Take The Limits Off!

Here it is, two days after our first TOYS FOR CHRISTMAS toy giveaway and I’m still thinking about how awesome it was, and how amazing God is for all He has done to make this happen.

I can’t begin to tell you how awesome it was pulling it all together. From the five, maybe six, hours of shopping for the toys, taking inventory of everything we had (making sure we had enough), to decorating the Christmas tree in preparation for all the kids we were expecting to show up.

While doing so, old memories of my husband and I getting ready for Santa started to surface as I prepared the toys and “gift wrapped” the boxes; memories of our own kids and how excited they would be when they saw the toys and eagerly grabbed for the first “big” thing that caught their eye. Excitement filled the room as if I was getting ready for Santa like the days of old.

On the day of the toy drive, the excitement only seemed to build. I couldn’t wait for the children to come and get the toys. How excited they were going to be. I knew that already. I could just imagine the excitement in anticipation of what toys they would end up with.

Surely, they would come with expectation of what toys would be there; expectation of the toys that they wanted Santa to bring. And my only hope was that the toys that they wanted would be the toys that they found under the tree.

To be honest, I don’t know who was more excited them or me.

The tree, donated as well, brand new, and complete with lights and ornaments and a star as its crown, stood over six feet tall and towered over the toys and sparkled with Christmas magic.

But we knew the children weren’t coming for the tree. They came for the toys that were under the tree. My only hope was that the tree would prove its strength to stand once the kids started searching for the toys that would undoubtedly be buried beneath all the other toys.

And then they came.

The kids had arrived.

And one by one, the smiles on their wide-eyed faces quickly turned into excitement the very moment they saw the toys. Not even acknowledging me as I stood to welcome them, they ran right to the toys and started searching for “the” toys that they would choose.

I tried to help guide them to where they would find the toys that they may have been looking for. I asked how old they were, and with each response I showed them the area in which they would find toys that were appropriate for their ages.

Well, at least it started out that way. But quickly ended up with them just getting whatever toys they wanted and I have no idea if they were “age appropriate” or not. All I know was they had gotten the toys that “they” wanted.

Then, there was the added assistance from the parents; helping the younger children decide which toys to choose made the moment that much more memorable. And in the midst of all the excitement, we were trying to take pictures to try to capture the moment.

And at one point, there were so many kids that I seemed to have gotten lost in the midst. Turning here, pointing over there, and somehow, I lost sight of the “set up” that I had established of how I was going to handle everything.

Then out of nowhere, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to a girl asking me, in a voice of uncertainty, if she could have the “make your own glow in the dark bracelets.” To which I answered excitedly, “Sure!” Then, in my attempt to help her find other toys that she may like, I asked her, “How old are you?”

“Thirteen,” she responded enthusiastically. Then she walked away as if she had found the one thing that she had been looking for. And in the midst of all that was going on, she disappeared just as suddenly as she had appeared.

That moment, I have to say, is one of my highlight moments for a couple of reasons.

One, as I mentioned above, because of how excited she was. It somehow seemed to be a different type of excitement than the other kids as they searched through the toys. This excitement indicated that this gift meant something on the inside. And all of a sudden, none of the other toys seemed to matter. She had found what she was looking for. There was something about that gift that made her choose it.

What? I will probably never know.

The other reason that this moment was a highlight moment for me is the fact that as we prepared for this toy giveaway, we specifically had children ages up to ten-years old in mind. But to see that a thirteen year old had come, expecting to receive, did my heart good. Not only had she come, but there was something there for her.

There was something there for her. God made sure there was something there for her.

I was in awe.

There was something about that moment that seemed to ring out in my spirit.

While in the Lord’s presence, I couldn’t help but continue to think about the moment and how excited I was that she came, and being reminded of what the gift could’ve possibly meant to her. This was the very reason we had the toy giveaway.

Then the Lord started to minister to me.

He quickly pointed out the fact that we had prepared for kids up to ten-years old; we were “expecting” kids up to ten-years old.

Then He said, “Take the limits off.”

And immediately, the tears rolled down my face and my heart started to break at the thought that we had somehow excluded someone.

But this little girl had somehow dared to come anyway.

Then suddenly the Lord said, “Expect the unexpected.”

And immediately, I knew in my spirit…the Lord is getting ready to do the unexpected.

As He made His plan known, He also made known there is no way that we can prepare for the blessings that He has in store for us. The plans that we have, however grand, limits God! Don’t try to figure it out. Don’t try to plan it to the “T.”

There has to be room for God to do the miraculous.

Expect the unexpected!

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I’ve been these last few months in expectation of what the Lord is getting ready to do. I mean, the excitement has mounted so much so that I don’t think I’m any different than the kids at the toy giveaway. I’ve come with expectations of the blessings that I’m getting ready to receive from the Lord. And whatever it is, I know it’s just for me!

I mean, I’m sooo excited I’m about to burst. I’m almost at a point that I cannot hold it in any longer. And the closer we get, the more the excitement builds. And like the kids, there’s no need for an introduction, you don’t have to tell me where to look, when I see it, I’ll know that’s it! Just give me the blessings!

We have to take the limits off of what God is doing in this hour.

We have to expect the unexpected.

After we’ve done all that we can do, say, “Okay, Lord, now put your super on my natural!” And watch God do the impossible. What you thought couldn’t be done...God’s getting ready to do it. It’s going to be huge. God is getting ready to blow your mind.

Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

Ephesians 3:20 KJV

There are no limits with God.

Your age doesn’t matter. Your color doesn’t matter. Your size doesn’t matter. Your education doesn’t matter. Your job doesn’t matter. Your house doesn’t matter. Your car doesn’t matter. Your money doesn’t matter.

God is getting ready to do the miraculous!

Take the limits off!

Expect the unexpected!

And receive the blessings of the Lord!

This is the will of God concerning you.