Have you ever had one of those friends you just couldn't say no to? I have, and God played a trump card when He used her to trap me into expanding my boundaries!

My pulse pounded and my stomach flipped, as my head silently cried out, "Don't ask me this!" My heart felt pressured to collapsing point but, despite all that, somehow my mouth opened and answered, "Yeah... sure!" I even managed a little smile although I didn't understand how. I couldn't believe I'd actually just agreed to help my friend conduct a major Children's Ministries outreach program because I had previously never even said yes to announce an offering!

"Help! I don't do this, God!" I kept pleading to Him every time I was feeling scared about my participation in the 27-night program. Thankfully God didn't take any notice of my fears, I guess because He knew better than me exactly what I was capable of. In the months after that program, my friend also dragged me into her next 'venture' of a new, exciting Children's Sabbath School idea she had been developing. Let me stress at this point that I was not 'dragged' against my will, just against my fears! The next few months I was often stressed with nervousness and yet the rewards, after the event, ALWAYS far outweighed the fear.

Barely 12 months after my initiation into working for God with children, I was standing behind the pulpit about to preach a Mother's Day sermon! Once again I was repeating those often cried words, "Help! I don't do this, God!"

Now, a few years down the track, I still often cry out those words, and yes it is always followed by the little smile, but now because I know God is smiling back at me calmly answering, "Yes WE can!" Before I do anything in public now, I still get nervous, I still get hesitant, I still feel so unworthy and unqualified … BUT … after many lessons, I now know without a doubt that if God wants me to do it then WE can!

If God had waited for me to feel ready and worthy to be used by Him, then it would never have happened because I still feel like a chicken! But now, I'm a chicken who God makes brave and bold enough to tackle anything as long as I know that God is doing the leading. And besides, I shouldn't feel ashamed that God wants to use chickens, who am I to doubt God's choices?

If your fears have overshadowed your willingness many times before, next time try saying yes and remember that God doesn't need you to feel ready! He just needs you to be willing. God didn't wait for Paul to stop killing Christians before He chose him to make Christians, so why should we expect God to wait until we are brave or qualified, before He can use us? Yes, God calls stutterers, doubters, runaways, murderers …. and even chickens!

I am only working with children occasionally these days, and God used children to teach me many lessons which happened to mostly be about myself and Him! Now most of what I do is with the adults …. Hmmmmm, the funny part is …. It's the same lessons and the same principles that I seem to be teaching. The difference is that kids know they still need to learn more but us adults are not so willing to admit we aren't perfect, and not so eager to want to change and 'grow up'. So the 'job' is a little more challenging!

God tells us that we must become as humble as little children if we are to be ready for His kingdom. If we think of ourselves as 'kids' in God's presence, then wouldn't we:

• Expect to be reprimanded at times?
• Expect to be shown our weaknesses?
• Expect to be asked to do things that scare us?
• Expect to be told that sometimes our self-labelled 'strengths' are doing damage to others?
• Expect the unexpected?

If we want God to help us to grow to be more like Him, we have to expect Him to want to want to change us. He can't do that unless we volunteer ourselves and our lives to Him and let Him use us. God knew my fears and He also knew that there was no safer place for me to begin to face those fears than working with kids. God has changed me in so many ways, but somehow the 'fear factor' still often kicks in! So maybe, like Paul, it is a thorn in my side He has chosen not to take away. And who am I to complain because I know that it is my fear that makes me sink myself into God to help me achieve anything I do in public. Surely, that can't be a bad thing!

2 Corinthians 12:8-10: "I begged the Lord three times to take this problem away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.' So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ's power can live in me. For this reason I am happy when I have weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and all kinds of troubles for Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong." (NCV)

God can't grow you and use you unless you give Him a chance. Trust His judgment and let God use you just the way you are. I better warn you though - God will NOT leave you the way you are! Guaranteed!!!