It’s taken me a long time to get my default response setting calibrated to “talk to God” rather than “lean on my own understanding.” I am blessed to have quite a few skills and resources that are helpful in times of crisis, but I didn’t realize that I was relying on my own strength to get me through tough spots. It’s by God’s blessing and mercy that I haven’t completely burned myself out yet because what I now know is that my strength and skill alone (even if it is pretty good by worldly standards) often fall short when it comes down to it!
When I remember to ask God for help, even if He does not respond in the way I am hoping, it feels somehow like whatever situation I am in is less of a fight than when I am relying on my own abilities. It is not easier, not even necessarily less stressful, but I do feel like I am at least going into the situation with the best possible equipment.
-Anna Dennie
The person that made the most impact on my life would be my mother. She knew attending church and being in fellowship was important in her life. So she instilled that in my life, even when I did not want to get out of bed on Sunday mornings. It was a small country church, but was instrumental in my becoming what I am now.
-Nita Endsley
I saw first hand how God uses people to accomplish his plan. The son of the youth pastor at our church in Chicago was my BFF (before BFF was a term), so I spent a lot of time in their home. Art was someone who believed in "hiding God's Word" in our heart. He could recite whole books of the Bible. He developed the AWANA Youth Association which was a program churches used to reach young people for Christ. In my teens, I was a worker at the AWANA summer camp and worked under Art's supervision. In later years, we were able to reconnect, and I found his advice always point on. His example of study and memorization of God's Word set me on the right path!