Many time when Olivia gets home from school, I find her carrots and her sandwich still in their sandwich bags. She has chosen to eat her fruit snacks, her chips, and her other goodies first and then either become full or ran out of time.

This morning as I was packing her lunch, I said it again, "Be sure to eat your sandwich first..."

Then as I closed the lunch box I couldn't help but think of my habits. Not in a literal sense with food (although that's an entirely different subject that probably would require an entirely different blog!) but in a spiritual sense with God.

It never fails. If I choose to clean the house first or run errands first or even exercise first, I often find myself "running out of time" for the most important part of my day....my time with God.

Time with God is like our carrots or our sandwich. It's the part of life that matters, that strengthens, that makes a difference, that keeps us sustained.

Reading a secular magazine or book, cleaning the house, running errands, watching something on TV....

These are the fruit snacks of life.

For the most part, they really don't do anything for us that is going to make a difference in an eternal sense.

Mom and I like to say that life is really just a time of "staying busy" until we go Home!! And I believe God calls us to a life of His-kind-of busy....Kingdom busy!!!!

This morning as I was reading about Gideon I learned something that I never had realized before. After God had weeded down his army to just 300 men (God didn't want the Israelites bragging on their own strength), He told Gideon to "Get up and go down into the camp for He had given Gideon the victory over them."

But then God says, "But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. They you will be eager to attack."

Here comes the part I love!!!

The next verse doesn't say that Gideoan attacked the Midianites. It says,

"So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp"

Gideon was afraid!!! He wouldn't have gone down to listen if he wasn't!!!!!

WOW!!!

After hearing straight from God.

After watching God work in mighty ways in the past.

After hearing God say, "I have given you the victory over them."

Gideon was still afraid.

I don't know about you, but that makes me feel so normal! So accepted by God!

And it also reminds me that God wants to send that extra confirmation when we need it.....even when we feel that so much has already been confirmed!!!

Thank you, Lord, for using men like Gideon who trusted You and yet were still afraid.

Thank you for promising to give us just what we need so that we can put our trust in You.....confidently!!!

I'm listening, Lord. Speak to me. Show me Your will for my life. Many times I feel afraid.

Fearfully Trusting Him and Thankful I ate My Sandwich First....I needed it!!!