Overflowing Bucket

At school, we've been doing a program with the kids about filling the "buckets" of others. Over and over again, teachers have stressed that as we seek to fill others' buckets, ours are filled too.

Before I left for Florida to spend a weekend with the women of Crossings Community Church, Barry prayed for me. My week had been stressful, and I felt zapped. Barry prayed, "Lord, as Amy desires to be a blessing at this retreat, would you use it to bless and restore her?"

God answered my prayer. My friend Melissa, who had spoken for Crossings last year, said it perfectly. "Beautiful place. Beautiful women. Beautiful God!" We were on an island off of Florida in the Gulf where palm trees abounded and animals of every description thrived. We even saw an armadillo. Did you know there are armadillos in FL? I didn't!

Mostly, the stories filled up my heart. Woman after woman told their story as we floated in the pool on Saturday afternoon. Many were stories of pasts of pain and suffering, but all ended with the redeeming work of God. God is still at work. He's at work in Florida, and he is at work in the Carroll house.

I left home worried about possibly stepping outside of His will. The women of Crossings reminded me that He is big enough to show me and redirect me.

How is God at work in your life?