Leap of Faith

The weather in Kentucky has been absolutely perfect of late and that perfect weather found us at the park one evening last weekend. Emmy, our increasingly spunky three year-old was climbing to new heights on the playground equipment and I was standing nearby to spot her.

As she stood on the top rung of one of the playground features I called out, "Emmy, jump to me."

Hesitating for just a second, she quickly went all in and leapt from one of the highest points on the structure into my arms. I caught her and remember saying, "I'm so proud of you for trusting me!"

Fast foward to mid-day Tuesday. I'm at work sitting in our monthly staff meeting and I'm having an epiphany. (Yes, in a staff meeting! Amazing, I know.) As Monte, NorthEast's lead pastor, splits the group into fourths to have us examine four different passages from Matthew on faith, the events of the previous night replay in my head.

Last night had seen me consoling my wife as she cried herself to sleep. Fears and frustrations over, not just the lack of a secured job for the following Fall but, the apparent lack of jobs to apply for in the area period had come to a head all at once and tears were the only recourse. I rubbed Kelly's back as she cried and did the math aloud, "If I can't find a job and your job only brings in (X dollar amount) for the five of us, will we even be able to put food on the table?!"

I had not until this point allowed myself to even consider this outcome but the worry was real for me as well.

The lump in my throat didn't allow me to get much out in the way of encouragement. Not a prayer. No promises of scripture. I only managed this: "It will be alright. God will take care of us."

As I continued to comfort her, rubbing her back as she cried, she finally fell asleep and I prayed silently, asking God to meet our needs in ways that He would clearly get the credit for.

Back to today; Tuesday. Today is also the day I have a phone interview for the job I've felt fairly certain about since the day I first learned of it. But as Kelly's fears replayed in my mind, the doubt I'd pushed back was surfacing too. My confidence was waning as I was starting to add up the hurdles in my mind, realizing that there soon would be no more safety net for the Fox family.

Our house is under contract. Our jobs have ending dates in the near future and our replacements are already (or are being) arranged for.

We've burnt the ships and there is no going back.

Soon we would be homeless and jobless. But God has a plan. I know He will provide for us, but I needed a little extra help believing it today.

So there we are in staff meeting and each story shared is one of Jesus' interaction with people who possess or display varying degrees of faith. To three of the groups Jesus said, "You of little faith." (Matthew 6:28-34, 8:23;27, & 14:27-31) But to this last woman, a Canaanite woman who was pleading on behalf of her ailing daughter, Jesus said, "Your faith is great." (Matthew 15:21-28)

As we talked about the measure of our faith, the object of our faith, and the reason for our faith the truth washed over me again.

I was reminded and assured that "Faith is the confidence in things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen." (Hebrews 11:1) I was encouraged as I remembered Jesus' urging to "Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you as well." (Matthew 6:33) God clothes the flowers of the field and cares for the birds of the air, how much more will He not care for His children as we obey His command to go?!

Then finally I was reminded that, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because first we must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

Without faith... it is impossible... to PLEASE God.

It hit me all at once. When Emmy jumped off that playground apparatus, full of faith that her Daddy would catch her, it brought me great joy. It pleased me to see her faith in me put into action. It was my joy to catch her and cradle her and say, "You trusted me!!!"

There are no accidents. God had set this up!

God was reminding me that He is still our good, good Father. He was affirming and strengthening my fledgling faith in Him, assuring me that He would indeed catch us as we took this leap of faith.

Kelly and I have taken steps of faith before. I stepped away from a more secure and higher paying corporate job to work as an intern at the church and God provided. We gave big (for us) when our finances looked tight enough to make doing so unwise and He provided. We made the decision through much prayer to start walking down this road of church planting in West Virginia and every step of the way thus far He has provided us all with contacts and new friendships and ministries to partner with assuring us that this is HIS plan and not ours.

He has proven Himself faithful throughout our lives.

Just a couple days ago, one of those new friends we've made named John, sent me this encouragement...

"The one who calls you is faithful, and HE will do it."

1 Thessalonians 5:24

God is so good. He gives us just what we need. Just when we need it.

Nothing has changed. He has called us. He will provide the means to accomplish His call.

We are still leaping. It's just that we're a lot closer to the end of that playground equippment now and the time to leap is nearly here.

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Where is God nudging you along in life? Where is He asking you to trust Him? Where is He saying, "Jump! I'll catch you!"?

As one whose faith needs a little reminder from time to time to another who may need that reminder today...

HE. IS. FAITHFUL.

And...