His Amazing Grace {Graffiti Summer}

I'm not sure how to begin this particular post other than to tell you I said yes to something I never dreamed I would be saying yes to. But oh how every fiber of my being wanted to say yes.

I will be joining Alene Snodgrass and a group of other writers in sharing our Graffiti Summer journey. We will be challenging ourselves to be world changers, and hoping to inspire others to do the same. Alene asks, "Together can we really change a world? Can we overcome our fear? Will we become more aware of the needs around us? Will we lay our doubts aside and serve another."

Alene, I'm joining you with a resounding, YES!

I won't lie friends—I'm scared, really scared. As I write, tears well up and are ready to fall. I felt compelled many times to send Alene an email telling her how wrong I must have been to think I heard God tell me to say yes. But I could not bring myself to send that email.

Laying my heart out and risking others potentially seeing me unable to overcome my fear...I'm ready to take the risk. I'm ready step over my fear. I'm ready to take a step out of my comfortable world.

In her book, Graffiti: scribbles from different sides of the Street, Alene writes, "Your journey is all about the steps you take in obedience, baby steps at first." Saying yes was a step in obedience because honestly I know I heard God correctly. Saying yes is another baby step in the many I've been taking since reading Alene's book. God has surely been stirring something within my heart.

The stirring began when God lead me to read Alene's book, and several other books, on allowing ourselves to be changed by serving others. And baby steps they have been. There have been steps backwards and steps forwards. There is both joy and fear over my step forward to go on my first mission trip this summer.

With each step God was calling me to see a need...to really see. I find myself singing the words from the hymn Amazing Grace...

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

It hurts to see. A part of me wishes I could go on not seeing. Seeing the homeless veteran who sits on the corner of a busy intersection as I drive home from work breaks my heart. What breaks my heart even more is how I've yet to do more than see him. If seeing is hard, how hard will it be to move beyond simply seeing him and show him compassion? What would I say? How would I help this man?

But I keep singing those words, I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

God is calling me to see the lost. He says, "Take My hand; I will lead you across the street. Walk with me. Together we will bring the sounds of My amazing grace."

I've yet to see this man again these past few months and I pray that someone else saw him and took those brave steps across the street. Maybe I wasn't to be the one, or maybe God is saying, "Keep walking with me. There are many more for you to see." And here is my plea, we need to see. We were saved because of His amazing grace. We were lost but now are found. We are no longer blind, but see. So see. Then take a hold of His hand and let Him lead you to bringing His lost home.

Take a step in obedience. Take a step over your fears and bring His amazing grace to others...you don't need to go to another country...walk across the street and you will see a need. It's scary, but where you are weak, He is strong. There is a hurting world that needs us. Together we can change the world.

The Graffiti Summer challenge will begin on June 3rd. The challenge is for us to step over our fears and serve others. Will you join us?

Download Alene's book, Graffiti, here in Kindle or here in PDF format. Then download your free Graffiti Study and Do guide. You can also ask to join the Graffiti Facebook page.

And be sure to spend some time with Alene here. She has an amazing heart and will encourage you as you take those first steps. She has been my inspiration.

If you're ready to join in, link up your post below and share your thoughts about Graffiti Summer. Don't have a blog, leave a comment and let us hear from you.

Sharing with Alene for her first link-up in the Graffiti Summer journey.