Enough…

-Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon Your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

–Exodus 4: 10-11

-“…give us this day our daily bread…”

–Matthew 6:11

-…give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.

–Proverbs 30:8

Enough.

An oft-used word in our vocabulary…frequently employed from a standpoint of perceived scarcity…

NOT enough.

Not enough time…not enough money…not enough sleep…not enough energy…not enough help…

All those “not enoughs” were pinging around inside my head a few years ago as I trudged through the supermarket, and BAM! an epiphany…

Alice! The housekeeper from the Brady Bunch! I needed an Alice!

Instantly, an image of me, driving home, no stops to make, no errands to run, and I walk through the door…the house is sparkling clean, groceries bought and put away, dinner is cooking, and Alice (in that blue dress and apron) steps up and says, “Good evening, Miss Fortin!” and holds out a plate of warm chocolate-chip cookies!

Dudes, I could literally SMELL them. I was there.

As I approached the checkout aisle, daydream intact, goofy grin on my face…I saw it…

On the cover of People magazine…

“Ann B. Davis 1926-2014…from the Brady Bunch to a life of faith…”

Alice was DEAD!!!!

God was sending me a very clear message…

“Uh, girl, you don’t get an Alice. I guess you’ll have to depend on Me.”

Two realizations as I continued home that crazy day…

1. There’s never enough for TOO MUCH. And those “too much expectations” were coming from me. Not Him.
2. The “not enough” I grapple with the most…is me.

I’m not enough. Those other people have it figured out. Not me.

Earlier this year, God put a calling on my heart…and I just wanted to give it back!…like Moses. I launched into all the objections, and the Lord shot them down, one by one…like Moses…until finally I lowered my head and whispered…

“Lord, I’m just not ready.”

“Shelbo,” He gently answered, “You are ready enough…with Me.”

Whatever our situation or circumstances, He is there…and in hard times, He is even MORE there…with that unexpected pocket of time, a bank balance above logic, a friend’s helping hand when you are ready to collapse.

He will give you enough.

You are ready enough.

You are enough…

With Him.