Go low, once again.

Go low.

In God the LORD, whose word I praise, in God I trust and will not be afraid, for what can mortals do to me? Psalm 56:10

…knowing that the One who had called them into this life was able to deliver in all circumstances.     –Rees Howells, Intercessor

So every morning Jack and Pippen come over to deliver the Arizona Daily Star that we share. And every day he asks about my day yesterday, and this morning I replied, “Simply awful.” It was. I felt like one of those soaked huddled bedraggled pelican clinging to a black pointy rock in the middle of a crashing sea.

I spent the day trying to stand strong and firm while angry children flung themselves at me and pummeled me with their words and rolled eyeballs and sneers and loud profanities and slammed books onto the floor and utter disengagement in the learning process.

And today His word was new. Once again, again and again. I received the command, “Go low.” Dive under the wave. Strong and smooth and focused. Go low.

And of course every teacher (and grandmother of a two-year-old) has this mantra pounded into her head: Choose your battles. But today the LORD God Almighty has declared that the battle is His and none are mine, and that I am to let Him wield the sword.

And once again I am grateful for the stories of ol’ He of Little Faith Gideon. And God was patient with him and showed him again and again that He Is Enough. It is not about me. Step down and watch Me do My thing.

And one of those jillion of articles floating around the internet is about stress and how really stress is not an issue. What is an issue is fear. And it is always pretty fun to hear ol’ Brandon talk about this his passion, to deal with stress without fear, but with trust, like when weird winds suddenly toss his little plane on a solo flight across the desert. Or how an EMT responds to a disaster, like the flipped over car right in front of our house yesterday afternoon.

Go low. Strong and smooth and focused.

Soft is stronger than hard.

Water is stronger than rock.

And the Audry Assad songs of the morning, back and forth to swimming:

From the fear of serving others

From the fear of death or trial

From the fear of humility

Deliver me O God

Deliver me O God

And I shall not want, I shall not want

When I taste Your goodness I shall not want

And

Strange and sweet collision of justice and mercy

Your burden is light and Your yoke is easy

I know, I know, and I believe You are the Lord

I know, I know, and I believe You are the Lord

Help my unbelief.

I will not be afraid.

Stand back and you will be amazed.