Stepping Up & Stepping Out

What Does It Mean To Step Out in Faith?

To step out in faith means to take a risk for God, knowing that He is going to catch you and be there with you if anything should happen.

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

So….writing this month’s blog is me on my journey. The title alone has been so not me. I have always had a fear of doing anything that brought attention to myself or put me in the “ limelight” so to speak.

Well, over the last several months, God has had other plans for me. He does that. He knows what our plans are WAY before we even think about it. Let me tell you a little story about how God will work in your life.

In August 2021, I went to a Women’s Retreat in Tennessee. Several people had said you will come back a changed person. So I went with an open mind. Oh my… from the minute I walked into that cabin, I felt a stirring (that stirring gets better later in the story). It was something I had never felt before…SHEW…

We started Friday evening outside in our comfy lawn chairs with about 50 + WOMEN OF GOD worshiping, and then several ladies with a word from God spoke after that. Noone stayed in their seats much after that.

I had a beautiful friend speak a word over me. And what was it about?? FEAR…LET IT GO!!! Ok.. so this is how it’s going to be this weekend, I thought to myself. And the evening continued to go on fairly late.

So Saturday morning brings another day full of worship, speakers, fellowship, and releasing…WOW…how powerful that was. This goes on all day into the evening again.

Then Sunday rolls around and of course, we started the morning with church, outside with a fire. How awesome that was…

And to add to all this, from the time you step into the cabin on Friday until you leave Monday morning, there are women praying over each other, giving others a word, or just sitting with someone that needs a shoulder to cry on.

Ok…so… here is where it gets REAL. There was a small stream by the cabin. A few ladies decided they wanted to get baptized/re-baptized.

So it began… as the few that had originally decided to do this were getting in the water, several of us decided we wanted to do the same. Over 40 women in all got baptized.

All during that time, it was raining and the stream began to rise. But 3 beautiful Women of God that were baptizing everyone stayed in that water even though it was cold and muddy and high. P.S. Love you ladies.

So it was my time to get into the water and I will admit I was nervous.. you know.. stepping out here in front of people. When I got in they prayed over me and baptized me. When I came up, it was like I was being set free…. I let out a scream of joy…

The water was stirring, (remember what I said earlier about the stirring?), swirling, running backward, and bubbles were everywhere. When I got out I had this soap of bubbles all over me. I mean like I had been run through the wash cycle.. talk about getting cleansed!!!

From that moment on, I felt this awakening in me. I wasn’t sure what was going on. The rest of the weekend was just amazing.

On the last day, we were having worship before we left and we were asked if anyone wanted to say something about their weekend and before I knew it I was up and grabbing the microphone! ‘Who was this person?’

I spoke about how God was telling me to step up and step out. Was I nervous? Yes…was I ready to run? Absolutely… But I knew my God was standing right there with me.

Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Fast forward to January of this year and I’m doing a blog. Who would have thought? I was asked if I was interested and what was crazy is I had been thinking about doing something like this. Confirmation??

YES!!! But I still wanted to pray about it. I wasn’t sure what I would write about. Would anyone even read it? I’ve read blogs and some people just have such a way with words that I don’t. I really wasn’t sure but I felt God was putting it in front of me so I said I would try.

So now I needed to decide what I was going to blog about and I prayed about it and I decided the best thing was to write about things I’ve dealt with in the past or possibly things that I’m dealing with right now.

So.. here I am, writing blog #3. I hope that this blog can help someone that is geared to step up and step out. God won’t put something on your heart to do if it isn’t for him… believe me, I’ve tried doing things for myself and they don’t work out so I know this is a God thing.

Read Joshua 1:9 again, He’s there beside us, He will guide us in our gifts, to help us be stronger in them and grow in them. He’s never going to lead us astray; we just need to trust in Him, have faith in Him, and then do what God wants us to do without questioning Him.

I hope you have a blessed day…

Never let your cup become empty☕

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Lou Ann Virden is the author of the blog Farmhouse, Coffee and Jesus. She is very active in her church. She volunteers in the food pantry, usher/greeter team, and cleaning crew. She is on the prayer team, is over the sound room team, and she writes the newsletter for her church. Lou Ann and her husband Donnie will be relaunching The Refuge 180 Evangelism Ministry. They have been married for over 40 years. They live on her husband’s family farm with their dog Hunter. In the summer they are busy canning what they harvest from their garden. Her hobbies include going to the beach, reading, camping, and serving however she can. She hopes that her blogs inspires someone that might be dealing with a similar situation.