At Morning devotional we were seated in a circle of chairs filled with a few staff members and 10 survivors. Devotional is an everyday event at the shelter but today it felt so personal. 

My husband taught the story of Peter being beckoned by the Savior to walk on the water. Peter must have known that walking on water was impossible. He must have known that people cannot do that. He must have felt that even imagining that Jesus was walking on water confirmed his insanity.  But for some reason he still stepped out of the boat into the raging sea on defied logic. He walked on the water.  Who was Peter to do such a thing?  Was his value greater than the others in the boat?  I dare say it was not. The only difference was he was focused on the Savior and he trusted that if Jesus believed in him to walk on water, then he could walk on water, and he did.  Of course naturally his focus was diverted by the wind and raging sea and his faith was swallowed by fear.  He began to sink and immediately knew why. He returned his focus to the Savior to save him from his own doubts, most likely self doubts that he wasn’t good enough to be experiencing a miracle of such magnitude. 

Something that stuck out to me today was when they returned to the boat everyone gave glory to Jesus.  Their faith was stronger because they had witnessed a man, no greater than themselves, do something impossible through his faith. Their testimonies were strengthened and I believe they were inspired and understood more clearly that all things are possible with God. 

For a moment in that devotional I realized I was “Peter.” I was back in the boat praising Jesus for His miracles alongside His disciples, these beautiful survivors, who know that if someone like me, clearly no greater than they, could start a shelter in a foreign country with no prior experience or knowledge, then they too could move mountains, part seas and walk on water if the Savior beckoned them. 

My biggest waves and winds of temptation on this journey have been to focus on myself and my lack, or my flaws ,and believe that I am not good enough to experience such miracles first hand.  But when I focus on the Savior I am reminded that my faith in Him means I accept my own divinity.  I can be the “Peter” in my own story and learn to follow Jesus, even when the call feels impossible and even after I feel that I tried but I am not enough. I can continue to focus my faith in Jesus until all those who know me want to glorify God because of what they see Him do through me. 

You are the “Peter” of your own story. Let that sink in for a moment. He may be asking you to do something that feels too big, too impossible.  Do it. Don’t question if you are good enough, smart enough or ready enough.  You are being beckoned, because through you others will see the power of God and choose to glorify Him.