How Will You Wait?

It had been a while since we’d seen each other. The Mom and daughter were members of our previous church. When they walked thru the doors it was a welcomed surprise. Unfortunately a time mix up made for a late arrival.

They'd traveled a distance so they asked if my husband would give a summary of the sermon he preached earlier. He agreed but needed to take care of some pressing issues first. A few moments later a man came in and asked for a ride to the bus station. He received the same response.

As the ladies and I chatted, the man paced asking repeatedly if he was going to get a ride. His impatience became irritating until Holy Spirit asked, "How will you wait …. like him or them? Whew! It wasn’t just a question, it was a mirror.

…. "How will you wait …. like him or them? Whew! It wasn’t just a question, it was a mirror.

I was believing God for things that required a strength far beyond what I possessed. There were promises but no manifestation. At times I stood strong. But there were moments when my faith bowed to my reality. I wasn’t waiting well.

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As we journey through the Bible we find men and women who waited for their faith to become sight. David was among those heroes. Samuel anointed him when he was approximately fifteen years old to become the next king. But what happens afterwards seems rather odd. David returned to tending his sheep, seemingly destined for obscurity.

Some time later David got a glimpse of what God had in store but it didn’t last long.

- 1 Samuel 16:14-23

King Saul’s jealous rage sent David running for his life. He no longer enjoyed the freedom of the fields, he was reduced to hiding in caves. His circumstances made the promise seem impossible yet David refused to take his destiny into his own hands. - 1 Samuel 24:10-13

His circumstances made the promise seem impossible.

How could David wait in the midst of such adversity? The answer is simple. He knew and trusted God. You see, in the pastures there was a role reversal. Yes, David was a shepherd to his flock. But God revealed Himself as David’s Shepherd.

God was the one who provided and defended. It was His strength that killed the lion and the bear. And it was God that sheltered David during adverse weather conditions.

David's time in the fields was more than an occupation, it was his training ground.

His solitary moments as a shepherd and fugitive created sacred spaces of worship. The heart of a king was developed in David long before he became royalty.

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We never know what part of our lives are being shaped while we wait. Just because we don’t see God moving doesn’t mean he’s idle or unaware. He is orchestrating even the undesirable, unexpected and painful portions of lives for our good.

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The ladies waited because they had history with my husband. They knew he would keep his word. How much more can we trust our God?

That Sunday the Lord showed me how I was waiting and it wasn't pretty. My response to Holy Spirit’s question was a mixture of repentance, prayer and surrender.

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Have you been in a long season of unknowns and not yets? If so, I pray your hope is renewed and encouragement overshadows every disappointment. I pray as you rehearse God's truths, they come alive in your soul.

And since every season involves some level of waiting, I pray you'll rest in God's faithfulness so you can wait well.

Your Sister Friend,

Is this enough?

The early stages of motherhood thrust me into an exhausting balancing act. My heart was full but my life needed new rhythms. Feelings of overwhelming joy and desperation somehow managed to collide.

In an effort to carve out devotional time, a quick bath was my opportunity to connect with God. Unfortunately a turn of the page caused my book to take a nose dive into the water.

Bends and crinkles resided on pages that were once nice and neat. And portions of nothingness replaced previously legible words. Thankfully a rapid response minimized the damage.

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We waited years for a child, so being fully awake to meet her was a huge prayer request. But after almost 12 hours of labor, our daughter went into distress. Within moments things went from normal to chaotic. The only option was surgery.

A lot happened in a short amount of time. And after a couple weeks, the weightiness of it all rolled in. I was thankful but disappointed.... grateful but spiritually depleted. It wasn’t something I shared. I mean how could I be holding a miracle and feel so distant from the miracle worker? I needed time in God's presence but struggled to get there.

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 …how could I be holding a miracle and feel so distant from the miracle worker?

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When my Pastor called to check in, I responded with the standard, “I’m fine.” After all, starting a conversation with, “ I feel empty.” didn’t seem appropriate. Thankfully my lack of transparency didn't bother him. He posed the question a second time and before I could respond, the words, "You know ... you can spend time with God while feeding her, rocking her to sleep….." released a reservoir of tears.

For weeks I felt like what I was offering God wasn't enough. I was accustomed to a certain pattern for my devotional time. But this season was different. There were only small windows if that. ... to read and pray. And studying? Well… that wasn't even an option.

The conversation with my Pastor taught me I didn't have to approach the Father the same way. It wasn’t necessary to be confined to a particular hour of the day, length of time or posture. God wasn't holding me hostage to a rigid schedule. That was my own doing.

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God wasn't holding me hostage to a rigid schedule. That was my own doing.

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1 Thessalonians 5:17 encourages us to "pray without ceasing" yet how to actually do that was sort of a mystery. My Pastor helped connect the dots. So I started praying in the grocery store, while running errands, folding clothes, preparing dinner and rocking our Bayley to sleep.

I made efforts to turn my focus towards the Lord all throughout the day. Gradually I sensed the sweetness of His presence. I gave God what I had and it was enough.

Your Sister Friend,

One Way

My friend knew the side roads and short cuts in the city. "It's easy", she'd say while running down the directions to my next stop. Unfortunately it didn't take long for Charlie Brown's teacher to completely take over the conversation. To counteract my confusion, I'd scribble the directions on whatever was available. (This was pre Google Maps.)

But inevitably what was supposed to take thirty minutes morphed into almost a two hour adventure. I wasn't just lost. I was lost lost!

You see at some point, the directions from my friend, who was a native of the city, looked as if they were taking me the wrong way. Sooo.... I, the one who's directionally challenged, chose a different route.

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If I'm honest, I'm guilty of doing the same with God. He's given precise instructions yet I've created my own. Surely God wouldn’t lead us on a path that caused pain or blatantly bypassed our plans. Would He? In reality, often times than not, God calls us to do hard things. He beckons us to walk out assignments we’d rather run away from.

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In reality, often times than not, God calls us to do hard things. He beckons us to walk out assignments we’d rather run away from.

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Jonah found himself in a similar situation. The people of Nineveh were known for their extreme corruption and violence. In his opinion they didn’t deserve saving. As a matter of fact, the Ninevites were so cruel, Jonah wanted them to be punished. But, God had a redemption strategy that required Jonah’s cooperation.

Unfortunately things went a little off course when Jonah decided to ditch God's plan. Instead of going to Nineveh, he boarded a ship destined to Tarshish, which was approximately 2,500 miles in the opposite direction.

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There are times when we have the privilege of choice. But even then, choosing outside the will and purpose of God alters everything. Instead of gaining freedom, we set ourselves on a dangerous and sometimes deadly course. As it relates to Jonah, God’s directions weren’t options. They were commands the Prophet chose to disobey.

I don’t think Jonah imagined God would respond to his disobedience by sending a storm that resulted in him being thrown overboard. And I’m pretty sure he didn’t anticipate God appointing a great fish to swallow him up. - Jonah 1:4-17

The truth of the matter is, we can’t foresee or dictate the consequences of resisting God.

Yet despite Jonah’s wayward behavior, God was determined to get his attention. And, He did. Three days in the belly of a fish is a pretty big eye opener!

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The truth of the matter is, we can’t foresee or dictate the consequences of resisting God.

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After traveling way too long, it was obvious I had no idea where I was going. Stopping and asking for help was the only solution. Are you a member of the “Chose My Own Way”crew? Since it's just the two of us, let's talk. How's it working out? Do you feel lost? Are you exhausted and frustrated? Do you need help finding the right path?

You know the enemy wants us to think we've gone so far in the wrong direction that we could never get back. But that, my friend, is so not true! God is waiting for us to turn in His direction.

While Jonah was in the fish he prayed, remembered and repented. - Jonah 2

The change in his heart posture led to a course correction. The same can be true for us.

As our hearts soften towards the things of God, our feet will move in His direction. Why not start today by charting a new path? Just know, in spite of how it looks, God’s ways lead to hope, joy, peace and purpose. And I’m fully convinced there’s only one way …. and that’s His way.

Your Sister Friend,