Kicking doors

As most of you know I have been thinking a lot about love in action these days.... why? I have been reading a book about it by Bob Goff! I LOVE THIS BOOK! I am not finished yet... this is merely a chapter review because it's just that good, to try and sum up the whole book into one post is going to be hard. This book is written like a blog, I love it! Have I said that yet? He's challenging me, he's making me giggle and in these last few weeks I am finding that each chapter is exactly what I have been needing to hear or be reminded of.

The chapter I am going to share with you right now... is a chapter that speaks directly into the previous blog post from today (yes... you will get two posts today). The chapter starts with a quote... one that I loved so much I just had to twitter it!!

'I used to think that God guided us by opening and closing doors, but now I know that sometimes God wants us to kick some doors down.' Bob Goff

How true is this? I have always waited for doors to open or close, and sometimes they get slammed right in my nose! As I read this chapter, and read about how Bob tried and failed to get into law school, despite a deep desire to become a lawyer, he didn't take no for an answer. Instead, he spoke with the Dean, and told the man that he had the power to make the decision to let him into school, that all he had to do was say 'go buy your books'. The dean smiled at him but didn't let him into school. So everyday he went and sat outside the deans office, and every time the dean passed him Bob would remind him 'All you have to say is 'go buy your books'. It took roughly two weeks, but one day the dean came to him, winked and said 'go buy your books'. He's now a lawyer.

I have been thinking about this... more because these days I am finding myself learning how to be a squeaky wheel when it comes to getting Josh the help he needs. I want to be a good advocate but I don't want to annoy people. However, what if this is a door I need to kick down?! (I would really find kicking a door in very therapeutic these days).

Where is the balance between letting God, and doing? I think of the widow in the Bible who had debtors who were threatening to take her sons...

In II Kings 4:1-7:

Verse 1: The wife of a man from the guild of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that he was devoted to God. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
Verse 2: Elisha replied to her, “What help can I be? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “I have nothing except a little oil.”
Verse 3: Elisha said, “Go up and down the street and borrow jugs and bowls from everyone. Don’t ask for just a few.
Verse 4: Then come back home and close the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into every container you have, and as each is filled, set it to one side.”
Verse 5: The widow left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. Her boys brought the jars to her and she continued pouring in the oil.
Verse 6: When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Another jug, please.”
But he replied, “We’ve used all the containers.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
Verse 7: The widow went and told Elisha, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and take care of your debts. You and your sons can live on the money that remains”

This woman, about to lose her two boys, who had already lost her husband and had nothing but a small amount of oil got much more than she had bargained for, but first she had to act. First she had to 'do'. She didn't just sit by praying and hoping that God would do something to save her boys and herself. Instead she got up, and went seeking help.

Powerful reminder for this new season of life.

You will be hearing much more about my journey through this amazing book... but if you want to get your own copy and make the trip with me I would love to hear your thoughts!