As a former high school drama director, I often would have to remind my students of the fine line/vast gulf difference between confidence and arrogance. Being in a very public event, doing well at it, and having the freedom to “be someone else” for the evening had a dangerous tendency for creating divas! So it seemed my definitions became part of an annual speech on doing even secular-themed plays not for admiration, but for the glory of God:

“Confidence is knowing that you have specific God-given skills, talents, and abilities. Arrogance is thinking you had something to do with it!”

I am having to repeat that to myself often this week.

Now you might think it rather brazen of me to post on a public site that I am battling with arrogance! (And it would be!) So I will clarify right away that the struggle has been with the confidence issue! Job searches and resume writing will do that to you! Just when you think, “Hey, I’d be good at that,” you read the remaining job qualifications and think, “Ooops – no I wouldn’t.”

After several hours, even days, of “Ooops – no I wouldn’t” going through your mind, it’s easy to become self-focused and discouraged. It’s easy to forget what you ARE good at when you are continuously hearing and reading that you are not good ENOUGH for various areas of employment.

Enter: The Family Cheerleaders! (I declare every last one of them is running around with bright yellow t-shirts that have a hot pink “B” on the front!)

My family has lovingly encouraged me, reminded me of the things they think I do well, and guided me to books, websites, and most importantly, Scripture verses that help me to find and to KNOW what I do best! They’ve loved me in spite of being asked to proofread what must seem like twenty re-writes on my resumes. They’ve helped me word my skills  in ways that are accurate reflections of the God-given skills, talents, and abilities that are unique to me, and that certain companies could utilize in a profitable way!

In other words, they have helped to restore my confidence! Not only did God create me for His glory – but He knew and “laid out” every moment of my life (including my next place of employment) even before I took my first breath!

Psalm 139: 13-16 “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

Knowing He created me, knowing He cares, and knowing His plan is already in place, I am CONFIDENT in the skills, talents, and abilities He has given me!

So if you’ll allow me to excuse myself from the computer at this time, I’ve got some resumes to send!

The luggage is unpacked, the final load of clothes is in the dryer, and the coffee mug is full! I returned this afternoon from a gloriously-long weekend with some of my family members. I could write a 47-page post if I were to recount for you all the fun things we did, all the thoughtfulness that was exchanged, and all the blessings we enjoyed as we worshiped together on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. (I’ll add tid-bits from the trip over the next few days!)

However, since the goal is to be brief and to-the-point, I will get right to the purpose of this post!

If I had a dime – a mere little dime – for every question that has gone through my head recently, I’d most likely never need to work outside the home again!

Where am I going to live? How will the moving truck get from here to there? Where is there? Why am I going there? When will I know where there is? How will I…? When will I…? Where will I…? What if I…?

Yet I can say sincerely that nearly every time (not every time – but nearly every time) those thoughts pop into my head, I’ve literally had this overwhelming knowledge that God is using periods and lots of exclamation points, not question marks, as He views what is ahead for me! Yes, He has given me a sharp mind to think through, categorize, and even color-code 🙂 my lists of things to do during this transitional period, and therefore, I need to be a good steward of the elements of the work He has given me to do. But what I’m learning afresh is this: He’s got it covered.

His time. His way. For His glory!

Wanna know how I know that? He told me in His Word!

Since this is a month that contains 30 days, I am reading the entire book of Psalms this month – five Psalms each day. On day one I read Psalms 1, 31, 61, 91, and 121. On day two, I read Psalms 2, 32, 62, 92, and 122. And so on. It’s a great way to do it – and it’s always amazing to see how the chapters, though being read methodically, are suited to the very need I have on the very day I read them!

In following this plan, I have seen NUMEROUS reminders of God’s care, His knowledge of His creation (including me!), and His unfailing mercy and love. So I’ll end with just two journal entries from the many highlights from my reading these past ten days:

Psalm 121: “How awesome to start a fresh month by ending my reading in the Psalms with one that has become so dear to me! ‘My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.’ The Great Creator of all that was, is, or shall be, will help me! Now THAT is help! If He can hang the stars, form the mountains, fill the oceans, and speak it all into existence, He CAN (and He has promised that He WILL) help ME! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Psalm 65:5: “You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our Savior.”

The bottom line is this: The more I know of Him, the more the question marks in my prayers are replaced with praise-giving exclamation points!