book 1/12: If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat

If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat
by John Ortberg

i first learned of this book from Crae (followandreblog) in tumblr when she mentioned about it in one of her posts. i got curious about it because of its title and the lines she's been quoting from the book. i thought that it would be really helpful for a scurdycat like me to know what it takes to follow God's calling and fulfill His purpose. and last year, i've been hearing the line "getting out of the boat" so often from our ballet teacher, since we had this huge breakthrough as a company for Acts Manila.

i started reading this book end december of last year, and finished sometime early january. planned to blog about it after i finished reading it, but the article writings i have now just takes so much of my computer time, haha. the book tackled faith and trust issues, fear, discerning God's calling, handling discouragements, patience, and of course, the blessings that come with fulfilling God's plan. there was no hesitation when i got this book from the bookstore (OMF bookstore in BF Pergola! love that place ♥). i felt it was really timely and i needed encouragements as i walk in this journey of following God. anyway, here are some of the lines that hit encouraged me the most. btw, i have this habit of underlining sentences as i encounter them while reading to help me remember important words or lessons. mehehehe, nerd much.

on courage and fear of failure.

"Courage alone is not enough; it must be accompanied by wisdom and discernment." - Chapter 1, On Water-Walking

"Each time you get out of the boat, you become a little more likely to get out the next time. It's not that the fear goes away, but that you get used to living with fear. You realize that it does not have the power to destroy you." - Chapter 1, On Water-Walking

 "The worst failure is not to sink in the waves. The worst failure is to never get out of the boat." - Chapter 1, On Water-Walking

 "..when you fail- and you will fail sometimes- Jesus will be there to pick you up. You will not fail alone." - Chapter 1, On Water-Walking

these next lines made me realize deeper why i'm where i am right now. this section on career and calling made me realize the importance of living with purpose. my dream career would be working for a magazine in no less than New York City. (yup, The Devil Wears Prada is the movie-peg of my life, haha!) but because God has called me, i am here. i chose to be here right now because i discovered that God has placed me here, with a mission to fulfill.

"A calling is something you discover, not something you choose." - Chapter 3, Discerning the Call

 "..calling is 'the place where your deep gladness meets the world's deep need.'" - Chapter 3, Discerning the Call

"What work brings you joy? For what do you have desire and passion- for these, too, are gift from God. This is why giftedness is about more than just talents- it includes passion." - Chapter 3, Discerning the Call

"A calling, which is something I do for God, is replaced a career, which threatens to become my god. A career is something I choose for myself; a calling is something I receive. A career is something I do for myself; a calling is something I do for God. A career promises status, money, or power; a calling generally promises difficulty and even some suffering- and the opportunity to be used by God. A career is upward mobility, a calling generally leads to downward mobility." - Chapter 3, Discerning the Call 

 "A career may end with retirement and lots of 'toys.' A calling isn't over until the day you die. The rewards of a career may be quite visible, but they are temporary. The significance of a calling lasts for eternity. A career can be disrupted by any number of events- but not a calling. When God calls people, he enables them to fulfill their callings even in the most unlikely circumstances." - Chapter 3, Discerning the Call

encouraging words on faith, trusting God, obedience, hope, and waiting.

"Never try to have more faith- just get to know God better. And because God is faithful, the better you know him, the more you will trust him. The way to get to know his trustworthiness is to risk obeying him." - Chapter 4, Walking on Water

"Maybe God is calling you to trust him at some point of frustration in your life. Trust him. No one ever regretted trusting Christ more- ever." - Chapter 4, Walking on Water

 "I believe the reason God says 'fear not' so often is that fear will sink us faster than anything else. Fear disrupts faith and becomes the biggest obstacle to trusting and obeying God." - Chapter 6, Crying Out in Fear

"You can risk being fully honest with God for a very important reason: God is never a God of discouragement." - Chapter 7, That Sinking Feeling 

"Whenever Jesus calls someone to get out of the boat, he gives the power to walk on water."- Chapter 8, Focusing on Jesus

"Hope does not prevent me from expecting the worst- 'the worst is what the hopeful are prepared for.'" - Chapter 8, Focusing on Jesus

"..what God does in us while we wait is as important as what it is we are waiting for." - Chapter 9, Learning to Wait

"..we are waiting on God. Therefore we can trust his wisdom and timing. We can wait with confidence. Because waiting reminds us that we are waiting for someone, the single most important activity in waiting is prayer. Prayer allows us to wait without worry." - Chapter 9, Learning to Wait

"God's voice is never frantic. When you hear desperate thoughts, you can know it is not God speaking." - Chapter 9, Learning to Wait

"..every time you walk on the water, each time you trust God and seek to discern and obey his calling in your life, your God will bet bigger, and your worship will grow deeper, richer, and stronger." - Chapter 10, How Big is Your God? 

this book gave my heart enough encouragements to go on fulfilling God's plan. life hasn't been easy, and i don't think it will get easier. but one thing i've been learning is to go through it strong. there are more fears i have to conquer as i go through the waters, but i know God is in control. this book enlightened me with truths that i can hold on as i go through life walking with God.

If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. being in the boat is settling. there is comfort and there are no risks, but where's the excitement, the adventure? it's out in the waters. growth is there. JESUS IS THERE. "The water may be dark, wet, and dangerous. But Jesus is not in the boat."

i encourage you to read this book, and living your life won't be the same.