Recently we were at a gala, and as the meal was finishing, the servers brought around to each table, a gooey, warm, chocolate cake oozing, like a volcano, with chocolate “scrumptioness” and as we each commented on how full we were from dinner, several of us dove into the cake anyway, but our mouth was watering for the perfect “side dish”. The event was serving coffee (which I love, but it was way past what I refer to as “coffee thirty” – that hour in the day, that if I drink coffee, I may as well plan an all night party), water and sweet tea – nothing that satisfied that need for just the right thing. When a person across the table from us said, “wow, a glass of milk would be perfect with this.” And we all agreed, that a tall, cold glass of the white drink would be just what we needed, yet we all continued to eat the gooeyness with the choice of drinks before us. When the person who suggested that milk would be the perfect addition, waved down the gentleman who had been serving us that evening and asked if there was any milk in the back? Immediately, I thought, we are in a room of over 300 people, the menu was planned well in advance, milk was no where in sight, yet he asked! And in less than 2 minutes, our sweet server returned, with a tall glass of cold milk. I wonder just how many people in that huge conference room were thinking about a glass of milk, yet only one person dared to ask!
This topic of “just ask” has been floating around in my brain since that event, that how easy it was to just ask for what he wanted and the truth is, the worst that could have happened was the server replied with, “I am sorry we don’t”. And what harm would that have been?
Just a couple of weeks ago, an incredible moment – one that I classify as a top ten day of my life, occurred. At our church – that is still in its infancy, we have several families from one local elementary school, that attend our church – and the percentage of those kids to the overall attendance is drastic. Well, the Sunday before school started we celebrated baptism, and during the last several months, 5 kids from that same elementary school, had made decisions to follow Christ for the rest of their lives and were ready to be baptized! The anticipation just continued to grow and as I was speaking with another mother from the school, whose daughter was being baptized, she mentioned that she had invited her daughters 3rd grade teacher to come to church and to celebrate baptism with them, which ignited a little fire under me, and I prayerfully considered who God would want us to invite. To my surprise, He prompted me to invite 9 teachers and administrators from the school and a couple of classmates of the kids being baptized. And to my surprise, 6 teachers/administrators came and one of the families we invited! And I was hit up side the head with, “Kim, all you have to do is ask and allow Me to do the rest.”
In that same week I was presented via facebook with an opportunity to help someone who has had a horrific year, with the sudden loss of two family members within just a few weeks of each other. I felt I needed to reach out to this woman I had never met, yet we had a mutual friend. I was given the woman’s number, who had a tangible need, and I reached out to her via text. Several hours later she called me back, her voice quivering on the verge of tears and thanked me for reaching out to someone I didn’t know, to see how I could help. We spent just a few minutes on the phone and she simply mentioned, ‘just to know someone cares enough to reach out, is amazing to me’. To God be the Glory –when we feel a prompting to reach out to someone, we never know how it will affect them, and how God is already working on their behalf! I have been guilty, too many times to admit, of quickly disqualifying myself when given an opportunity to reach out to someone, because “I don’t have time”, “they don’t know me”, “they will think I am crazy for reaching out to them”, “I probably can’t help them anyway, I am not (fill in the blank)”, and in the process, miss out on what God has for me and for the other person.
Since that baptism Sunday, I have experienced how God has literally thrown the doors wide open at our elementary school – and I believe revival is going to take place within those old brick walls, of a school over 100 years old and will pour out into every community that school services. I have already, in less than a week, had several conversations with staff there, literally sharing how they pray over our kids, and the hallways and encourage one another, and how they have the opportunity to share their faith in tangible ways, through teaching these sweet kiddos that they are smart, they can dream, that there is always hope, and it is well beyond anything written in a text book.
The ask can be so powerful – it can allow you to enjoy a slice of ooey gooey chocolate goodness with a tall glass of milk, but it can also cause a person to feel known, loved, and that they matter, that no matter their deepest darkest day, God still knows them by name, it can unleash conversations with like-minded believers to encourage one another in their calling, it can also allow someone to make a decision for their eternity, because of that baptism Sunday, one that we had the opportunity to ask to church, made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Never underestimate the power of the ask – what is the very worst that could happen? They say no!
So, jump in today and go for the ask – you never know what God has planned! Anticipate that He is doing great things, and in some cases, we will never know this side of Heaven what that Ask meant to someone else’s eternity – but God is working it all out! I can say with 100% confidence I have NEVER regretted “asking” or “doing” when He has prompted me too! Let’s be the hands and feet of Jesus and allow Him to work in and through us as only He can!!