Podcast

How Do I Trust God When I’m Depleted and Overwhelmed? Stacie Snell

[00:00:00] Welcome to the Unshakable Hope Podcast, where real life intersects redeeming love. I’m Kellie Hall, and this is where we wrestle through faith questions, such as how do I trust God’s heart when His ways and delays are breaking mine? We’ll hear from people just like you and me, who have experienced God’s faithfulness when life didn’t unfold as they expected.

My prayer is that God would renew our hope in His Word and His love through these conversations.

Kelly: hey, friends, well, we have reached the final episode of our summer Bible story series. So I’ll go back to releasing my regular interview content. There are some amazing conversations coming, which I hope and pray will encourage you in your faith walk. But this series we’ve been in this whole summer, which ends today has been such a blessing to me.

I’ve been calling it redemptive wrestling. Or hope that wrestles, [00:01:00] we’ve heard some beautiful stories, personal and biblical. And the whole point has been, how do we wrestle through everything that stands in the way, all the feelings, all the hard stuff so that we land in a place of deeper hope and trust in the Lord.

I pray that you’ve been blessed and encouraged along the way.

The stories that we’ve looked at in the Bible are so personal to me because they contain truths that have honestly anchored me to God’s heart. And my own personal times of heartache or times when I have been overwhelmed are even offended at the things God was allowing in my life. I just wanted to add that if you know someone who might be encouraged or inspired by any of these faith questions we’ve addressed over the past few weeks, would you share these episodes with them?

Kelly: They will be listed in the show notes, but you can also access them on my website, kellyhall. org or anywhere you listen to podcasts. We covered a lot of ground. We [00:02:00] started with how do I heal when I’m angry at God? We answered the question. How do I pray through a crisis? We talked about how do I walk through suffering without giving up on God among a handful of other topics

I’m back today with Stacy Snell. In the last episode, Stacy shared a powerful, miraculous story it always chokes me up every time I hear it. She shared how God met her little girl when she was very, very sick and in the ICU. And she also shared a powerful story about how God rescued her from a time when she was disillusioned with him.

And she didn’t know if she would ever be able to trust him again. Last week, the question we were answering was, how do I trust God when he hurts my feelings? This week, Stacey is joining me again as we talk about how do I trust God when I’m depleted or overwhelmed, we’re going to go to a familiar story where Jesus walked on the water, [00:03:00] but we’re going to pull out some of the behind the scenes context that I think will help us draw closer to God’s heart and see the story in a different light. We’ll highlight some thoughts and some strategies that have helped us that may help others when we feel depleted or overwhelmed. I want to introduce Stacy again for those who, might not have heard it last week. She’s my precious friend. We’ve served together in women’s ministry for many years. She has such a tender and teachable heart toward the Lord and always inspires me.

Stacy was my very first guest on this podcast. So I will also link to that first story in the show notes. She is a ministry leader, a Bible teacher, a speaker, a former blogger. And I just love how God called her into ministry many years ago from John 11, where he just said to her, Stacy, do you love me?

Then feed my sheep. Stacy lives with her husband, Chad and their two daughters, Skyler in Sydney and [00:04:00] Pueblo, Colorado. So Stacy, welcome to another discussion on the Unshakable Hope Podcast.

Stacie: Thanks, Kelly. What a bonus that it’s a two for one.

 

Kelly: So fun. Well, this story that we’re recording today is in Matthew 14, and

it starts in verse 22. And we’re just looking at the story of Jesus walking on the water. But I’m wondering before we dive in, If you could kind of provide a little bit of context that you’ve discovered, and we’ll just both speak to the context, what do you know about how this story sits in the story of the Bible?

Stacie: Well, it’s interesting because this story of Jesus walking on the water. We talked about John the Baptist last week, and this story butts right up against John the Baptist being beheaded in prison. And so Jesus and his disciples are processing the grief of losing John the Baptist and what happened to him.

And as they’re [00:05:00] going away by themselves to grieve and try to get a break, They’re met with a huge crowd of people that they can’t feed. And Jesus feeds 5, 000 with just some, some bread and some fish. So, the context is just overwhelming circumstances after overwhelming circumstances, after overwhelming circumstances, and it just doesn’t stop.

So I just can’t even imagine. What was going through the disciples minds at that time, you know, what they’re processing at that time.

Kelly: Yeah, I think that is truly an impactful part of this story that most people miss. Jesus says, let’s go away by ourselves. You know, they’re getting away so they can grieve the loss of their friend.

They’re going to grieve, but instead they’re thrust into this. all day ministry event that they weren’t expecting. [00:06:00] Jesus preaches, Jesus heals, they’re working all day long. And then there’s this huge miracle. And I mean, . And then Jesus kind of comes up against their faith several times.

Like, you know, they’re like, send them away. We need a break. They’re hungry. They need to go get food. And Jesus says, no, you feed them. So he extends the ministry day by hours and hours. And that’s where he feeds. And some theologians have said, maybe it was 25, 000 people because only the men were counted in that 5, 000 number.

And so it’s this huge miracle and

they really haven’t had, I think they’re tired, they’re sad. They’re overwhelmed. They’re worn out and they are being hit there. With the glory of Jesus, and I don’t think they’ve even had time to process it.

Stacie: Yeah, it’s not a good combination. I just think of in my own life times that I’m. Hungry and tired and sad. [00:07:00] Nothing good is coming out of you at that moment. So, it’s really interesting.

Kelly: Yeah.  One of the points I want to make just right off the bat is maybe in those moments when we are ready to throw in the towel and go to bed and the Lord is inviting us into one more thing. One or there’s one more person standing in front of us that needs our attention. Maybe that is where We’re going to see one of the greatest miracles that we’ve ever experienced with Jesus.

I just want to make the point, Jesus is enough. He is always enough for whatever he calls you to do in a day. Even when you’re depleted, even when you’re overwhelmed, Jesus is enough. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, when you feel depleted and overwhelmed, it might just be the theater where God does his greatest work, his greatest miracle, the greatest miracle you ever experienced in your life.

So don’t give up. Don’t give up right here, right now. This just might be the place [00:08:00] where you see Jesus doing something he has never done before. Jesus is always enough.

Stacie: That’s so good, Kelly.

Kelly: It just encourages me so much.

So we’ll just jump back into the story. Jesus had fed the 5, 000. He sent them all away. And Stacy, why don’t we just read?

Kelly: Do you want to go ahead and do that?

Stacie: Sure. So starting in Matthew 14, verse 22, immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up to the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.

And in the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, it’s a ghost. And they [00:09:00] cried out in fear, but immediately Jesus spoke to them saying, take heart. It is. I do not be afraid.

 

Kelly: Let’s stop right there for just a moment. Let’s talk about that verse before we read the rest of the story. So what do you discover about. Their responses, what, what stands out to you in this story ?

Stacie: I love that in John six, when this story is recounted in John, it says that they had rowed three or three and a half miles and as I read that account, I’m thinking sometimes God just lets us see how futile our own human efforts are.

before he comes on the scene so that we realize, like, yeah, this isn’t working. I think we’re so stubborn as, as humans sometimes. We need to be allowed to, to row against the wind for three or three and a half miles or whatever that takes. Yeah. It’s like, okay, [00:10:00] are you ready for me to show you now?

Kelly: I love that.

I think that’s so what I think is so interesting about this struggle is Jesus was up on the mountain praying. So I kind of wonder, is he seeing them? Is he aware of what’s going on with them? And I kind of think he could see them. I think that, you know, he’s praying and I think he’s, he knows what’s going on with them.

He knows how hard they’re struggling. And there have been, there were many instances where their faith was tested. While they were fishing and I think that just speaks to the truth that Jesus is meeting them in the place where they’re the most comfortable where they think they really have a handle on things where they think I don’t need you.

I need you for emergencies, but, you know, I know how to fish. I know how to row.. So I don’t really need you here, but it’s so interesting that God allows so many of their struggles to take place. Where they’re the most [00:11:00] comfortable.

Stacie: Yeah.

Kelly: It’s good for us to know because we we want to be so self sufficient but it’s a reminder to turn to God always.

Stacie: Yeah, it reminds me of a story when Sidney was two years old. . So my girls are two years apart. I was taking Skylar to preschool and Sydney just wanted to be so much like her big sister. She just, everything Skylar did she wanted to do. So we’re getting ready to take Sky to preschool one day and Sydney wanted and was insistent on carrying a big girl backpack just like Skylar.

And so she picked up this backpack that was like, Twice the size of her little torso. And she just started filling it full with toys and then was insistent on carrying it out to the car. And she’s like stumbling and tripping and just unable to carry it. And I kept telling Sydney, you look kind of ridiculous.

Let mommy [00:12:00] help you. And I felt like God was telling me that morning. What you just said to her is what I’m saying to you. Like you look ridiculous trying to carry all that by yourself. Why don’t you let me carry that now? Are you ready to give it over to me now? So just in this story, the fact that God let them Jesus let them row for that long on their own.

I think he does that for us.

Kelly: That’s such a good illustration. I love that. So let’s see. Okay. Now we also see that Jesus came walking on the water. So he comes to rescue them in an unlikely way. And he’s walking on the water and they think it’s a ghost. And so they cry out, they’re afraid.

But immediately Jesus responds, take courage. It’s me. Don’t be afraid. And I, I love the way that he ministers to them and their fear. Like he’s coming to help them. He’s coming to help them and [00:13:00] rescue them, but they’re still afraid. Yeah, they don’t recognize him. That’s one of the things I wondered about.

Why don’t they understand that this is their savior? And I really think that it’s because of the fact that they haven’t had time to process everything. They’re tired. They’re hungry. They’re exhausted and at the point of absolute overwhelm.

They still haven’t processed their grief. They haven’t They still haven’t been able to process the message of the miracle that just happened when Jesus fed 20 something thousand people. And, they’re not calling out to him.

That’s the other thing. They’re just being self sufficient.

Stacie: And all he has to say is take heart, take courage. It is I. And so, . Jesus saying it is I is a point back to the name of God that he’s given since the beginning.

It is I, I am. So everything you’re feeling right now, everything you’re dealing with, it’s I, that’s all [00:14:00] you need. It is. I, so I think that’s such an important point to know as well . That’s all it takes sometimes is for him to say, take courage. It is I when we’re in those moments of complete overwhelm, that whole laundry list of things that we have going on one name.

That’s the answer to all of it. It is. I,

Kelly: yeah, he is with us. We see that throughout scripture when people are afraid. God says, I’m with you. And then it’s so comforting. Like you would think, really, that’s all you’re going to say. I’m with you, but that’s the answer. That’s all you need.

That’s everything. He is with you. That’s the reminder we need. And I’ve had so many people share stories where they were struggling and that’s what God spoke to them. I’m with you. I’ll help you. I’ve got you because the fact. That he is with us. It always implies action on his [00:15:00] behalf. I’m sorry. It always implies action from him on our behalf.

Yeah.

Yeah. And it also just comforts me so much because it reminds me of Exodus 34. And I’ve seen some commentaries allude to this, that Jesus shows them his glory, just like God showed Moses his glory way back in Exodus 34, where Moses is getting overwhelmed by all the Israelites. He’s leading through the desert.

Oh, they’re complaining. And it’s a big become a burden. And he says to God, if you’re not going to go with us, I don’t want to go. Who are you going to send with us? Who are you going to send with me? And God says, I will see this journey through the end. I’ll be with you. But then Moses asked him to show him his glory.

And that’s where he hides him in the cleft. And that’s where he passes by. And, and he’s not in the wind. He’s not in the fire. He’s in the still, small voice. And he gets to behold his glory. Gets to see his. Back as he passes [00:16:00] by and that ministers to him and that rescues his soul in that place. And you’re right.

The disciples are rescued. We should be rescued. Our rescue is also the exact same thing. Stacy, I’m with you. Kelly, I’m with you. Whatever we’re going through, we should, we hear him say, I’m with you. And so the question I will often ask myself, You know God is with you. He’s speaking that to you right now.

Why isn’t that changing your perspective? Why? Why isn’t the nearness of God’s overwhelming, rescuing, all powerful presence changing your life in this moment? Do you have any thoughts about that? Well, I’m curious

Stacie: what your answer is. Okay,

Kelly: so here’s my answer. We take his presence for granted. We don’t comprehend the enormity and majesty of that gift, just like [00:17:00] the disciples didn’t comprehend the enormity and majesty of who God is.

We’re about to see that in a minute when he stills the storm, when they walk on water, when everything ends, and then another miracle. They are immediately at the shore. I mean, he’s just about to unleash some more of his glory and they’re going to be just overwhelmed again. So I think we find an answer to this question in Mark eight.

This is after Jesus fed the 4, 000 and just after the miracle, they’re in the boat and Jesus is trying to teach them something and they start completely misunderstanding and he said, is your heart so hardened, you still don’t get it and they look at him with, you know, kind of wide eyed, they don’t get who he is and this is how he responds to them.

Don’t you remember when I fed the 5, 000? Yes. How many loaves were, how many [00:18:00] baskets were left over? 12. And then he says, and when I just fed the 4, 000 about three minutes ago, how many baskets were left over? I think seven. I can’t remember. I think it was seven. And what he’s doing is he’s having them remember Rehearse and sit in all the ways that he has demonstrated his faithfulness and power and personal attention in their lives.

That’s what rescues me. That’s what helps my heart move from taking God’s presence for granted, to actually being transformed by the presence of God is I have to sit in stories and I have to not just remember, Oh, God did this, I mean, sometimes that’s enough. I can list the ways God has helped me.

But when I sit in a story, when I rehearse it, that’s the word I would use when I rehearse stories in my life, or God has been faithful when I rehearse stories in the Bible. My soul, my heart, my [00:19:00] mind is actually in those places using my imagination. To comprehend more of what was really happening behind the scenes.

And when I do that, I’m transformed.

Stacie: That’s so good, Kelly. The same story that we’re reading in Matthew 14 is also recounted in Mark 6. And it says in Mark 6 that when he climbed into the boat with them and the wind died down, they were completely amazed.

And so the same thing as I was reading that I was wondering, well, why, why were their hearts hardened? And I think that’s something we could apply to our lives. When you’re going from overwhelming to overwhelming to overwhelming, we don’t give ourselves to overwhelming, The time to sit and process and really think about, Whoa, that was overwhelming.

But what did I just see him do? Right. Cause we’re just met with the next overwhelming thing. [00:20:00] Right. So we have to have time to sit and really think about what did I just see him do?

Kelly: Yeah, that’s huge. It’s huge. And when you read this exact same story in john six, you see that when he stepped in the boat, okay, the wind and the waves were completely stilled.

And then it says they were immediately at their destination. That was the other thing. What? I mean, I love that there was an immediate rescue. We see the word immediately in here in this story three different times. Immediately when they were afraid, he said, take courage. It’s me. Don’t be afraid.

Immediately. So Peter walked on the water for a moment until he didn’t, and he got overwhelmed. He looked away from Jesus, looked at the wind and waves, and it says immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. And then he described him as having little faith and asked him, why did you doubt? And then he climbs in the boat.

[00:21:00] Everything is still like the storm stops. I can’t even imagine. What that was like. I mean, when we’re in the storms of our life to have everything just suddenly be resolved. What a gift. Wow. Yeah, see the glory of God. And I know we’ve all had moments when God rescued us Immediately in in a certain way and it’s so important to remember that and then we also read in John 6 They were immediately at their destination.

He just kept rescuing them so powerfully He was so so gracious so amazing so miraculous I hope that after this they went home and spent some time just rehearsing all the good, all the power that they saw lived out in their lives.

Stacie: Yes.

Kelly: so let’s go back to Peter. This is a huge part of the story and this is the part of the story most people will focus on when Peter walked on the water.

Stacie: Should we read that portion of [00:22:00] the story? Please do. So picking up in Matthew 14, 28. And Peter answered him, Lord, if it is, you command me to come to you on the water. He said, come. So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to pray.

And beginning to sink, he cried out, Lord save me. Jesus immediately, there’s that word again, immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased and those in the boat worshiped him saying, truly, you are the son of God.

Kelly: That’s the appropriate response to worship, to praise, to acknowledge the truth of who he is. So let’s talk about Peter’s struggles in that moment when he was walking on water. First of all, let’s just acknowledge that Peter’s [00:23:00] the only guy who had the courage to get out there,

Stacie: I always wonder what were the other disciples doing?

Like, were they pushing him? Like, yeah, you go. Or were they like, Peter, don’t do it. It’s stupid. I just wonder what, what were they doing? What were they saying or thinking as Peter’s like, yeah, I’ll do it. Yeah, my life group used to whenever one of us would step out in faith for something we used to jokingly say, well, we’re pushing you out of the boat.

This is your chance. Go walk on the water. So we’re going to be the friends that are pushing you out of the boat. And I want to be that kind of friend. That’s going to encourage somebody’s faith to the point that. I’ll give you a little shove to go out on the boat onto the water.

Kelly: Yeah.

I love that.

Stacie: I think I’ve pushed you a few times, Kelly.

Kelly: Yeah. Yeah. I think you have. Yes,

Even being my first guest on this podcast, Oh, I can remember a lot of ways you have. Kind of pushed me out of the boat, such a good friend, .

So I think it’s so interesting. [00:24:00] We always want to talk about why did he doubt and you know, we know why he took his eyes off Jesus. It was an overwhelming situation. It was terribly frightening. It was a huge storm. The storms that are on that can happen on the Sea of Galilee are no kidding.

Real big, huge storms. So we know why he took his eyes off Jesus. But what I think is so tender and so courageous about Peter is the moment he began to sink. He turned his eyes back on Jesus.

And said, save me, Lord, save me. Yeah.

Stacie: You know what really stuck out to me too, was that it says in verse 30, when he saw the wind, he was afraid. It wasn’t even the waves. That made him afraid, but the wind. And when we get in those moments where we take our eyes off Jesus, how often is it for an invisible threat?

Because you can’t see wind, [00:25:00] you can see the effects of it. But you can’t see the wind, but it says he saw the wind. And we Take our eyes off of him and look at all of those things that are invisible, that may not even be real threats, you know, like, then we start thinking of what is this person going to think of me as I’m in this situation, or how is this going to affect me?

And it’s all those what ifs, . that can take our eyes off of Jesus as well. I just thought that was interesting. It really stuck out to me this time.

Kelly: Such a good point. Yes. So many of the, the fears we feel in our life are imagining things getting worse and we’re imagining a future without God’s power present.

Stacie: Yeah,

Kelly: But in that place. Jesus does not condemn us. He didn’t condemn Peter. He was immediately at his side. He’s immediately at our, our sides. Immediately. We just cry out, help me, [00:26:00] rescue me. He’s already there. He’s already there. But when we cry out, save me where that really opens us up to grabbing hold of his rescue, to taking his hand, to hearing his voice.

Stacie: Yes.

Kelly: I read a book, JD Greer wrote it. He says God can accomplish more in one moment than we can in a lifetime. And that’s why I like these immediately words. And that’s why I love the example of the boat.

Instantly being at its destination, because that reminds me when I’m worried about somebody I love, what happens to me is sometimes panic and fear will rise up in my mind will start to try to find a thousand solutions, like, what can I do? What can I do? And I’m sifting through them in my mind.

It almost feels like I opened a junk drawer and I’m sifting through all the contents of this junk drawer. But what I love is we see. That god is outside of time. And so we can feel like we’re lacking. [00:27:00] We have no time. We don’t have enough. We don’t have enough resources. There’s no rescue here.

There’s no time. There’s no way this is ever going to work out that God can do more in a moment than we could accomplish in a lifetime. there can actually be immediately’s in our future. We can actually cry out and say, God, what do you want to do right here, right now? Show me. Rescue. Help.

And I have seen him come through in those places and say to me at a time when I was fighting for my kids and I actually had to stay engaged. But he kept telling me I’m making a way where there’s no way I’m parting the sea in front of you. We’re getting to the other side today. And I saw him work and it comforted me so much.

Stacie: That’s amazing. I love that you keep bringing us back to that too, Kelly, because this story very intentionally in Mark and John, when you read the same story, it’s intentional that they say. Would’ve been 3:00 AM to 6:00 [00:28:00] AM . So Jesus dismissed the disciples, then he dismissed the crowd. So this was an all night affair, but then when Jesus comes on the scene, it’s immediate and sometimes.

This is something that God showed me too. We see immediate and hear immediate. And we think like my circumstances have to change immediately then. And sometimes that’s not what he’s accomplishing. It’s like an immediate peace in my heart, even in these circumstances. One day I was on a walk and it, it was really windy outside and just like not an enjoyable walk.

It was just so windy. And on this walk, I, I pray a lot when I go for walks and I was just like going through all of the things that were overwhelming me and just really threatening to take me down that day. And I felt like God [00:29:00] was speaking to me about the storms and said, sometimes I’ll calm the storm inside of you.

Before I call the storm around you and it was the craziest thing, Kelly. I even took a picture, a selfie on my phone because the wind stopped like in my, it was like, I was surrounded by a bubble, my hair stopped blowing. So I took a picture because my hair is down, but I looked around and the trees were still blowing.

There was still wind all around me, but my hair was down and not blowing anymore. And I just felt like he was saying, this is what peace inside looks like

all that stuff is still blowing around you, but it’s peace here. The storm inside of you is immediately calmed and sometimes our circumstances aren’t immediately changed or answered or fixed.

But the peace inside [00:30:00] of us. is immediate. When Jesus comes on the scene and says, take courage. It is I that’s when immediate change happens. And it starts right here inside.

Kelly: Hmm. That is such a powerful story. I love that. God illustrated that for you in a tangible, physical way. Yeah. Yeah. He calms the storm inside of us before he calms.

The storm outside of us and around us, there’s a song that I’ve heard, I know you’ve heard it. It looks like we’re surrounded, but we’re surrounded by you. And that is an important distinction we need to make when we are surrounded by overwhelming obstacles. And currently right now in this season, it seems like every time I turn around, there are more difficult things that are falling apart.

Even today, and I don’t know how we’re going to work that out and they’re pretty overwhelming and pretty big, [00:31:00] but I have just sensed God telling me, I’ve got you, I’ve got them and giving me peace as I’m walking through it and just saying, I’m going to make a way . Because so much of our stress comes from not holding a solution in our hands, we want an answer.

We want to see how it’s going to play out. That’s what gives us peace. And I think it’s so important to make that distinction that we serve a savior who holds the answer and when our trust is in him. We can have peace, even when we don’t know the answer.

Stacie: Yeah.

Kelly: I think it’s so beautiful the way you have the specific stories about how God cultivates peace and hope. And courage in the midst of the overwhelm so much of what’s been shared in this story and through our personal stories just helps us cultivate courage in the overwhelm of life.

God is a God who is with us. And who has all power, all [00:32:00] control, and has an intensely personal commitment to our good. And he’s intensely invested in our story. That’s what gives us hope. Mm hmm.

Stacie: I think Susie Larson says it, but it’s so true for what we’ve been studying today. When God calls us out, he holds us up. If he calls us to it, he’s going to see us through it.

So when he’s calling us out of the boat to walk on the waves toward him, he, he knows he’s the one that’s going to hold us up through it. He’s the one that’s going to see us through to completion in whatever overwhelming circumstances we’re walking through.

Kelly: That’s such a word of hope for us. Wow. So good.

Stacie: Yeah. Do you have any personal stories that can connect the dots,?

Kelly: I do remember, I remember one particular story and I shared this in a podcast quite a while ago, it was one of my solo ones, but this was a time in our life. When my husband [00:33:00] and I were talking and we said, every person in our extended family is in crisis right now. And it was really overwhelming.

And both my parents passed away of Alzheimer’s, but my mom was still alive. So my dad had just passed away. 10 months later, my mom would pass away. I was scheduled to fly out to Baltimore where. My sister and her husband cared for both my parents such a gift, but I didn’t know if this was going to be the last time I visited my mom and they were going to get some time away.

So it was so important. I wanted to be so fully present in that story. We were starting to land in Baltimore and I remember just leaning my head against the window of the airplane and looking outside and the sky was beautiful. It was blue.. The sun was shining and I just looked at that and I said, God, I don’t know how to do this because I felt overwhelmed.

Number one, stepping away. From the [00:34:00] people in my life that were in my home who were in crisis, and I felt like it wouldn’t be as available to those by phone who were in crisis. So I was just like, I don’t know how to do this. I feel like I need to be back there. I feel like I need to be poised to rescue at a moment’s notice.

And it was so difficult for me. Like it was, I mean, I just felt like I was almost drowning under the sorrow and sadness. and actually just the overwhelm of, I don’t know how to do this. Like I don’t know how, and God just began to speak to me and he began to name people in my life that I love so dearly who were struggling.

And he said, Kelly, I’ve got, and he named someone. And I thought, well, what about this? And he said, I’ve got, and he named that person. And then I was about to go through every single, what about, and what if I could think of, and it was as if I heard God chuckle, and he was just like, Kelly, I got them [00:35:00] all.

I’ve got your whole family, got everybody. They’re safe. I’ve got them. Trust me. Just that simple thing. I am with you. Just like the story. I’m with you. And it’s so important for us to realize that he’s with them as well. He’s with us, but he’s with those we love as well, even when we’re not there. And it’s a great act of faith to remember God is with them in the same love that he is with us. It’s so beautiful. And so as he just spoke those words, trust me. And even just the impression of him laughing a little bit in the background, you know, that helped me. I was like, yeah, this is kind of ridiculous. I know, but okay. I trust you. I know you’ve got them. I know you’ve got me.

And in that very moment, as tears just ran down my face on this airplane, I, I felt freed. I was fully freed to be completely present [00:36:00] with my mom during that whole week and, and I was, and God just kept meeting me and meeting those that I loved who were in need during that whole entire time. It was powerful.

Stacie: That is such a great story. And I love in that story that. We see our efforts in doing it in our taking care of it all ourself. Right? Like you need me to be there to take care of those people. And that’s just like what he was doing with the disciples, letting them go all night and letting them row three or three and a half miles against the waves.

He’s showing us like, yes, I’ve placed you in, in their lives so that you can take part just like he had with. The feeding of the 5, 000. He let the disciples be the ones to feed them. And he’s intentionally placed us right where we are. But then he brings us to that place of it’s beyond our capacity and I could take it from here.

And I’m going to show you that [00:37:00] I’m completely in control here. In the story we read today in Matthew and in your story.

Kelly: Yeah, that’s so powerful. I guess the thought that I would just leave with is we could spend the rest of our lives coming to grips with the enormity of the promise that God is with us.

And I just want to close with this little prayer that I have posted on my wall. I say it quite frequently, . , but that’s because I say it in my life almost weekly.

And it’s just the truth that God’s already gone before us. He’s with us. He’ll never leave us or forsake us. So we don’t have to be afraid. Or discouraged. His very presence should transform our days, should dispel our fear and should give us peace and comfort. Like we’ve talked about in this series,

we have to wrestle through the fear. We have to keep turning to him in those places of overwhelm. But this is just a prayer I declare out loud a lot, Lord, you are with me and for me in all your. [00:38:00] Wonder working, giant slaying, sea splitting, mountain moving, water walking, sun stopping, obstacle demolishing, death defying, power and love at all times.

That’s who you are and that’s how you work. And when I say that out loud, it just helps my mind grasp a little more of the truth of what it means that God is with me. Oh,

Stacie: I love that.

Kelly: Well, I hope you’ve been encouraged through this whole series, but specifically through today. Stacey, thank you so much for joining us.

Stacie: Thank

you so much for having me, Kelly.

Kelly: I look forward to more Bible teaching with you in the future.

Stacie: Likewise.

If you were encouraged in your faith today, it’d be great if you’d help get the word out by subscribing, sharing with a friend or leaving a review. I’d love to hear from you. You can reach out through my website, kellyhall. org and pick up some free resources while you’re there. Thanks for listening to the Unshakable Hope [00:39:00] Podcast.