Her green-hazel eyes glared at me, as she said, "No," to my request for the glow stick around her neck. She was the only hold-out from our band of five girls. I promised to return their glow sticks at day's end.

Now they looked at Betty* and me. As I scanned the room, all the other kids had given their glow sticks back to their respective crew leaders.

I reasoned with Betty. Unconvinced, she clung to her glow stick - a gift from the last station's teacher- who also told the kids to hand them to their crew leaders to hold.

Hmm, I had not expected to be tested so early. Time to ask God for help! What to do? The day loomed long before me.

My eyes scanned the room for any inspiration on what to do next as I silently prayed:"Help!"

Finally, I said, "Look, if I let you keep your glow stick, when all the other kids, look around, don't have theirs, it wouldn't be fair."

Silence. Pause. Reluctantly, she slowly handed her glow stick to me without looking around the room.

Whew! Thank, God, for answering so quickly.

Last week, during our church's VBS (Vacation Bible School), I was unexpectedly asked to be a substitute crew leader for a group of five 4th-grade girls for one day.**

I prayed several times, silently, to myself, for God's wisdom, and love throughout the day. Did I feel inadequate? Absolutely! I prayed for the girls to know God's love, and to be able to relate to them.

Wonder if Betty was God's gift to remind me to pray, and to depend on Him?

"I [Jesus] am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." -John 15:5 NASB

Betty even smiled after we played a game where they put Vaseline on the tip of their noses, then picked up fluffy white cotton balls. It made me smile with gratitude.

She sat next to me during our last VBS sing-along. As promised, each child received back her glow stick, and a few other goodies.

This is a light-hearted example, but God has also used more heavily-disguised gifts to teach me to rely on Him, instead of on my limited wisdom, and strength.

In retrospect, I did not recognize them as gifts until God's grace, gratitude, and trust in His love, unveiled their wrapping.

When has God used difficulty, or a challenge, to encourage you to abide in Him? How do you remind yourself to depend on Him in your daily life?

*Not her real name

** My earlier assignment had been to assist the kids with a film canister rocket experiment...very fun!

"Humbly let go. Let go of trying to do, let go of trying to control..." Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are , p. 178

Counting blessings with Ann:

• For the gift of abiding with Him in prayer
• For God's love for big and little girls
• For our girl, unexpectedly, making a new friend at camp
• For all the kids, who went to VBS, and got to hear how much God loves them
• For hubby's help with the garden this past weekend
• Being asked to guest post...will share link here on Tuesday, and another one on Friday...so touched, and grateful :)
• For Jubi's will to keep getting back up even when he falls; he stll wants to go for a walk; thankfully, he doesn't fall too often, relatively speaking
• Pain medication for Jubi's osteoarthritis
• Watching 5 caterpillars turn into 5 chrysalides over the weekend
• His grace in dealing with an angry woman this morning at camp sign-in - so unexpected

Linking with sweet, and gifted friend Laura for a play date

and giving thanks with wise Ann 

and talented L.L. Barkat

and the amazing Jen 

© Soul Stops/Dolly Lee 2012.