God's To-Do List
I was driving to Searcy for homecoming weekend when I realized that I had made no plans. Only a few miles outside Searcy, it hit me when my mom asked me over the phone, "Who are you going to stay with?" because I had absolutely no idea.
I remembered something a friend had shared with me earlier in the week. Every morning, she wakes up and spends five minutes asking God what His to-do list is for the day. "It is hard because my own to-do list automatically rushes into my head," she confessed. But she listens closely, and she has some pretty cool stories of where God takes her and who she meets along the way.
She inspired me, so I decided to give her challange a try. Lord, this weekend is in your hands. What is your to-do list? Show me where to go and what to do...because my schedule is completely and entirely free.
With no agenda, I pulled into a parking lot on campus just in time for a friend to text me and invite me to her room. I spent a couple of hours catching up with her before finding a couch to sleep on for the night. The next day, I took someone's seat in chapel, hugged a bunch of friends, grabbed lunch with my old roomate, and spent several hours with Jesus in my "holy ground" places on campus - mainly the fountain on the front lawn and the piano room.
The truth is that over the course of the weekend, with only a few exceptions, I never made a plan more than an hour in advance. It looked somewhat like this:
"Hey, it's good to see you! Where are you going right now? Oh, you're tailgating before the football game? Do you mind if I walk over there with you and stay a while?"
or...
"We are having a social club function tonight? I haven't paid and I don't have a costume, but I won't eat much and I'd love to come!"
or...
"Hey, I am so glad I bumped into you! Let's go get some coffee right now and catch up! Are you free?"
Some people may call it "flying by the seat of your pants." Some call it spontanaeity or whimsy. I think of it as following God's to-do list.
When I didn't know where to go or what to do, I simply asked the Lord what was on His to-do list. When He put an idea in my head or an opportunity in my path, I said "yes" and then watched for what He was up to.
So I ended up going to a random candy-themed social club function where everyone was dressed up as candy and chasing clues around campus. But I also ended up talking to one of our beaux about how He came to know Jesus and have a relationship with Him.
I ended up going to a church-wide fall festival and chili cook off where we played corn hole and roasted smores over a bonfire. But I also ended up talking to a friend about her summer in Tanzania and how God is working on both of our hearts as He pulls us toward mission work.
I ended up going to Mi Pueblito for lunch after church on Sunday. But I also ended up crying and praying for a friend who is struggling.
I ended up leaving two chairs at my book table even though I was the only one who was going to stay there all morning. I felt like the Lord wanted me to leave it there just in case He brought someone to fill it, and He did. We shared Scripture, mutually encouraged one another, and thenn went on with our days with a renewed passion to wait on the Lord as He works all things together for His glory in our lives.
I ended up going to the dedication of the new nursing building. But I also ended up sharing with many of my professors and fellow nursing students what God is doing in my life and how He is faithful to make dreams come true.
Everywhere I went, God showed me people to talk to. (I think that is mainly what His to-do list consists of. He spent most of His time on earth doing that very thing - going places, meeting people, and talking to them.) In following Jesus in this way, my goal was to make every word count. I have found that I am really not very good at small talk, and I usually just skip it for the most part. Surprisingly, most people roll with that and even appreciate it. Some people actually engage.
When we venture out on a whim and ask God about His to-do list for us, we find that each day - even a normal day - is filled with opportunities to make an eternal difference. So let's take a few minutes each morning to ask God about His to-do list. Then, let's really listen. Let's free up our schedules, go where God leads, and take the bold initiative to talk to the people that He puts in our paths. Toss the small talk to the side and embrace every opportunity to converse about what really matters - Jesus and the life to the full that He gives. You might be surprised at who will listen.
I remembered something a friend had shared with me earlier in the week. Every morning, she wakes up and spends five minutes asking God what His to-do list is for the day. "It is hard because my own to-do list automatically rushes into my head," she confessed. But she listens closely, and she has some pretty cool stories of where God takes her and who she meets along the way.
She inspired me, so I decided to give her challange a try. Lord, this weekend is in your hands. What is your to-do list? Show me where to go and what to do...because my schedule is completely and entirely free.
With no agenda, I pulled into a parking lot on campus just in time for a friend to text me and invite me to her room. I spent a couple of hours catching up with her before finding a couch to sleep on for the night. The next day, I took someone's seat in chapel, hugged a bunch of friends, grabbed lunch with my old roomate, and spent several hours with Jesus in my "holy ground" places on campus - mainly the fountain on the front lawn and the piano room.
The truth is that over the course of the weekend, with only a few exceptions, I never made a plan more than an hour in advance. It looked somewhat like this:
"Hey, it's good to see you! Where are you going right now? Oh, you're tailgating before the football game? Do you mind if I walk over there with you and stay a while?"
or...
"We are having a social club function tonight? I haven't paid and I don't have a costume, but I won't eat much and I'd love to come!"
or...
"Hey, I am so glad I bumped into you! Let's go get some coffee right now and catch up! Are you free?"
Some people may call it "flying by the seat of your pants." Some call it spontanaeity or whimsy. I think of it as following God's to-do list.
When I didn't know where to go or what to do, I simply asked the Lord what was on His to-do list. When He put an idea in my head or an opportunity in my path, I said "yes" and then watched for what He was up to.
So I ended up going to a random candy-themed social club function where everyone was dressed up as candy and chasing clues around campus. But I also ended up talking to one of our beaux about how He came to know Jesus and have a relationship with Him.
I ended up going to a church-wide fall festival and chili cook off where we played corn hole and roasted smores over a bonfire. But I also ended up talking to a friend about her summer in Tanzania and how God is working on both of our hearts as He pulls us toward mission work.
I ended up going to Mi Pueblito for lunch after church on Sunday. But I also ended up crying and praying for a friend who is struggling.
I ended up leaving two chairs at my book table even though I was the only one who was going to stay there all morning. I felt like the Lord wanted me to leave it there just in case He brought someone to fill it, and He did. We shared Scripture, mutually encouraged one another, and thenn went on with our days with a renewed passion to wait on the Lord as He works all things together for His glory in our lives.
I ended up going to the dedication of the new nursing building. But I also ended up sharing with many of my professors and fellow nursing students what God is doing in my life and how He is faithful to make dreams come true.
Everywhere I went, God showed me people to talk to. (I think that is mainly what His to-do list consists of. He spent most of His time on earth doing that very thing - going places, meeting people, and talking to them.) In following Jesus in this way, my goal was to make every word count. I have found that I am really not very good at small talk, and I usually just skip it for the most part. Surprisingly, most people roll with that and even appreciate it. Some people actually engage.
When we venture out on a whim and ask God about His to-do list for us, we find that each day - even a normal day - is filled with opportunities to make an eternal difference. So let's take a few minutes each morning to ask God about His to-do list. Then, let's really listen. Let's free up our schedules, go where God leads, and take the bold initiative to talk to the people that He puts in our paths. Toss the small talk to the side and embrace every opportunity to converse about what really matters - Jesus and the life to the full that He gives. You might be surprised at who will listen.
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