GOD USES US IN THE LITTLE THINGS

VIDEO: "Lexi, this is how you swim"

I am acutely aware that God has a plan for me.  Indeed, God has a plan for us all who believe in Him.  I am also aware that this plan often plays out in the simple things we do in our lives.  Anything we do with joy in His name will multiply.  His light will shine through us and will find some desperate darkness.  God is inexplicable. You can’t put Him in a box, nor define Him.  His plan is a mystery, but it is always for our ultimate good

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Over the years, I have come to know that the best way to honour God is simply to be myself.  The trick, however, is to keep my focus on Him.  By being myself, in Him, I ‘Let His light shine through me.” 

God touches me deeply.  I have always been passionate about the beauty of His creation. Although there is obvious evidence of man’s destruction of this incredible planet, God’s light still shines brightly.

This morning, in particular, as the sun streamed through the windows, the beautiful colours of Autumn and the warm, balmy sunshine, reminded me of His incredible love for us all.  I am aware of the changing seasons as God works his miracles.  As I look at the trees, I see this amazing beauty.  So, how do I share it?  How do I claim the glory of our Lord in all of this?

Well, the answer lies in the simple things in my life. God uses me in the most unlikely of ways.   The things I express in love and joy are multiplied beyond my imagination.  It could be a kind gesture, a simple smile, a moment when I marvel at His amazing Creation…and then share it.

My difficulty in living in a bustling city (as opposed to in the bush) has been lovingly compensated by God.  The most profound thing He’s done for me was to bring Golden Retrievers into my life.  Through this, I was able to write the book, ‘Maxdog’, knowing that my prayer, “Wherever Maxdog goes, let it do good!” would be honoured. (And it has!) My writing on the internet has mostly been about sharing  these beautiful animals who have touched my heart. 

So why this particular video in this blog-post?

Some time ago I started putting a few videos together and uploading them onto Youtube - for the benefit of readers who chose to read my little pieces.  The videos are often simple in their construction, but I always try to share the joy of what I see around me.

In January 2013 I was in a flippant mood. We were outside in the garden and my dogs were having fun in the pool.  I took the opportunity to throw a short video together and uploaded it onto the internet.  Little did I know that this video would suddenly, for some unknown reason, go viral.  If you look at the video, it’s really silly, but admittedly, it’s sweet and cutesy.  Unbelievably, this little video has got close to 100 000 hits! 

Shortly after I put it up, I was approached by an internet agency whose aim is to supply news stories to various outlets.  They wanted to manage my little video and, in turn, I would be paid a portion of money for every hit.  I agreed and the video went world-wide.

I was shocked when my first instalment of royalties – R2000 – was paid out to me a few months ago.  Amazingly, the money came at a time when my domestic worker passed away and I really wanted to do something for her funeral and her family.  I knew God had a hand in it and felt that this ‘out-of-the-blue windfall needed to be paid forward. It came at a time when this family really needed some support.

This month there is another large royalty from this quirky little video.  Wow! I've yet to decide what I will do with the money - perhaps save it to add to something important in the future.  It will be put to good use.

So, there you have it :  God uses us in the small things. Don’t ever be shy to share your joy in Him

 “Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart”

So, readers and fellow-bible-school- students, let us resolve to be a beacon of light for our Lord.  Let us delight in the abilities He has given us.  Let us share our joy of His creation; His amazing love; His perfect plan and His precious salvation.  I encourage you to share your joy in the Lord.  Do it in ALL the simple things in your life.  Even if you don’t even mention God in the process, let your heart rest in Him…and he will use it to His glory.

With love

Caryl