The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: JOURNEY (01/13/22)
Six inches of snow had fallen during the night and was still coming down. Serene whiteness blanketed the landscape, the streets still appealingly devoid of tire tracks. Though I’d grown up in Ohio where snow was commonplace, it had been almost forty years since those days, and snow in the south was a novelty.

I made a cup of hot cocoa and settled into a chair by the window to enjoy the view while I read the entry titled “God Surprise Us” from Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by Mark Batterson. It was inspiring to read about the many miracles and surprises Mark and the National Community church have experienced. I felt encouraged as I continue my own personal journey toward building a more powerful prayer life. Mark reminded me that I have not because I ask not (James 4:2b) and to pray about all things without ceasing (Philippians 4:6)—emphasizing that God isn’t only in the big things, He’s also in the small ones.

Voices and children’s laughter sounded outside distracting me from my reading. I tried to block out the noise, but when the volume increased, I peeked out the window to investigate. I was shocked to see almost twenty adults and children merrily riding sleds down our sloped side yard.

We were polite to our neighbors, waved, chit-chatted with a few, and helped out whenever we saw a need, but we didn’t hang out with the party-crowd. We were friendly, but we were almost strangers—and it wasn’t from a lack of trying. Yet, now, at least half of them were frolicking and playing in our yard, and not one adult had knocked on our door to ask if it was okay.

At first I did nothing.

In hindsight, I should’ve prayed.

As I wasn’t sure who’d started the shenanigans, or even who half the bundled up culprits were, I decided to put a post out on our closed-group community Facebook page.

I carefully drafted my post, read it, re-read it, revised and then repeated the process until I felt comfortable with the results. My husband was concerned about liability issues, but I didn’t even mention that. I began with: “Neighbors, I don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill, …” I wrote that I understood how excited everyone was to see snow, but said it would have been nice if someone had asked before they made use of our property.

Some received the message well and acknowledged they should have asked first, but, not so surprisingly, others were livid.

What had I done? I hate conflict. What did it really matter if neighbors used our yard whenever it snowed? We hadn’t said anything in the past—trying to be neighborly—it had been the sheer volume of people who’d gathered, and my husband’s concerns, that had me taking action.

I beat myself up for hours. My words had been well thought out and said with as much kindness as I could convey, but now I wondered if I shouldn’t have said anything at all. Had this been my opportunity to “entertain angels” and I’d blown it? How many years would it take before I learned to go to God BEFORE trying to handle things on my own?

I went to bed still bashing myself over the head. I cried out to God and awoke this morning feeling much like what I imagine Jacob must have felt after his night of wrestling (Genesis 32:22-29). Like Jacob, I begged to be blessed, to receive God’s peace about the whole situation.

I struggle with where to draw the line between showing love to others and becoming a doormat. I crave confirmation that my actions weren't wrong. Mostly, I feel like a failure. No matter how many years I’ve been a Christ-follower, I still find myself veering off track from the woman God wants me to be.

Trampled snow still covers the neighborhood, but it is unusually quiet outside today. The silence elevates my guilt … or my discomfort. I’m not sure. The only thing I know is that when the snow disappears, I plan to prayer-walk the neighborhood—as long as it takes—and ask God to restore neighborly relations. Even though I may not deserve it, I am thankful that my merciful God doesn’t give me what I deserve. I hope that, maybe, He’ll even surprise me.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 138 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Philippa Geaney 
01/27/22
I read your entry with interest - it wasn’t too much of a stretch to grasp the topic challenge was in your journey of living each new day, each new situation, under the guidance of the Lord.
It was a tricky situation and from my experience, the Lord is not shocked by our surprised, indignant or concerned reactions. Sometimes I’ve sensed His amusement over my ‘ruffled feathers’.
That doesn’t mean I was at liberty to strengthen my argument or prolong it more than absolutely necessary. But He is a loving Father. Willing to reason together. Never condemn.
Jesus Precious Blood is so powerful. Cheers.