much. My daughter can attest to this while she was growing up.
I have been very fortunate that I accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of my life at the age of 11 but I did not always have a personal relationship with Him. I went about my life doing as I pleased...for years. As any believer knows, following our own path never goes well. I came to a point in my life around 2005 when I confessed that I could no longer run my own life and needed God to intervene. There were two things that God brought to mind immediately; the first was a reminder that I needed to go to the mission field, the second was a reminder to have a child-like faith. Matthew 18:3 says, And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." I needed to remember what it was like to be a child and to put my full trust in God. The one thing that I delighted in as a child was blowing bubbles. So, the next thing you know, I'm blowing bubbles everywhere and still do today. The very next year I took my first mission trip to Ecuador--and wouldn't you know it I took my bubbles and the kids loved them!
Over the years my trust had been shattered and doubt, insecurity and fear replaced it. Part of the journey of my inside matching my outside is God uprooting those things that didn't belong: doubt, insecurity and fear.
Last year, Joshua 1:9 and 1 John 4:18 were anthems for me.
Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to face a fear head on (so to speak). I jumped out of an airplane at ten thousand feet! The humorous part was that I carried a bottle of bubbles with me. You see, along with remembering to have a child-like faith I also needed to replace the fear that plagued my life with the perfect love of Christ. I'm still having difficulty putting into words all that transpired over the weekend but I can say that I am overwhelmed with joy and peace!
