Crazy Believing—A Way of Life
A Mother’s Day gift helped confirm it. God wanted “Crazy Believing” to be a way of life for me.
Many of you know my story, how God’s been prodding me out of my place of small faith. I chronicled the journey in three “Believing Big” devotions in spring 2009, and in a “Crazy Believing” devotion that December. After watching God do what was, in my eyes, exceeding abundant—Thomas Nelson Fiction and Women of Faith—I was tempted to happily sit down in that place. Walk out that blessing of writing books and speaking at the 2010 Women of Faith events. Crazy Believing—been there, done that.
But in the last month, more “crazy” notions have entered my head—God-sized notions. They often come during morning prayer time and Bible study, often with the same inner reaction. Are you serious, Lord? Should I pray and believe about that? That’s crazy! And then I start trying to figure out how it could be done because it seems impossible. Even with my children, it can be challenging to believe God to radically enter into their lives and bring about certain changes—as if He didn’t do it in my own life!
But God is impressing on my heart that faith and believing are not for one particular thing or one particular season. They are a way of life. “But My righteous one shall live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38 NASB). “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV).
As God was working this in my heart, my mother gave me a special Mother’s Day gift. She had typed out “Crazy Believing…in God,” printed it on card stock, and had it framed…because God had put it on her heart.
I don’t want to walk by sight. I don’t want to walk according to my own fears and limitations. I don’t want to walk according to what’s conventional or trendy or according to what makes sense. And I don’t want to walk according to the way others are walking—even if they’re Christians, doesn’t mean they’re walking by faith.
I want to walk according to what’s available to me in Christ. It’s hard for me to even grasp the exceeding grace and favor that God makes available to us, or the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1:19). But that’s where I want my feet pointed, on that path. Call me CRAZY, but I don’t want to sit in one place. I want to keep walking that upward path of CRAZY BELIEVING.
Who’s willing to take this crazy journey with me?
Heavenly Father, it’s not easy to walk the path of faith. It’s not easy to believe that Your grace and power will flow toward me in abundance in whatever You call me to do. Help my unbelief. Help me to live above my average and ordinary expectations. Give me the faith to Crazy Believe, that I may bear fruit in Your name, for Your kingdom, and for Your glory, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
41 Responses to “Crazy Believing—A Way of Life”
Kim, what an amazing blog-post! Sis, again, I’m not surprised at how the Lord uses you to confirm things in my life. I was just going to blog a similar blog-post about not looking with natural eyes at our situations and how I’m learning how to have faith as well. Wow!
And, what a beautiful gift from your mother! I’m going to have to do like I used to and type/print scripture to hang over my bed to remind me first thing in the morning. God’s word and his promises never fail… and just like you said, we need to have faith to Crazy Believe in the works of the Lord!
He’s moving!
Love and Prayers sis,
Kennisha
Kennisha, I’m amazed at how we’re often thinking the same God-things! I’m thrilled at all that God is doing in your life, and I’m waiting to hear the reports of what’s upcoming…because as you walk in faith, I know God will meet you. Amen, His word and His promises never fail!
That’s awesome, Kim. I can’t wait to see what God has for you..and me, I’m crazing believing too! :)
Hey Cindy! So glad to hear you’re a crazy believer too! I kinda knew that, though. :) I can’t wait to see what God has in store either…lots of praying and waiting (as you know), but when He shows up, it’s soooo sweet.
Wow…God has been dealing with me about believing for the “above and beyond” what I can imagine – especially since I remind God that He blessed me with a very big imagination – to go above and beyond what I can imagine is nothing short of the miraculous. He showed me how easy it is to surprise me recently when my son injured his ankle playing sports in school. He was taken to the ER by his teacher – typically, non-life threatening injuries are given a back seat and the wait is faith-trying – well in this instance, my son was triaged, xrayed, diagnosed, treated and essentially discharged BEFORE I even got to the hospital – the total experience was less than two hours and cost less than $30 with ER and prescription copays included. It was on a Wednesday and along with praying for minimal damage to my son’s ankle, I simply prayed to be able to make Bible Study – boy did He go above and beyond what I asked, thought and imagined…I WILL join you in crazy believing…I also will share the testimonies of the miracles that result – thank you for sharing! God bless!
Nina, I love that…”He blessed me with a very big imagination…” So yes, you know if He blessed you with a big imagination, He is well able to go ABOVE and BEYOND that. :) I also love that with all that was going on with your son (which God handled in short order), you prayed simply to get to Bible study. I’m so often amazed at how God works in the “small” things, and so thankful. Absolutely…share your testimonies here. I look forward to hearing them!
Seems like its a season for some crazy believing among the children of the Most High King…..big, audacious, hairy dreams (to quote Chip Ingram)….the kind of dreams that bring us to the point of death, the edge of ourselves….and at the point where others would call us crazy, call us insane….God proves His provision, dares them to come alongside in obedience to the pathmakers that are stepping out into His blazed trails.
I am daring to dream, daring to step out on that dare that God has spoken in my heart and in my dreams……to go to seminary, to chase after deeper relationship and understanding of Him to dare to breathe life and comfort, obedience and joy, into the lives that ebb and flow in my life….to be more than a background fighter but to go to the front lines of this war and fight for the Kingdom, for His broken and lost……
Not daring? Not bold? Not audacious? Well, firstly….I have to convince the admissions board to waive the bachelor requirement for a Master of Divinity….then, I will have to figure out how to find the provision for financing this pursuit….with two children, one who is cognitively impaired….and do this all in four years so that I will be 46 when I am a MDiv and my children 16 and 17 so that we may step out into the missions field as a apostle (missionary pastor) either in Romania for orphans or Australia to preach godly masculinity…..
All this while trying to renovate a trailer in the next few weeks with no funds for materials, a host of startup bills that are impossibly high for an unemployed ex-auto industry contractor…and ordained chaplain…and raise two increasingly independent children while pursuing a relationship that God has blessed me with in the last few months….
Where I stand now, it’s a crazy……but then, my God doesn’t ask me to be believing……He wants me to be CRAZY BELIEVING….
Yeah, James, you’re certified…welcome to the club! :) You are way out there on the limb, feeling called by God to do the “impossible” for the purpose of glorifying His name. So awesome! I just know you’re bathing yourself in Scripture that will increase your faith. I pray God’s abundant grace upon you to strengthen and encourage you as you persevere. It won’t all be easy, and He always builds in times of waiting. But keep CRAZY BELIEVING! I cannot wait to hear how God clears all these hurdles (which are NOTHING to Him)! Please keep me updated….
CRAZY
C—christ centered choices
R—raising me up to
A—awesome heights of
Z—zeal for many
Y—years!
YES go ahead and call me crazy too!
Awesome, Rebecca! Did you just come up with that? :) And AMEN to the “Christ centered choices”–Crazy Believing is all about Jesus!
yes that is a “rebecca orginal” LOL! have a wonderful rainy day! :)
I like that too!
Good Evening Kim.
Wow!! This post was so encouraging. I do not want to limit myself by filtering things through what I think “can” or “can’t” be, but I also want to believe God…to have that Crazy Believing in God kind of faith. I am not interesting in leaning on my own understanding…I am choosing to have that Crazy Believing in God kind of faith.
I love that picture your Mom gave you for Mother’s Day – Powerful.
Thanks for this post.
Blessings.
Pam, that’s a good word–filter. We have so many of them without even realizing. That’s another prayer, for God to remove all of our own personal filters and allow His Word and His will to be our only filters. May it be so!!
Blessings to you as well!
Kim,
Wow, thank you for sharing that!!! The Lord and I have been on a similar vain. I often find myself asking “is that too big” or “Lord, how can that be?” I can understand Mary, the mother of Jesus, asking “how can this be seeing I know not a man.” We always seem to know why there are, or should be, limitations placed in front of what we desire. But, there is a place in God where all things are possible.
So, why not just go on and believe God? Lord, I believe you for the ridiculous, the miraculous, the incredible and the impossible (thank you Bishop Ellis)? Lord, I believe you and I trust Your Word!!!
Thanks, Kim. I continue to pray for you and to celebrate your every success!!!
@Leslie Kaye, I love that reference to Mary, Leslie. It is such a human tendency to try to understand “how can this be” when we just can’t see it from our own human perspective. And yet, God is God. I can just imagine Him thinking, “Are they serious? Do they not understand what I’m able to do?” :) My faith is always strengthened when I gaze into His Word and see all that He’s done, all that appeared impossible to those living at the time. He is able!
Thanks so much for your prayers, Leslie! You’re a huge blessing!
I really needed this devotional/testimony! I know that we walk by faith and not by sight, but whew! It sure is hard to recognize when we are walking in our own strength even when saying that we are walking in God’s. He is just that good to answer us when we call and then lovingly show us that, yeah, you tried to do it yourself…I know that I have often said “Lord I give it to you”, but then went on ahead and tried to do what I THOUGHT was the Lord’s work, when it really wasn’t. Yes, my intentions were good, but I fell back into the trap of doing things my own way. It takes crazy faith i.e. “crazy believing” to step out of yourself and let God take you down the path of amazing destiny that HE designed JUST for you! Thanks for the encouragement Kim!
Kara, that’s so true. We do often start out doing what we feel the Lord is calling us to do, and for whatever reason, somewhere along the way we can start operating in our own strength. The enemy is always prepared to deceive us, to get us to move to the right or the left. We have to STAY prayed up, seeking, asking God at every point, “What now, Lord?” I often pray as well to not be deceived. “Whew” is right! :) Guess God knew what He was doing when He said “Pray without ceasing,” huh? We are never at a point when we don’t need wisdom, guidance, direction, and a boatload of grace.
So glad for your comments, Kara!
I’m definitely crazy beliieving!! God has matched me with the impossible in this season of my life: new book to write, while trying to self publish another, a change in career goals and new opportunities everywhere… he just reminded me He’s my biggest cheerleader and He’s forever got my back!
I love what He’s doing in your life.. thanks for sharing such inspiration!
Blessing and many, many many take overblessings, as well! ;0)
Yay!! Another Crazy Believer! :) “God has matched me with the impossible….” That’s His specialty isn’t it? If it’s something we know we can do, God wouldn’t get the glory.
I love that you said God is your biggest cheerleader. I don’t know if He’s thought of that way enough. Buy why wouldn’t He be? If we’re walking in His plan, a plan He formed before the foundation of the world, and if He’s the one enabling us to do it, why wouldn’t He be the one cheering us on? Thanks for that illustration!
Thanks so much for your encouragement. Many blessings to you!
Bearing Fruit in the name of God, and crazy believing you will do so, is the message I received today. And your message was in order. God loves us all, and what’s us to live life abundantly, in his name. My passion is creating jobs and training people to work and eating from their labor. You have to be crazy believing to do what I do, and show people that it is God’s will.
Keep up the good work, we are all watching you; praying for your growth and wisdom.
Blessing be with you.
Allie
NOWS, Inc
Allie, what an awesome passion…creating jobs and training people to work. You’re affecting many, many lives and, I’m sure, an answer to many prayers. Praise God for your crazy believing! May you continue to bear fruit for the Kingdom!
Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement. I appreciate it greatly!
GREAT post Kim. “Crazy Believing” should be the title of your next non-fiction book … or should I say “one of” your next books … period. (Seriously, please consider writing one on this topic!) I’m with you as a “crazy believer.” My whole time in Madison was part of “crazy believing” … and my current job didn’t even exist when I was in grad school, yet I found a prayer that I wrote in my Bible many years ago describing what I wanted to do … and here I am doing it. Someone mentioned Chip Ingram’s reference to the “big, hairy dream.” I have that book too … (“Holy Ambition. What it Takes to Make a Difference for God”) and love it!
My medical leave ends soon, and I’m “crazy believing” for what’s next after this “time out.” I’m taking the crazy believing journey!
God Bless you!
Oh, Renetta, you don’t know what you started! :) I’ve been praying about topics for a possible non-fiction book, and I actually said to myself that I wouldn’t want to write a book about this because enough has been written, etc. I saw your post last night and still said, “Nope, don’t think so.” Then this morning, during prayer and Bible study, it came to mind again…so I prayed. Right away, thoughts started coming to me on the topic, and I had to write them down. I don’t know what God’s going to do, but if it happens, you can bet you’ll be in the acknowledgements!! :)
So glad you shared your own crazy believing! Loved hearing how you wrote down that prayer, and now you’re doing it. I just love how God puts a desire in our hearts, and as we pray, He’s the one who will establish it. I, too, have started writing down these “crazy believing” prayers so I can look back at what God has done.
Please let me know where God takes you next on this journey…may He bless you richly along the way!
Well Kim, what a blessing this is and timely too! After a week of camp chaperoning with my youngest daughter, my “quiet time” got a little compromised. It is amazing how that little time away from the Father, made me feel so out of sorts, even after getting back on track yesterday and today. Maybe I am just tired too! But your blog just put me back on the track. How encouraging and uplifting it is. I am reminded of a message that I heard recently based on Neh 9: 5-6 “… Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.” It is a reminder that God is greater than any blessing or praise we can ascribe to Him. He is not limited by us at all — no matter how big the things we think to ask or praise Him for. He is still greater! So I can start my week off with the right perspective! The blog posts are great too!!!
Sherri, I know exactly what you mean. When trips and other things get us off our “quiet time” schedule, it really does make a difference. I can tell when I haven’t spent regular time with God…more of “me” comes out, and it’s not pretty. lol Praise God that that the blog helped get you back on track!
And AMEN to that Nehemiah verse! Yes, He is exalted above all blessing and praise! What a truth to meditate on–THAT will get you in the right frame of mind!
I’m with you!!! Loved this post.
Praise God!! Thanks, Kelli! Let’s walk this road together!
I AM a FAN n a ROLLERCOASTER rider of Crazy Believing! I am SSSO on that same adventure path, our footprints on top of his sandalprints:)
Woohoo!! And that doesn’t even surprise me about you, Candace! Your enthusiasm takes others on that rollercoaster ride with you. Let’s take the one with the biggest hills and the scariest loops!! As long as Jesus is riding with us, we’ll be FINE!
I’ve been meaning to leave a comment on this devotion for about a week. All I can say is HALLELUJAH! GOD IS ABLE! When I first read this on facebook Kim, I smiled because I remembered a conversation I had with a friend a few years back;we were talking about something I was believing God for and I said to her: “Girl and I am crazy enough to believe that God will do it’. I remember, she laughed, but I was and still am so serious. When God gives you a vision, dream, or desire and you want to use it for the upbuilding of HIS kingdom, we must believe what He has promised. Faith is the ability to believe for what you cannot see. It’s just like being a child in a dark room where you can’t see anything, but you know it’s there because your Father told you it was. It’s only a matter of time before our faith, will be sight! Bless you sister in Christ! I love you. God is wonderful! I love Him so!
Hey Lynnea!
“…and I am crazy enough to believe…” Love that! To our natural minds, the thing about which we’re believing does seem crazy. You almost don’t want to share it with people, because it seems crazy. But when God gives us the desire and the faith, we really can stand in that crazy place. :) If I can “see” it happening, I’m probably walking by sight. It’s when I’m thinking to myself, “I have no idea how this could happen. I just can’t see it”–that’s when it gets crazy!
So glad you’re on this journey! Bless you as you travel this road of crazy believing faith. Love you too!
You continue to inspire me in ways I can’t even explain. I love how you are so open to sharing your journey with us. I love reading all God has done and continuing to do in you. I so can’t wait to hear you speak. As amazing as your writing and blogging is, I can only imagine how powerful hearing you speak must be. There are people who give you that amazing feeling of just how real and present God is, you are one of them. What a blessing you are! I’m doing that crazy believing with you! HUGS!
What a great way to start each day…with Crazy Belief. I want to thank you again for writing about things that hit home. I was just going to say something about being in the middle of a crazy belief turn of events….but started thinking. I can’t remember the last time life didn’t require crazy belief. Instead of thinking “here we go again…” I need to remember to think HERE WE GO AGAIN!!! HE is at WORK! I have been feeling tired, but I don’t need to. God is the one working, I am just along for the ride, (provided I have the faith to stay in the vehicle!) With gratitude! Rachel
You are so right, Rachel. I’ve been thinking that a lot lately, that every time I turn around, I’m needing to crazy believe. If I couldn’t trust that God is in control, I think I’d GO crazy. :) I’m so thankful that God’s grace never runs out. I need Him every day, every hour!
So glad you stopped by!
Come for coffee (or tea or diet pepsi…) I think we could encourage one another with a smile! Thank you for this. I NEEDED it!!! Blessings on you…big time. Debbie
Hey Debbie! I’d love to come for coffee! :) So glad you stopped by and doubly glad that you found something here that you could use. Blessings on you as well…and I’m looking forward to connecting with you more!
A way of life…and a great book title.
I’m all in for “crazy believing.”
Beats being just plain crazy, although, I probably am that as well.
Love you, friend.
Four months later, and I’m just seeing this. Try as I might, ever since a WordPress update, I haven’t gotten email notifications when people post…so some slip through the cracks. ;) Yep, I thought it would be a great book title too. But that means a book would have to be written. :) I might be plain crazy too. If you’re with me, I’m in good company. Love you too!
I keep finding nuggets in this treasure chest of a blog of yours! We’ve been learning in church about God being our only source for everything–supernatural provision!!!! What others call crazy will soon be the norm for us!!!
So thankful you’re finding nuggets here, sis! So much about our lives as Christians seems crazy to the world. We’re “strangers” and “aliens” here…and that’s fine with me! I’m glad I’m not alone in the craziness…I’ve got my sisters in Christ with me! :)