I’m thrilled to GIVE AWAY a copy of my friend, Suzie Eller’s book today entitled, Come With Me. I loved Suzie’s book from it’s conception. The tought of a modern day disciple both intrigued and excited me! Now, I’m thrilled to share it with you! Jesus is inviting you to come with him on an adventrue of faith that will transform your life! Suzie asks, “Will you say, ‘Yes?”

Here’s a little taste that will leave you hungry for more!

Believing Big When You Feel Small ~ Suzie Eller 

A well checkup revealed something not quite right, and that led to tests and a biopsy. The doctor assured us that good news was more than likely, so we squeezed the doctor’s appointment onto our calendar.

Unfortunately, the biopsy revealed that Richard had cancer.

A few minutes later we stood in a parking lot. I closed my eyes, holding tight to the man who makes me laugh until I have to run to the bathroom.

The person I love second, after Jesus.

We hadn’t budgeted time for much more than that embrace. Richard had clients waiting. I had women arriving at my home in an hour for Bible study.

Richard and I climbed into our respective cars and turned different directions on Interstate 49. Suddenly I realized that I couldn’t see. I pulled off at the next exit and found a safe place to park. I rested my head on the steering wheel and wept like a baby.

I made it home in time for Bible study.

We gathered around the table and opened our Bibles, flipping to the Scriptures for the day’s study. I numbly read the passage in front of me. It was the story of the second miracle of fishes and loaves.

About this time another large crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance.”

His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?” Mark 8:1–4 NLT

Jesus had multiplied a little boy’s lunch into enough to feed thousands just a few days earlier.

Now there’s another opportunity.

Same problem as before. Too many people. Too little food. Not enough faith.

I often write in the margins of my Bible. In bold letters I saw my own words staring up at me.

How did they forget the first miracle so soon?

The page blurred. I stood next to the disciples, except this time I was in a parking lot in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with my arms around my husband.

I had forgotten our first miracle.

You see, twenty-three years earlier, I was sick with cancer.

We beat the odds, and that was a gift. For a long time, I thought that was the big miracle, but later I realized the true miracles came as we dug deep into our faith and came up with enough to make it through the day—or the hour if that was what was required.

That was our loaves and fishes, multiplied beyond our meager supply.

My friends at Bible study didn’t know what to think as I sat there, holding open my Bible, tears dropping onto the page.

In that moment I was a modern-day disciple holding up my not-enough faith.

Faith is birthed in the trenches of our not enough

Surrendering all that we have from the very beginning is a big move of faith, no matter what we are facing.

Over and over in Scripture, Jesus asks the disciples to give what they don’t seem to have and he calls it BIG.

What Jesus sees as big is different from what we see as big

When Richard was first diagnosed, I didn’t have enough faith, and it’s okay to acknowledge that. As long as I was willing to give him what I did have. Every hard place. Every strikingly beautiful moment.

What does God want?

All of it.

When we feel small, we carry our “not enough” to God on a regular basis.

Whatever big thing we are facing, God not only sees it, but is waiting for us.

We step toward him with our hands raised high, no-holds-barred, bringing him every uncertainty, every hope, all our fears, all our strength, every aspect of our situation.

The “big” is birthed inside of us as we believe that he can do something with the little that we do have. Whether it leads to a lame man leaping to his feet (healing), a few loaves multiplied by thousands (provision), hymns sung in the darkness of prison (hope), or standing near to Jesus while everything around us seems to fall apart (courage), our faith becomes an anchor.

 Enter to win a copy of Come With Me by leaving a comment. I will annoucne the winner on Wednesday! 

BIO: Suzie is a Proverbs 31 Ministries writer, ECPA bestselling author and blogger. She’s been featured on Focus on the Family, Aspiring Women, Harvest Show, 100 Huntley Street, KLOVE, Daystar and numerous other programs. Suzie is a regular contributor to KLRC radio’s Words that Make a Positive Difference.

She is an author of eight books including her most recent, Come With Me: Discovering the Beauty of Following Where He Leads. When she’s not writing, you can find Suzie playing with her six grandbabies, all under the age of five. Find out more about Suzie and Come With Me: Discovering the Beauty of Following Where He Leads at www.tsuzanneeller.com

Doing laundry. Raising well-adjusted kids. Building a good relationship with my husband. Even answering the phone. So often I feel like the responsibility for everything in my life depends on me. And honestly, I doubt my ability to get it all done, and do it all well.

I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. Who doesn’t feel the pressure of higher grocery bills and mouths to feed? What employee doesn’t carry the weight of doing a good job? What mother doesn’t fear her child will give in to peer pressure? These concerns and a thousand others tangle our thoughts into anxious knots. When we feel as if everything depends on us, we carry a heavy burden.

But we’re not alone or solely responsible for making things turn out fine.

When I feel alone, I’ve forgotten God is always with me. And when I feel incapable, it’s usually because I’ve forgotten to acknowledge God’s presence and power.
However, looking to God’s presence and power won’t help us if we don’t believe He is truly sovereign. We need to know and believe just how mighty God is. Otherwise, we’ll look at our limitations and feel like they limit Him. We’ll end up with a God who is only a little bigger, a little stronger, and a little wiser than us. That makes God small.

And when we have a small God, we feel like He depends on us to do a good job… just like everyone else does.

I felt this way when I became a parent. I thought if I read all the how-to books, I could do a good job. I believed the lie that happy, successful children depended on my efforts. Which made me feel very stressed and alone. It wasn’t until I started to “get” God and grasp the wisdom and guidance He provides that I learned to depend on His provision and direction. I no longer felt like I had to raise my kids based solely on my own knowledge and efforts.

God never intended for us to live under the pressure of everything depending on us. It’s when we lean on Him instead of ourselves that we experience supernatural strength and provision.
Reflect on the wisdom of Amos 4:13 and meditate on God’s greatness. If the Lord can do all this, surely He can equip us for whatever our daily tasks may be – from parenting challenges to project deadlines to folding mountains of laundry.

On the other hand, if we set out to make ourselves the measure of all things, we will never experience the full benefit of God’s greatness. It doesn’t have to be this way. Having the right understanding of God frees us from the weight of carrying our burdens alone and allows us to rest in His exceptional power and presence.

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Remember, God is bigger, stronger, and wiser than you are. You do not have to carry your burdens alone.

Whenever you feel frustrated, weak, and alone this week, reassure yourself of God’s promised presence. Apply these truths – “I can’t, God can” and “I’m going to let Him” – to every situation you face.

Dear Lord, set my sights on You and Your great attributes. Help me to live in Your presence, dependent on Your guidance each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You can help me out with a project. Tell me in the comment section some things you do in your own power. Or tell me in what ways you’ve learned to live in His power. I might use your insights for this project!