For about a year now, I have had the privilege to be a nanny for the two most incredible boys, who have filled my life with such joy and satisfaction. Honestly, they teach me more than they learn from me. 

Yesterday, Reed, who is 6 and a little fireball, and I had the opportunity to talk about God and what it means when God talks back to us and how we can talk to him. It was a beautiful conversation, and so filled with the Spirit of God. We started to practice "listening" to God. “Whatever comes into your mind, whether a word or a picture, a song or a sentence, write it down—draw it out.” So we began to ask God to speak, and how he did!

Reed said he had a picture of a volcano. He drew it on his paper and described how the magma starts at the bottom and rises to the top, filling it up with hot lava until it can no longer hold it, so it must burst out the top. I asked him what he thought it meant, so he proceeded to ask God.

He said, "Volcanoes are good." 

What Reed didn't know was that through his illustration, God was speaking to me. 

This past week has been rough for me. I had been feeling confused and overwhelmed with all different emotions within myself. There was zeal and passion, there was hurt and anger, there was love and joy, and there was a longing to see Jesus. Like a rubber band ball, I was just trying to pick out what each emotion meant, but just became frustrated instead. I didn’t know what to do with these feelings, and I didn’t know where they came from.

But our faithful Lord reassured me.

"You are a volcano Maddie. You feel things deep and burn passionately with magma inside. I have put these emotions, these desires, and longings within you. Do not fear this, for under your control they are destructive, but under mine, I will do wonders. You will go out boldly to the nations and overflow with my love, like magma in a volcano."

Volcanoes are good.

How wonderful is God, that he speaks through 6 year olds. He is unexpected and He is simple. God uses the weak and the small to do this mighty work. Praise God, because aren’t we all? Always keep your ears open, never dismissing God's simplicity, and He will surprise you through a Child’s Faith. 

But…He was not done teaching me.