Yesterday, I wrote about RESTing our emotions–TRUSTing them to God so that we can experience Peace (contentment) in living above our circumstances. It’s part of the “letting go” (surrendering) process that I’ve been living and writing about…and I’m convinced it’s critical to experiencing Victory in this life…instead of just coping until we reach the next.

And at the last second, the verse came to mind “”And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV84). So I added it… and that’s what I had on my heart all day…how God loves to reward those who earnestly seek Him because He longs for us to truly seek HIM and truly LIVE a life of FAITH. And that’s what I experienced all day…His unmerited GRACE and FAVOR….blessings of unexpected Provision.

I raced to work for my sixth day straight. These occasional time stretches tend to mess me up since I’m a person of habit (Pavlov would’ve LOVED me)…so it was no real surprise that I walked into our team meeting to be “gently informed” that I grabbed my longer slip for the shorter dress that I had on. And not being one to start a new trend, I merely laughed and was thankful that I was going to my networking luncheon which is near my home so I could swing by my house and change. I was distracted so I left some things at the office that I wanted to take to my meeting; but we all started the work day with a giggle..that’s always fun.

Then at the end of my networking luncheon, I was frantically setting up a meeting while agreeing with someone else’s lighting choice, as I was wrapping up to race back to the office. When I pulled up my calendar on my phone, one gal said, “I wish you would go with me to the Margarita Ball.” I looked at her…trying to process her comment. We went from trying to set up a time to meet for a margarita, to going to the Ball….and my frazzled brain wasn’t keeping up. This Ball is put on to raise money for children’s charities; and it’s one of the biggest shindigs in Dallas. I’ve heard about it for several years…but it’s almost impossible to get a ticket. Admittedly, I’m much more comfortable barefoot and in sweats; but I have thought it would be a fun experience…just never thought about it seriously.

So as I asked her “are you serious?” for the third time…her grin getting wider, her nod getting stronger and her eyes getting brighter each time that I asked …my feeble brain began to process it. Then I asked the fateful question, “How much is it?”… When she smiled, “I have an extra ticket and a room. All you need is a formal dress.”, I actually caught myself beginning to breathe again….and exclaimed, “I’d love to!”
Then I wrapped up my stuff; and as I drove back to work, I couldn’t stop grinning in amazement…this Cinderella is going to the Ball….

And the rest of the day was similarly covered in unexpected Blessings and Favor. God’s loving Hand was doling out gifts from my innermost heart’s desire. And I knew why….because I earnestly seek Him…and I was gently reminded: like many young girls, I grew up wishing I had someone to flick a wand and make everything “okay”. But I don’t need a “fairy godmother”…I have a Heavenly Father God…who loves to lavish His undeserved Favor on me…as I live a simple life of Faith. Jesus said, “It is more Blessed to Give than to Receive”…but that is regarding our heart to others. As we give of ourself to HIM…we will RECEIVE more of HIM. And that, my friends, is truly a GIFT beyond all we can ask or imagine. 🙂

“For this reason I kneel before the Father…. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV84)