God's Good Ideas.

When I was younger I had wonderful ideas on how to help my local church which was struggling a little. I put some of these ideas in action and they were quite fruitful and I was pleased. Then one day I felt God was asking me to die to my good ideas and only use HIS! It was very hard because I am not really a creative person, I can't paint or sew or knit but I knew I my ideas were creative and well received by the parishioners. So reluctantly, one morning I said to Our Lord: from this day on I will die to MY good ideas, and only use yours." Sounds a bit dramatic but I was dramatic in those day.

A short while afterwards my dearest friend told me privately, that to her fear and amazement God had spoken to her that morning and she didn't know what the words meant and what she was supposed to do about them. She is a very down to earth woman, not given to fantasising so I believed her. Then she told me the words...and immediately I knew totally they were for me! Not only that, I knew precisely what I was supposed to do. It was one of God's Good Ideas that he had promised me. Incredibly awed by the idea that Our Almighty God could have plans for our little, struggling Parish, I swung into action. I knew exactly who to ask to help (18 people and they were not people I would have chosen myself and when I did, not one turned me down). Then followed some very active and Grace filled years. The Parish was changed and flourished so well it built a new church. I have now moved away from the area but it is still flourishing and I see God's Ideas being copied and used in other parishes, if in a less all enconpassing way. I am still amazed and awed by what happened. Praise Him.