Offering My Loaves & Fishes: Trusting God with My Words

Hi, I’m Dawn Tolbert, author of I’d Rather Die Than Obey, a women’s Bible study that journeys through the book of Jonah.

I’m also the host of the Unwrapping Rest podcast, where I encourage frazzled women to stop striving and unwrap God’s gift of rest.

I’m so glad you’re here.

Welcome to Episode 5: Offering My Loaves & Fishes.

I woke up extra early a couple of Saturdays ago, exactly one week before the scheduled launch of my debut book, I’d Rather Die Than Obey.

My first inclination was to grab my computer and dive into my to-do list—to start striving to build my author career and tackle marketing tasks so I could spread the word about the upcoming book release.

Those aren’t bad things.

Well…aside from the striving part.

But I realized I was running ahead of God.

I was trying to tackle assignments I’d thought of on my own or gleaned from a bevy of podcasts, but I hadn’t asked for His direction or His guidance over the tasks of my day.

What could I do to bring Him the most honor?

I stopped to pray and knew I needed to trust Him with the outcomes.

I was trying so hard to orchestrate all these things.

But in that quiet, prayerful moment, I felt encouraged to rest.

Then I woke up three hours later, and the words for this message were simply in my mind. I had to grab my phone and jot them down as fast as I could so I could share them with you.

See, my prayer for the book has been that I would do my part and then trust Jesus with the outcomes.

He is in charge of the next steps.

More than once, I have prayerfully placed the written book into His hands, offering it as a sacrifice.

I picture it as the loaves and fishes I brought to His powerful hands to use however He sees fit.

But on that Saturday, I realized I was over here metaphorically browsing recipes for fish sandwiches.

“Hey, Jesus…wouldn’t this be a good idea?”

“And how about if You use the book this way?”

I’d completely taken the offering back and started trying to divide it out to feed everyone myself.

Does that sound familiar?

I think this is why Scripture teaches that we need to take up our cross daily, ask God to give us our daily bread, and remember that His mercies are new every morning.

This encounter was a great example of the final step on our journey to rest.

Before we get there, let’s recap.

The R in R.E.S.T. reminds us to Realize we were designed for something different than all of this rushing and hurriedness. We were made for relationship—relationship with God. We have been given the right to be adopted as His children when we put our faith in Jesus.

The E teaches us to Evaluate our circumstances by the eternal.

Once we’ve done these things, we’re ready for the next step, the letter S, which reminds us to Stop Striving and Surrender by submitting to God’s supreme authority.

Today we’ll add the T, which reminds us to Trust and live Transformed.

See, I don’t need to pore over Pinterest for recipes for fish sandwiches.

Jesus is more than capable of feeding the masses without my supervision.

I can trust God with the details of my life, including whatever plans He might have for me as a writer or for any book I have written or ever will write.

I need to do my part, yes.

I need to carry out my responsibilities.

But I need to do it with a rested, peaceful heart.

Beyond that, I am to trust Him.

I can know He is good, and I can follow His leading.

Rather than striving, I can live a transformed life that shines brightly with His light because I am resting in Him instead of striving so hard.

As I approached last Saturday’s launch day, I embraced these principles of rest.

They include recognizing our need, evaluating our circumstances in light of the eternal, surrendering our striving, and trusting God with the outcomes.

Now, fast forward a little over a week.

I’m happy to report that the book launch was a success.

A wonderful group of friends and family gathered to celebrate with me, and now the book is winging its way out into the world.

My prayer is that God uses it in whatever way He sees fit.

I know He will guide it into the hands He intends to receive it.

And I pray that any words I have written will simply testify to His goodness and complete trustworthiness.

Oh, what a great love story our Savior wants to share with us through His Word.

May my book—and all of my life—point others to Him as the only source of hope.

Jesus, we thank You that You are completely trustworthy.

Lord, help us to trust You.

Through our trust, transform our lives.

Take care of the outcomes so that we can rest and trust You completely.

We praise You and thank You, Father.

In Jesus’ name, amen.