Available

How do you react to stress?  If you're anything like me, it takes you back a bit... especially if you were focused on carrying out your own plans.

The Impact 360 director ended Tuesday's class time by announcing that students would be divided into groups, and that each group must prepare for and give a forty minute presentation on an assigned topic.  This wasn't so bad... except that the assignment was due at 9:00 the next day, when our groups would give their presentations.  Chaos ensued.  Not only was each group responsible for having this presentation ready, but between cleaning up after lunch, Service Opportunities, and a planned group outing, we would only have 2-3 hours to work together.

My group received the topic of "The Fall of Man".  As we met that night, stress levels were high.  How would we get this done in time?  We got to work immediately, deciding what each person would speak on, and quickly communicated our main points.  After a prayer, we dispersed to begin preparing individually.  The next morning, we had no time to run over the presentation, so we prayed again, hoping for the best.  It was a nervous feeling as we stood in front of thirty people, beginning to give a speech we had never given before.  In that situation, all we could do was trust God.  And it happened... the speech happened.  So often I get in front of a group like this, and begin to think the world is going to end... but it doesn't.  No matter how poorly a speech goes, I am still alive afterwards.  Thankfully, this presentation went well, and our group can look back to a job well done. 

Schedules are important to me.  I like to know the "what's", "where's", and "whens" of every event.  I often get up in the morning and plan out my day... making a list of everything I have to accomplish, and placing a time bracket around each task.  I also have trouble responding when unexpected events arise... tasks I HAVE to accomplish.  Why do these kinds of things bother me?  Maybe it's because a schedule provides comfort, or because of a need for control.  Either way, God tells me to always be alert.  I should be available and  open to His voice and Spirit directing my actions, and telling me, "This is what I want you to focus on today."  While schedules are great things to have, I can't follow them relentlessly or I'll miss out on what God has for me.  This week's project taught me a lot about trust and availability, and it isn't the last time our group will receive a "surprise assignment", but next time we'll be ready.