clouds

Sometimes I get on my nerves. Like when God goes beyond my expectations in an answer to prayer and then five minutes later  I'm doubting how He'll take care of this other thing. Ugh. How ungrateful is that? And I mean God totally took care of me! I'm going on a missions trip this summer and was doing some fundraising. Long story short, not only did God provide all the money I needed, I have enough to buy all of the things I need for the trip plus I was able to help a few other people going. I felt like the whole "super abundantly" of Ephesians 3:20 was happening right in front of me and yet, I turn around and wonder where the answer to this prayer is. When clouds start to block the sun, that's when doubts creep in. But, "beyond the clouds, the sun is shining" - and that's a total Avalon reference, by the way. So I'm working on it. Working on thanking God for what He's done and what's on the way. And until the clouds move, I'm seeing what shapes they look like :)

faint not

This is my verse right now. And I wanted to share it with you. Whatever that thing you're believing for, don't give up!

a chat with habbakuk

I have a current favorite verse. It's Habbakuk 2:3. I did a little research on the background of this verse to help me better understand. And wow. Habbakuk is someone we can relate to! A lot of bad things were happening around Habbakuk - "he lived when there was great national corruption and distress, when the nation and land was filled with violence, with hatred, and with outbreaks of evil" (source). So God has told Habbakuk some things would happen but he's waiting on those to come about. This is where 2:3 comes in:

God's saying "hold on. It's coming. Wait for it." I like this verse! I have a few things in my life I feel God has promised me. I don't have them yet but I'm waiting on them. I've written them down and look at them, thanking God for them before they've yet arrived. And I know they're on the way! "...wait for it; it will surely come;". 

willing to wait

I had the privilege to go to The Dream Center in 2008 for a short-term mission trip. I'm always super excited to hear about the amazing things they're doing and how God is using them! And they always have good Facebook statuses, including this recent one: "Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we're waiting for." I needed this. There's something I've been praying about for a few years and know God is working it out but I've been tempted to "help" Him a bit, trying to make it happen sooner. I know I should be patient and trust His perfect timing but sometimes that's not so easy :) So coming across these words helped me. What I'm believing for is one of those desires you tuck away and keep close to you. It's not something I share with a lot of people. But I do have a handful of awesome people who are agreeing with me - and they'll be the first to know when the answer comes about! Because if you think about it, if you knew God was working on your answer and that it would be even better than what you can imagine, would you not want to wait until it was ready? Would you not want anything less? I know the waiting can be hard and you might want to give up and just settle. But don't. Trust God's timing and know He's working things out. Know He's orchestrating events in such a beautiful and amazing way - if only we knew. Be willing to wait. 

enjoy God's grace while you wait

I was reading Joyce Meyer's devotional Trusting God Day by Day and every once in a while one really jumps out at me. Sunday's page was titled, "Enjoy God's Grace While You Wait." Here's part of what she wrote:

"...My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for my strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

"You may be frustrated, struggling, and unhappy simply because you are trying to fix something you cannot do anything about. Perhaps you have a situation in your life that you don't want, and you are trying to get rid of it. Maybe there is something you do want and are trying hard to get, yet nothing you try is working and it is frustrating you. In any case, the only thing you can do is cease from your own works, and trust God. While you are waiting for God to take care of the situation, I encourage you to enjoy the wait."

as fast as she can

I don't normally watch How I Met Your Mother but I was flipping channels not too long ago and came in on the last few minutes. I watched this final scene of the episode and absolutely loved it! I apologize for the poor quality but it was hard to find just this clip. This can apply for anything you may be going through. Maybe you're waiting for the right job or a future spouse or waiting on the ability to have a baby or have enough money to go on a trip - whatever it may be. Take comfort in the fact that God's not forgotten you and has the most amazing plan for your life. Whatever you're believing for, it's coming...as fast as it can :) And if I can agree with you on your "whatever," you can either email me or leave a comment below. That whole "if two or more agree" thing...

still single

I want to encourage my fellow single friends out there. I think I've mentioned before that I want to get married. I want to stand in front of friends and family and say "I do" to the guy God's been saving just for me. I know relationships are complicated and not every day with the one you love will always be happy and smooth sailing. I'm aware of that yet that doesn't take my desire for marriage away. I came across something the other day that's changed how I've been praying for a husband. Maybe this will help you too. Boundless.org is an extension of Focus on the Family. This is their webzine targeted to young adults and marriage/dating is a frequent topic of interest. One article, "How to Pray for Your Husband" caught my eye (http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0002325.cfm). The author says that while quoting verse after verse regarding marriage is good and all, you need to actually pray for your future spouse. Pray that he's moving to the point of being ready for marriage (be it spiritually, emotionally, financially). Pray that God's preparing him for that huge step and for you. This changed how I approach the subject with God. It's taking it beyond "thank You for my husband" but putting feet to that prayer by asking God to help my Mr. Right move to the point of feeling able to take on a wife and maybe family one day.

cook time

I've made the comparison before that waiting on God is like waiting on a made-to-order cookie. We know exactly what we want is being prepared for us but we sometimes become impatient while waiting for it to bake and sadly, we sometimes settle for less that God's best by eating animal crackers instead (nothing wrong with animal crackers but why would you choose them over your favorite cookie?). Our problem is that we get hung up in the cook time. This is the time when doubts can begin to creep in, making us question if the wait is really worth it or if the cookie will EVER be ready? What if the cookie burns and is no longer perfect? We enter into the land of "what if's" and begin to question the baker's ability and timing. How does he know when the cookie ready? What if he loses track of time or forgets about it?

Even though we may question the baker, he knows exactly what he's doing. We have to rest in that fact and be assured that when the cookie is done, the baker will give it to us. Are you catching on to my analogy? Are you connecting the dots? It's all about the cook time. This is when our faith is really tested as we wait and wait and maybe even wait some more. Yet we know the baker doesn't make mistakes and will give us our cookie at EXACTLY the right time.

weary of waiting

I'm going to do a little venting. Have you ever gotten tired of waiting on God? You've prayed for something and followed that up with (1) sowing seed, (2) confessing it as though you already received it, (3) claiming verses that are relevant and even (4) fasting. Yet your seed still remains in the ground - not even a stem has poked through the soil. Part of you feels like you'll be struck by lightning for questioning God's timing because who are we to question...God? Yet at the same time, you feel like He's forgotten all about you (can anyone relate?). You see others around you having their prayers answered and you can't help but wonder if your request didn't quite reach God's ears - that maybe something happened in the delivery process and it was counted as spam. You hear all the Christian lingo that's supposed to bring comfort but instead only serves to annoy you. Things like "God has a plan" or "it's all in His timing" or the ever popular "trust in the Lord" - words that sound good but can sometimes ring hollow when you're in the midst of a situation and needing God to move.

However, there is good news (I wouldn't end this on such a sour note). It's during these times of waiting that we have to continue to cling to God. We can't hide out and miss church because ultimately, that's only hurting us. We have to remain faithful to God and not give up. When things aren't going as planned, God's the only sure thing we have. We have to trust that He is working things out (though it may not look like it) and that He does have a plan (though we don't know what all it involves) - I'm realizing God likes leaving us in the dark because it forces us to rely on Him instead of feeling we can do it all ourselves (because we can't). Saying all of that to say, don't give up on what you're believing God to do. I've been listening to the song "Wait and See" by Brandon Heath. One part says,

"Still wondering why I'm here
Still wrestling with my fear
But oh, He's up to something
And the farther on I go
I've seen enough to know
That I'm, I'm not here for nothing
He's up to something..."

God's not finished with us. "Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius." - Georges-Louis Leclerc Buffon

seeds

We're currently in the midst of a 48-hour prayer vigil at my church. For every hour of these 48 hours, there's at least one person at church, praying - it's really cool when you think about it. I went yesterday afternoon and as I was praying something occurred to me that left me in wonder. I was praying for financial increase for those in church and was thanking God that when we sow seeds, there's always a harvest. Then I thought about that. There's...always....a...harvest. Even though a seed may take it's time in sprouting, it will at some point break through the ground and produce. Always. I know I've sown seeds before and am still waiting on the return but I can be assured that those seeds WILL produce.

on its way

A few weeks ago, I saw Hillsong United in concert. Hearing songs from those who wrote them that I listen to and being surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of people who are hungry for God is a beautiful thing. About halfway through the concert, the youth pastor for Hillsong Church came out and spoke (I'll admit I absolutely love their accent). He talked about the fact that he and his wife have a new baby at home. He said that they have decided to feed her "the old fashioned way," as he put it, leaving him completely incapable of feeding her. One day the baby was fussy and hungry, the youth pastor only able to offer what comfort he could while his wife was on her way home. He said he was holding his daughter close, rocking back and forth, trying to keep her pacifier in place - everything humanly possible to console her but it still wasn't enough. Though he couldn't give her what she needed, help was on its way. He said the same is true with us. God is holding us, comforting us as only He can, promising our answer is on its way. We're 'fussy' for whatever reason, all of us needing something different from God. "I love you. Hold on. Just a little bit longer," God says, rocking us back and forth. I like that idea. God knows what we need before we even ask which means we can be assured we'll have the answer at the right time.

wait on me

I read a book a few years ago but my attention was suddenly drawn back to it today as I spied it sitting on my shelf. It's called "His Princess - Love Letters from Your King" by Sheri Rose Shepherd and it's just that - 'letters' from God to His daughters. I want to share one with you and hope it touches you as it did me.

"My Princess...Wait on Me.

Wait on Me, My princess. My timing is always perfect. I know you're anxious about many things, and I see your passion for all the plans I have put in your heart. I know that you long to fly, and I see your enthusiasm. However, just as a vinedresser nurtures the vine and waits patiently for the right moment to harvest the grapes, so too am I working tirelessly to prepare you to bear much fruit. Don't run ahead of Me or try to fly before My plans are complete. Your strength will fail you, and your dreams will wither away. Trust Me that My dreams for you are far greater than you can dream on your own. You will run farther and soar higher if you will patiently wait for the season of My blessing. Draw close to Me now, and I promise that this season of waiting will bring you the sweetest of rewards.

Love,
Your King and Lord of perfect timings"