Faith

I am starting this book today:

I hate reading, I don't have much time for reading and I rarely finish a book I start.  This time is different.......since this year has proven to be a rather difficult one for me, I have been searching for a good bible study book that I could use during my quiet times each morning. 

One of my favorite blogs I read is Lysa Terkeurst (from Proverbs 31 ministries) and so I started searching through all the books she has wrote. I came across this one, What Happens When Women Walk In Faith. I read a small bit about it and thought I would give it a try.
Once I got the book in the mail I read the introduction and now I am both excited and scared! This is what just a small part of the introduction says:

The introduction starts out by saying every woman (and I think this can apply to men also) has a dream that is tailored to her talents and His purposes. Just as the Israelites were promised a land flowing with milk and honey if they only had the faith to move ahead and take the promised land. They had to overcome giants in the land and it struck fear in them. Such is true with each woman as she moves forward towards her dream. Obstacles come up and we have to have faith in God to get through them.

Now I am not so sure what my "dream" is, but I do know that during this particularly difficult year, that I find myself clinging to the promises of God. So for now my dream is God use me, mold me to be a woman of God and use me. Not sure how that will be and saying that and then surrendering to him is one of the scariest yet exciting things one can ever do.

Here is another part of the introduction that I liked:

"These are five phases of faith you'll pass through to achieve your dream:
1) Leaving: In order to go to a new level of faith with God, you've got to leave the old behind.
2)Famine: In this new place, you'll realize your comfort zone is gone and you'll learn to depend on God like never before.
3) Believing: You've always wanted to really believe God but now your experience of Him becomes too real to deny.
4) Death: Coming to the end of your ability to make things happen seems like death to you. But to God, this is the only way to new life with Him.
5) Resurrection: In a way only He could, God makes your dream come true. Only then do you understand that real joy isn't in the dream itself but rather in the richer faith you acquired along the way."

So I am off to read some more and start this scary yet exciting journey to walking in faith.
Say a prayer for me or better yet, join me....the world could use a lot more women (and men) truly walking in faith.