The world is full of opportunities to trust God with all types of major issues. Expecting mothers are trusting God for healthy babies. Those affected by illness are trusting God for healing. Many experiencing disappointment are trusting God for hope.
These life change moments easily take center stage, but even in the small things God beacons us to trust him. This is the challenge I found in Deidra Riggs new release Every Little Thing: Making a World of Difference Right Where You Are.
As a resident of a small town most of the world has never heard of, I used to wonder what could I do for God. I’ve always been one who believes the people of God are to be Kingdom Ambassadors. What I didn’t realize was that I saw those ambassadors coming from big cities with big platforms as more valuable to God. At that time in my life I didn’t understand how God see’s each of us as equally valuable. We are all on equal ground with Papa. The problem is many of us have an identity crisis. We see ourselves as small and insignificant. In His eyes we are the perfect choice for the task He has for us.
Image via InCourage.com
In Every Little Thing, Deidra begins the conversation with three chapters on healing our identity crisis. She calls us to detach from things, places, and fears which confuse our thinking about who we are and whose we are. The next chapters reveals how to follow God’s leading. This section really touched me because like Deidra I found God calling me to a physical location I didn’t really want to be. Yet in this place, this small town in “nowhere Alabama”, God has blessed me above and beyond my wildest imagination.
Following God’s leading is often the hardest part in making a difference. The opportunities to be a blessing are endless and without His leading it’s easy to get off track spending valuable time doing things He has never called us to do. One beautiful quote I love from this section states “We cannot truly surrender to the Holy Spirit without the Holy Spirit first breathing surrender into us…We want to live a life of significance, but we can’t live it until we release our hold on it.” (page 107)
Deidra concludes Every Little Thing with a challenge to take the next steps. One of my favorite line from this section states “I had to find my way back to feeling good about small.” (page 142) This is a sentiment I can relate to. So what do you do when you find yourself in a small place? You give God the glory. You praise Him for the small, for every little thing.
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GIVEAWAY
Join me in celebrating the launch of Deidra’s book with some awesome gifts! The winner will receive a gift set which includes a copy of Every Little Thing: Making a World of Difference Right Where You Are along with an Everlasting Light Shine necklace from DaySpring!
On the back cover Deidra states “Everyone has had that moment -we see a need and we think, Someone really should do something about that, never imagining that we might be the answer.”
In the comments below share a need you see in the world. Feel free to include in your comment what God is impressing upon your heart about getting involved and any barriers you face in following His lead.
A winner will be randomly selected from all the comments on Saturday November 14th.
Belonging. Gangs, clubs, social activities, and various other groups cry of our need to belong. Isolation is not only a lonely state but can also be a place of absorbing the enemy’s lies and other wrong beliefs. We need people. We are called “the body” because of the need to work and be together. Three (or more) are stronger than one.
Acceptance. From others, from ourselves. I have spent my life striving to be accepted and always feeling like I was falling short…never looking to have God really fill that hole inside of me that needed to be filled…I am seeing today how much I have placed on the need to be accepted and how negatively it has shaped many areas of my life. I believe I am not alone. How can we help the next generation see that they can be accepted as they are. That God loves them, created them to be who they are…that they each have a unique story to tell….I wish I had known that who I was, was beautiful…even if I didn’t measure up to the worlds standards.
ive always felt like i didnt belong i didnt like to hang around too many people because never knew what was going to happen and most of the time bad things would so i stay my distance from many wasnt until i found peace within god that i felt i belong ,i know love the skin im in and a select few people in my very small circle following gods path is the only one that works no more hard work for me
Peace. This world just needs peace. So many bad things happening in the world and everyone getting offended at everything. Why can’t everyone just have peace with themselves? Not everyone has the same story so there is peace needed for many things. I’m a good listener. When people need something I just listen to them and then try to offer a little bit of peace to them even if it’s not many words.
Congratulations Kalee you won!! Please email my your mailing address where you would like to have your items shipped. You are going to LOVE reading Every Little Thing!
Repentance. People seem to feel that what they do only affects them. So many things spread in ever increasing circles, involving and hurting many others.
The barriers I feel are helplessness and not being able to express the importance of following God. I need to trust Him more to work in the hearts of others and help me know what to say, and what not to say.
Forgiveness. There are far too many Christians in the world who harbor bitterness in their heart for a brother/sister, yet they claim to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Go to that brother/sister and confront them. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13