Every Day Extraordinary by Lorilee Guenter

At what point does the ordinary become extraordinary? A prompting to send an encouragement note to a friend may be an ordinary event until you hear it was just what she needed to hear at that point in time. Then there are the promptings to pray specifically for someone or something unrelated to the activity you are engaged in - including sleeping. Many individual events that appear ordinary at first glance are anything but. Instead they are evidences of recognising and listening to the voice of the Great Shepherd's guiding.
Sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that something needs to be big to be extraordinary. The stories of the people recorded in Hebrews eleven's hall of faith fuel this idea. Once I dig in and study them the picture shifts. Daniel didn't shut the lion's mouths. No, he prayed following his normal pattern even once it became illegal. God provided the rescue. Elijah prayed for rain to stop  and then for fire from heaven but he also hid in a cave afraid for his life. These were ordinary men who recognised the power and prompting of God. In both cases the commonality is prayer.
When I consider how God has led me or used me in extraordinary ways, I place myself in the camp of the ordinary. Then I recall the time I was reading my Bible outside and the wind caught the pages. I turned back to where I had been reading only to have the same thing happen again. When I read the passage the wind turned to, there was encouragement and challenge the I needed at that time. Then I think of the times words are as clear as if I am reading them off the page that I recognise as words of encouragement to share with a friend, or words for a story I am compelled to write. Most often, I see the Father's direction in the everyday events that are surrounded by prayer and by listening.
My response should be to follow and see what God has planned. Unfortunately, like Elijah did in fear, I tend to hide in a cave of my own making. It takes risk and faith to put words on paper and even more to let others read them. Risk and faith are themes that show themselves in my writing and I know the only way out of the cave I have been in is through the extraordinary tool of prayer God has given us. It is through prayer I have the faith to take the risks. now I need to remember that every time I am tempted to retreat to the cave.