Why It's Okay To Use Your "Outside Voice" Instead of Your "Inside Voice" Sometimes.

Hello all! It's been a good month since my last blog update, but it's because I'm busier than I ever expected, wow! Between Training and Assessment classes, Basic Leadership classes, (both all day, everyday- but so so good!), the homework between the two, planning for small groups and worship and intercession times, and getting everything ready for the students to get here (they start arriving this weekend, and our school starts next week!), I'm only now finding a bit of time to sit down and put my thoughts into words on here! But because so much has been going on in my life, God has been keeping up with that pattern as well (as He tends to do), and has been showing me SO much! And after skimming through my journal entries over the past month (oh boy, there's lots), I feel led to share one revelation in particular that God brought me to with you today.......

“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship." -John 4:23

       If you know me at all, you know that I am quite a loud person. And I tend to be a bit outspoken. And I often find myself being ridiculously silly, as well as quite obnoxious and over the top at times. I rarely express myself in small, quiet ways to say the least. I know this about myself and I have known this my entire life. However, there are times when I review myself in certain situations and think, "Why did I do/say that?!" or "They probably think I'm so obnoxious because I just did that..." Times when I'm the loudest one in a group, or laughing at my own jokes (with no one laughing along- which I find to be the case a lot of times!). It's times like these when quite frankly, I annoy myself. So after times like these, I find myself setting boundaries for my personality. Boundaries like: "From now on, just keep your mouth shut until you're spoken to, Paige" or "INSIDE VOICE, PAIGE!" or even "Okay, I am GOING to be the graceful, soft-spoken girl this time!". Boundaries that are so far from my actual personality.

       But it was this week that I realized the following: God is a BIG God. Okay, we all know this. Look around at the scape of the universe, and it's obvious. So obvious in fact, a lot of us have learned this in Sunday School every Sunday morning for our entire lives. But He really is a big God, in every way. And that includes His character- and His personality. It says in Genesis 1:26 that God made us in HIS own image, to be like Him. And He is big. So if there are aspects of our personality that come through in big ways, can we not assume that if they line up with His Word and who He is, that we are merely walking out in His image as He created us to? If these things are true, can I not perhaps make the assumption that He has given me a big personality as a reflection of an aspect of His own image? His big image, which He possesses because He is a big God?

       Perhaps I'm not a quiet, graceful, soft-spoken woman that I imagine in my head to be that "ideal" woman of God. Perhaps I'm not always well composed or subdued. (In fact, “subdued” may be the exact opposite of a good majority of my personality traits) But who am I to determine what the work of God's hands should look like and how it should function? Have I forgotten how MASSIVE God is? And have I forgotten that I was made in His massive image? If these things are true, I don't have to be embarrassed of my rambunctiousness. I don't have to try my hardest to be someone that I wasn’t created to be. If these things are true, I can walk out in the woman that God specifically created me to be, and with confidence. And if I can walk confidently as the woman that God specifically created me to be, I know that my students will be more apt to do the same. It’s funny how that leadership thing works..

       At the end of the day, you can never please everyone. But the beauty of a relationship with God is that all that matters is that you please Him. And when you walk out in the character and personality traits that He has specifically created within you, you will do just that.

       I'd like to challenge you today to truly embrace who God has made you to be. Embrace your big traits- whether you're loud and ridiculous like me, or whether you're extremely full of grace and composure. Put down your insecurities, find the character traits that reflect God within yourself. And if those traits happen to be presented on a larger scale than others, don't let the enemy strip you of that blessing! Recognize the honor of the fact that God has entrusted you with a bigger side of Himself. Worship Him in truth- as you are, being simply and honestly yourself. He has let you represent Him in a big way. And He will best use you in that way.

Blessings ya'll,

Paige

In Training and Assessments classes (TAA). Because the school we're staffing is accredited, we must go through a certified training course.

Intercession and worship time on the YWAM base.

We spent the weekend in Oakey, Australia and spoke to the churches there about a ministry YWAM Brisbane is heading up called the Pass It On Tour. [http://www.gopassiton.org/] 

(We also drank lots of hot tea and wore every layer of clothing we brought with us- um, Australian winters are a lot colder than you'd expect!)

Our home for the night in Oakey.

Redcliffe, Australia

Spent the day bonding with my staff team in Redcliffe :) Seriously SO blessed to be on a team with them all!

Wholeheartedly.

Sunset in Redcliffe

How you can be praying:

• God has been showing me so much lately, and I would love prayer for even further revelation and clarity!
• Our school starts next week, so please be praying for our students as they arrive here- for peace and protection and against any lies or doubts the enemy may throw at them once they get here and perhaps feel out of their comfort zone. Please also pray for wisdom as my staff team and I begin to lead.
• Time management! I have so many things on my to do list and schedule right now, it can be a bit overwhelming at times. Please pray that I would have extra focus, the energy I need to accomplish it all, the peace of God that it will get accomplished, and that I would also see God and get to know Him better even in the little things and within all the busyness!
• Finances. I still don't have all the money I will need for my time here, but because I know God is a Provider, I know that it will come at just the right time :) 

Once again, I cannot thank you enough for your prayers and support. It's so uplifting to know that I have a support system behind me, even when I'm on the opposite side of the world!