A Picture of a Pitcher..

I read a blog post from Beth Moore at Living Proof Ministries this morning at about 5am, after putting my kids back to bed after the thunder woke them up. I would encourage all of you to read it- it's all about throwing our burdens onto the Lord instead of hauling them around by ourselves. Click the link below to read it.

"Throw Your Burden"- By Beth Moore


I posted a comment, which (naturally) turned into a full page. So I thought I'd share it here. It will make sense if you don't read Beth Moore's post, but I really, really encourage you to read it first. It was soooo good! I hope this comes as an encouragement to someone- it has definitely changed my perspective on a few things.

My response:

 "This was such a great read after putting my kids back to bed (again) during last night’s storms. I know there are a few things I’ve been holding too tightly to and need to throw to Jesus.

As I lied in my bed, listening to the pounding rain, I couldn’t help but imagine myself throwing my cares to the Lord, like a little girl playing catch with her Daddy. Some I threw with full force- like an all star pitcher- right into Jesus’ powerful, loving arms. Others, it seemed, were harder to throw. Perhaps because I had been so worn down by them and couldn’t find my strength, or maybe because in my heart of hearts I was still to scared to let them go.

I pictured myself much like my almost 2 yr old son, winding up for the pitch, then flinging my arm with all of my might, only to have the ball drop straight to my feet or (more often than not) completely behind me. I was met with frustration as I looked to my feet, exhausted by my efforts; or with an illusion of joy, followed by confusion as I realized I had not, in fact, thrown the ball of my burdens. I had merely flung it, letting it land in my past, only to be tripped upon during another part of my journey.

As I prayed, I heard God lovingly speaking about a pitcher. He starts out just like every other two year old, throwing the ball behind him or off into the bushes. His dad joyfully fetches the ball every time and gives his son another chance. Eventually, the boy becomes more accurate in his throws. He builds strength and skill. As he trains, he learns from his mistakes and his successes. He learns to look into his catcher’s eyes rather than at his glove. They build a relationship through the process, even coming up with non-verbal cues that, though subtle to some, communicate pages and pages of information.

I was encouraged to realize that although I feel like that little two year old most days, my Heavenly Father is FAITHFUL to fetch those foul balls, give me another chance, and encourage me along. As I toss and fling and lob the ball of my burdens at Him, He is training me- ever so gently, but with such intentionality. All I have to do is trust Him- to look into His eyes and stay on the field. If I give in to frustration and turn in my glove, I will inevitably walk around with the weight of the world on my shoulders- a weight I was never intended to carry.

Thank you for posting- I will be chewing on this for a few days:)"