Go & See

What Do You Have? Go and See.

Imagine a summer wind is brushing your hair back, and the gentle rock of the boat is calming

your nerves because you know where you are going. For days you’ve been traveling, serving,

and soaking in the Savior’s instruction. Exhausted, your body, mind, and soul are ready to rest.

Let yourself settle into imagining these emotions being present in Jesus’s disciples as they head

across the lake, to the quiet place, in Mark 6:30–32. Moments earlier, Jesus had looked at their

posture and recognized their exhaustion and hunger. Imagine a deep compassion in his voice

as he says to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark

6:31).

Oh, dear one, can you relate to these disciples and their exhaustion and hunger?

Can you imagine yourself in need of the invitation to exit the busy and be alone with Jesus in a

quiet place?

“Go get the boat, and head over to the other side of the lake; I will meet you there.” Do you long

for these words to be extended to you?

What if I told you they are?

He sees you! He sees your neediness. He invites you away. And you’re almost there, to the

quiet place of rest with Jesus.

This is the invitation of Go & See , to get away from all that keeps your mind and body busy in

the day-to-day and see what Jesus has for you on the other side of the lake, in the quiet place.

Here is the thing, though: what it looks like to find rest and nourishment with Christ just might go

against the ideas you have in mind. It might actually look more like work than rest and may even

feel like a burden at times. Jesus might answer your need with a need, a question, or

unexpected expectations that might test your trust, faith, and will.

Believe and trust that he knows exactly what he is doing. He knows what you need to see. He

knows where you need to go. He knows whose needs you’ll be asked to meet. He is at your

side, waiting to perform miracles with what you look for, discover, and bring back to show him.

In your hands, you hold a gift punched out by the tips of my fingers but crafted by the creator’s

work in my experiences, mind, and soul. I am a simple vessel setting before you and Christ what

I have found. I pray that, as you work at unpacking it, God will multiply your strength, feed your

soul, and refresh your understanding.

Thank you for accepting the invitation to Go & See what you have by stepping into the boat with

me. It’s time to head across the lake and find all that Jesus knows we need.

About This Study

I love stories. I teach language arts and communication, so it is no wonder that I like stories, and

I absolutely love to teach students how to write so that they can express their thoughts, stories,

and questions with confidence and accuracy. The gift of the desire to be a teacher began in me

when I was in fourth grade. The details of God revealing to me that I would be a teacher

someday are a bit fuzzy, but I distinctly remember that it was that year that I determined, “When

I grow up, I want to be a teacher.” And I never changed my mind.

Nothing is as powerful in one’s life as knowing one’s own story and seeing in it the truths,

promises, and faithfulness of God recorded in the Bible. Others’ stories are inspiring, but

knowing your own story—truly picking it up and examining it and writing it down—has the power

to change your life. Inspiring stories of others fail to do what your own story can, because when

you read about another person’s overcoming or success, it is all too easy to assume you are not

able to do the same in your own life.

But when you nestle in close with Jesus, observe all that he has done in your life, and let him

reveal to you how he has been writing a beautiful narrative out of your life all along, I am

convinced you will be compelled to think and live differently because you will see yourself as

one who is woven into the greatest story: the gospel. And in that revelation, you will find the

perspective and courage to live out of the unique design God has created in you through the

experiences he has given you in life, the natural talents, skills, and passions he set in your DNA,

and through the relationships he has allowed you to participate in throughout the days you have

been journeying this earth.

As a sister and friend, I want to challenge you to persevere through all eight lessons, even if it

takes you six months. I intentionally left off weeks and days in the formatting of the books so

that you would not become discouraged if you didn’t complete a lesson in one week—allowing

you the freedom to spend more or less time on a section and truly letting God be your guide

through it all.

I pray that as you courageously Go & See what you have been given, your soul will experience

a wrestling and a peace you’ve not known before, that your heart will beat strong rhythms of

grace, and that your strength will be like that of Joshua, Daniel, Esther, and Deborah—heroes of

the faith who knew who they belonged to, knew what they were called to do for God and others,

and moved forward even when the world was at war around them. The same God who used

these men and women to save his people lives in you. The same voice of God who called out to

them to take action based on their unique design calls out to you too. I pray that the tools of this

study will help you Go & See his good and perfect plan for the days he has numbered just right

for you. He loves you. He has greatness built into you.

Go & See .