Believe Manifesto

The word underestimate has been on my heart a lot this year. I think it is one of the words that God knew that I needed to hear repeatedly. Mostly because I think he knew that I needed to stop underestimating him.

When we are here on earth, the nature of our being tells us that God isn’t enough to do ANYTHING. Most of the time we have a hard time believing him for things that to him, are so small and inconsequential. I also underestimate myself. Derick has said to me so many times over the last two years, why do you underestimate a good outcome? I have doubted my ability to do hard things and complete hard things. When I do that, I stop growth in its tracks. When we keep our faith in Jesus and when we decide to believe in our own abilities, we are able produce good fruit.

It’s funny how we get a “plan” and we think that we have it all figured out how it is going to go, and then God swoops in and says, “Not today sister! Not on my watch!” He always knows the best ways. When we are abiding in him, praying to him, and believing in him–he ALWAYS knows the best way for us and is working to put that way into action.

I have also been thinking this year about the ways we underestimate others. I think back about people like my grandmother and Derick’s grandmother and how people early on in life underestimated them and these two women went on to do courageous amazing things. They outlived the timeline the people of the world set out for them. They blew past the lines other people had drawn for them. It has got me thinking how much better, more fun, and down right courageous our own lives would be if we would stop underestimating the women around us. I love this quote from Maria Goff in Love Lives Here, “I surrounded myself with a few people who made me hungry in my faith, strong in my resolve, and more available to my family.” This quote basically sums up my goals for relationships at this stage in my life!

Why are we underestimating our sister friends?!

Whenever I think about underestimating I always think of Ruth’s story. See, Naomi told Ruth to go back home, that she should find another husband in her home land. But Ruth REFUSED to underestimate Naomi and God. She said, no we will go with you. Naomi told her again to go home. Ruth refused to go home. She told Naomi, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.” Naomi realized that Ruth was determined. Ruth was determined because she decided not to underestimate the strength, wisdom, and ability of Naomi. Boy did God bless her! He turned their mess into a message and answered the prayers they had been praying for help, restoration, and a new life.

Let’s stop underestimating what we think our own capabilities are and the capabilities of others and lets see the strength in each other. Let’s live a free and courageous life where we act like we KNOW that miracle is going to happen before it does. Let’s consider each other as completely capable in God’s name.