Activating The Ripple Effect
Can a “Turtle Tech” have a ripple effect in a cyber world?
It started with a “Kingdom kind” of vision board I made a few years ago.* On that vision board, I wrote an earnest desire/intention that I want to have a ripple effect for God’s Kingdom. Since then, I’ve been encountering answers to prayers in ripple effects. A seemingly random occurrence happens, followed by another…and another…all from different sources but having something in common that unmistakably correlates to what I’ve been praying about.
I’m beginning to think of prayers as pebbles dropped into still water.
The more I set my sights on living my life God’s way, the more ripples in the water my prayers seem to generate!
In my blog titled Signs, Sealed & Delivered, I shared about how two different friends of mine (who do not know each other) gave me gifts bearing a matching Celtic symbol. Both were delivered within days of asking God to confirm that projects I’ve been working on are, indeed, what He has chosen for me to do…one of which is a Scottish [eh-hem, Celtic] worship album.
That’s how the confirmations began: two Celtic ripples in the water, manifesting as circles of answer around my pebble of prayer. And then… there were three. (Heyyyyy… That’s a TRINITY).
Before I share about the third ripple, here’s an honest share about why I was asking God to confirm that I’m on the right track. I was insecure…again. How many times have I invited insecurity in? (Someone call Security!) I have waaay too many visits with that guest *that’s-not-a-friend* since I made the decision to go all-in…on-line — with launching my website and social media platforms.
In a nutSHELL (pun intended): I’m a turtle tech. It just seems so unlikely, so illogical, so improbable that God would want someone like me to put my faith-and-life story “out there” in this way. I said yes to what I heard His voice call me to do… but quite frankly, I have NO idea what I’m doing in this blogging-posting-socialmedia-and-Youtube-ing-virtual world.
My first blog was titled Tech Transparency, and I can’t say it’s gotten any easier being vulnerable and transparent to an audience of—quite literally—virtual strangers. In fact, it has become increasingly more difficult. Um, just keepin’ it real here…
I often want to retreat back into my turtle shell !
When social media ‘Likes’ and ‘Follows’ are lackluster in response to what I’ve shared online (especially when other people’s pages and posts are decorated with flourishes of flattery and ticker tapes of emoji love)—well, let’s just say it makes me want to pack up my cyber crickets and call it a day. Ninja Turtle, I am NOT.
While in the midst of conquering the cricket crush (yes I even cry sometimes about it), my frequent prayer has been something like this:
God, did I really hear You right?
Is this really where You want me to be and how I should be spending my time?
I’m a stranger in a foreign land, and I don’t know how to speak this language!
I’m a turtle tech lost in this cyber-sea.
And there you have it. My confession — the rest of the prayer I uttered when I asked God about all these projects I’ve been working on. It wasn’t just about the actual projects. On a deeper level, I was feeling invalidated by the world in which I’m now spending so much of my time and creative energy. Bottom line: I’ve been craving the world’s stamp of approval, and wanting to quit when I don’t get it.
God knew what was underneath the surface of my prayer. He knows what’s in each of our hearts.
The LORD knew there was an underlying spirit of insecurity trying to derail the track He has put me on. So in answer to my prayer, He not only sent me a Celtic symbol (twice) to affirm the Scottish music I’ve been recording, but He sent it in the form of an insignia “stamp” of His approval. A “seal” of His royal confirmation. AND… it’s also an actual “shield”!
WOWza. God sure put a lot of RIP** in those two ripples! :-O
And He wasn’t done yet...
I was about to receive the third (and perhaps most important) ripple that would expose the sneaky insecurity behind my prayer—that thing He could see was poisoning the well of my heart toward His plans.
The day after the Celtic symbol made its way into my hands on the cover of Amie Dockery’s book, I was telling another friend about the book I’d just been given. She stopped me mid-sentence and said,
“Wellllll this is very interesting! I was just about to text you the link of a message I just heard, spoken by none other than Amie Dockery!” She picked up her cell phone and sent me the link.
You can probably guess (if there’s anyone out there reading this, ha!ha!) where this third ripple went: straight for the insecurity in the well of my heart.
Having not yet read Amie Dockery’s book that had just been gifted to me the day before, I was now hearing Amy’s audible voice (via the link my friend had felt compelled to send me). Amie-the-author was speaking words that were exact echos of what I’ve been hearing in my mind on a daily basis:
“I don’t measure up to the miracle God has put in my lap.”
“He’s calling me to this thing, but I don’t have what it takes.”
And although Amie used an illustration that was not about ripples or water, she did talk about three rings outside of a bullseye circle (which, to me, is basically another description of what a ripple effect looks like).
And here’s the REAL kicker (ticker-tape parade!!) – the one that blew my mind after just receiving two “Celtic stamp/seal/shield” answers to my prayer the day before. Amie actually spoke these words verbatim:
“…that seal of identity that was just given to you…that assurance…the NO DOUBT that you just received…”
“…I know your limitations [and] I’m going to work THROUGH your limitations.”
“You’re intimidated by all the blanks…God is saying EMBRACE the emptiness!”
Whew—that’s a lot of confirmation wrapped in ripples.
OK God, I hear You! Message received, loud and clear:
YES I have heard You right about what I’m doing right now.
NO You don’t want me to quit.
Downloaded into my heart; reprogramming my mindset. I don’t need a ticker-tape parade from the social media world to validate who I am — I’ve got my own confetti raining down in ripple effects from The King of Kings. I’ve got the SEAL of APPROVAL of The Great I AM!
Thank you, God!
And thank you, Amie Dockery.
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31bEvery word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” – Proverbs 30:5***********
reSOURCEs:
UPDATE FROM THE FUTURE — YEAR 2025: I’m now sharing the newly-launched Kingdom Vision Board experience with others!
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RIP - Hearing the LORD say: “Rest In Peace. Insecurity IN THE GRAVE! Rest in MY PEACE of knowing I AM confirming to you that you are on the right track. Keep going!”
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Hear Amie Dockery’s audible message at The Belonging Co. church. (shared w/me by my friend mentioned in this blog)
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Read Amie Dockery’s book UNFOLLOW YOUR HEART
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This Josh Baldwin song has given me comfort on my heavy days. “I will sing out, until I believe now, You’re faithful to carry me….”
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