"I'm keeping them!"

A BIG welcome to those of you joining me from Encouragement Cafe today! It's an honor to be sharing a devotional at that table; if you missed my "Lesson from Fishing" you can read it HERE. Friend, I pray you will do that - not because you need to read my words, but I think the message is important.

Just 2 of their special rocks!

Let me explain...In May, I wrote that devotional and prayed God would use it for whoever read it. Well, last night He answered that prayer when I read the devotional as I prepared to write this post.

But first a little background, we've had a busy week on the farm - new calves, weed pulling (in the field, not a garden) and rock picking. One day I glanced down and saw a pile of rocks by my kids' feet and as I asked about them, they responded, "We're keeping them!" Their words frustrated me as we already had a collection in the yard from the previous day. Before I said a word though, it was as if God whispered to my heart, "You keep things too." That statement is true - just ask my husband, so I did't say another word, but wondered what He meant.

Something else that's true - I've honestly been struggling a bit. I've felt overwhelmed, down and even on the verge of depressed. Though I have a daughter named "Joy", I haven't been experiencing much of that. It's not a place I like to be and I want to say it's not a place I've chosen to be, but yet here I am. I know God is trying to teach me something, but I also believe Satan is at work as well. I believe God will again prove Psalm 40 is true in my life - He will pull me out of the pit and put my feet on solid ground.

One of the ways He's trying to do just that is through today's devotional. Casting clearly is not a one time thing...that's true when we're fishing and also when we are praying. Friend, 1 Peter 5:7 tells us, "Cast ALL your cares on Him because He cares for you." As I read this verse again, my little boy's statement and God's follow-up whisper came to mind. Lately, I've been keeping some of my cares and anxieties.

My little people keep their rocks because they are cool and special and fun, but I'm not sure why I keep my cares from God. I guess sometimes I think they don't matter or it's not a big deal. Others I'm probably too busy and get distracted. Regardless of the reason, it's really just an excuse and that's not what God wants or I need.

So tonight before putting these thoughts on this screen, I did the very thing I encouraged my devo readers to do - I took out pen and paper and cast my cares...even the ones I thought I wanted to keep. It was a freeing exercise, even if I had to cast the same thing a few times. As I was casting, I was praying and asking God to show me what I was trying to keep.

I don't think it's a surprise that Peter uses this illustration...He was a fisherman! And all fisherman know - Casting is not a one time thing!! Friend, I pray you, and I, will cast our cares, our worries, our anxieties, our fears, our everything. Why? Because the One we're casting them to, cares for us more than we can imagine!