Booger.

I started volunteering at my sons’ preschool this fall by leading the school’s monthly chapel gatherings. "Chapel" is a fifteen minute assembly-style session that happens once a month to reinforce some of the concepts the children have been learning in their classroom Bible lessons. After years of working in youth ministry with junior and senior high youth, preschoolers, believe it or not, were a bit intimidating to me. Yes, it’s true my house is full of them. But four kids under six is nothing compared to a whole room full of bows and curls and the latest Lightning McQueen tennis shoes all staring up at you waiting for you to say something interesting. If you say the word "booger" to a group of teenagers you are relatable and cool. If you say the word "booger" to a group of preschoolers every single one of them has to laugh and repeat it and soon you’ve lost control of the entire room and all of the teachers are mad at you. Preschoolers don’t understand sarcasm either. Or Will Ferrell jokes. Do you see my problem? And so I prayed and prayed that God would help calm my fears and reach these kids. Please make me funny and sweet and understanding and capable, I prayed. Please let them like me! And do you know what God whispered to me in return? "Kelly, my dear, once again you have missed the point." God says that to me a lot and, of course, He was right. It wasn’t my voice I should have been praying about. It was His. God wasn’t giving me this opportunity so that the kids would love me. He wants those precious little ones to love HIM through me. How many times do we dismiss God's call because we think we're not good enough, as if it was all up to us anyway? I fall short in many, many ways and that will likely never change. God does not use me because I am ideal. He uses me because He is infallible through me. What is that saying I love so much? "God does not call the equipped, He equips the called." I praise you, God, because I am just a vessel, full of flaws and misgivings, but in Your purpose I am fearfully and wonderfully made. And to Your purpose I am more than capable. XOXO....Kelly