Waiting

 (Source)

I was going through my archives and came across this post. It originally was posted in September of 2009. I felt as if I should resurrect it this week! 

Since the day we are born, we are taught to wait. In our infancy, we are helpless. We cannot ask for the things we need, so we cry, trusting that mom or dad will come to our rescue. As toddlers who are old enough to ask for what we want or need, we are often met with the dreaded word “wait” by mom or dad. We throw a fit, stomping off with our arms crossed and a frown on our face. We would often comment, “I don’t want to wait. It will take too long”, or “it’s not fair”. In our teenage years, we wait for the first day of Jr. High or High school, we wait to get our first job, our driver’s licenses, we wait to graduate high school, for acne to be gone, to start college and to find our soul mate whom God has designed specifically for us. The list goes on and on. 

As adults, we are still waiting on the Lord for many things. Waiting is not always easy. But I believe God’s timing in all things is perfect. He always brings forth the answer, yet it is not always within the time frame we would choose. We simply have to trust. David was a man after God’s own heart. He walked closely with God. Yet, his prayers and admonishes are full of waiting: 

• David waits in expectation for the Lord’s answers each day.  

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (Psa. 5:3); 

• David encourages us to be strong and to not lose heart as we wait for the Lord to reveal Himself in our situation.   

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (Psa. 27:14); 

• David instructs us to wait with hope because God will come to our rescue. 

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. (Psa. 33:20); 

• David instructs us to put our hope in the Word of God as we wait for the Lord’s answers. 

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. (Psa. 130:5) 

Webster’s Dictionary defines “to wait” this way: to remain in readiness for some purpose.  Other words for “wait” are: anticipate, look forward, long, pine, yearn, expect, be ready. 

As David waited on the Lord, he remained in a state of readiness to fulfill the purposes of God for that day. He encouraged himself in the Lord, telling himself to stay strong and reminding himself that God would rescue him. David put his hope in the Word of God. He trusted that God would take care of him. 

In those times when I desperately need an answer from God, I can often get impatient and tend to want to find my own solutions. Sometimes in the waiting, I can feel abandoned, unloved or like God isn’t hearing me. But the Word of God reminds me that He is waiting for me to come to him during those times. 

But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them. (Is. 30:18) 

Does this mean I simply ask once and leave it at that? No! I must continue to press in, to ask, to seek God through His word until such time as the answer or direction is brought forth. I am to continually come to Him so that He can show me His love and compassion, and so that in due time He can rescue me. 

I do not know what you are waiting on the Lord for. I myself am waiting on a few things. But my prayer is that we would all be strengthened as we wait; that we would lean in to hear what He is saying; that we would trust that His timing is perfect and that He will reveal His plan in due time. God is for us, not against us. In our waiting, we must remember His great love for us! 

But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Is. 40:31)

LORD....

I give You my heart.

How many times I've sang this song in church,

Lord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for You alone
Every Breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord, have Your way in me
(Source)

Have Your way in me, Lord.  I pray this prayer, but I am not always prepared for what God will bring.  When it comes to attitudes and issues of my heart, those things about myself that are hard to face, I would rather hang onto the old heart, because the pain of facing myself is sometimes too overwhelming.

I have been walking down some old paths lately.  I've been partnering with old thought patterns and allowing my emotions to slow me down in my pursuit of God.  The mind and the heart are so closely connected.  I have allowed my negative thought processes to filter down into my heart.  The pain of dreams yet unfulfilled.  The pain of "if I only would have".  The pain of regret and missed opportunities.  And even though the feelings I have are valid, my response to them have been far from perfect and have adversely affected my heart.  I have allowed my heart to become diseased.

A couple of nights ago, as I was striving to give God my all in worship, we had the following dialogue,

GOD: Give your heart to me.

ME: I already have.

GOD: Give me your heart.

ME: Lord, You have my heart.

GOD: I want to give you a new heart.

ME: Lord, it hurts too much. Can't you just fix the one I have?

GOD: I can fix it, yes. However,  I desire to give you a new heart. 

I was undone at that moment. There are things in my heart that keep me from pursuing my Beloved the way I desire to.  These things keep me in a place of unworthiness and insignificance and prevent me from moving forward in my pursuit of Him.  These things must be pulled up by their roots.  God desires to break every chain that binds, and remove every barrier that hinders me from running hard after Him.  I am desperately in need of a new heart. 

I've been crying out for God. For the Living God.

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
(Psalm 84:2) 

And as I cry out for more of God, He comes, like a flood, to fill my heart. But lately I feel that there is hardly room enough for God to come and occupy the deep places of my heart.  My arteries have become clogged. The blood flow of the life of Christ that is running through my veins is sometimes blocked from reaching the very core of my heart.  And my heart often beats for other lovers.  Other things and other relationships that can only bring momentary satisfaction.  I want a heart that beats for Him and Him alone, a heart flowing with the richness of His love and mercy.  A heart that is pure and unwavering in my faith.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  (Psalm 51:10)

And even though my heart says "YES", I am weak. My love for Him is weak. I would rather not have to endure the pain of facing myself, my shortcomings, my failures, my attitudes. But I trust Him to care for my heart, despite the pain.

Sometimes God comes as the Potter.  His desire is to mold and shape me more into His image and likeness.  At other times, God comes to cleanse and to purge, to take out the impurities in my heart so that I will have space for the Holy God of the universe to reign there.  And there are still other times when God comes and desires to bring a complete overhaul of my heart.  This is where I am today.  I've struggled with these "little" issues for far too long.  They are weighing me down and slowing me down.

"So I place my heart into Your hands, Lord,
and offer it up to You."

And even though it's painful, I trust that God will care for my heart gently and tenderly.  I am willing to endure the pain of a heart transplant if it means I will gain Christ as my reward. 

Perspective

photo © 2010 Francesco Pappalardo | more info (via: Wylio)

I found myself losing mine yesterday.  For a moment, most of the day really, I took my eyes off of the reason for the season.  I allowed my circumstances to rise to the forefront and I was once again faced with fear, anxiety and depression.  How does this happen?  How do I walk in joy and victory one day, and fear and anxiety the next?  I just wrote a guest post over at 5 Minutes for Faith about not fearing what appears to be immovable mountains in our lives, and found myself camping at the base of the mountain, forgetting for a moment that I did not have to fear because the Lord was with me, and that with Him ALL things are possible.  

So last night, after regaining my focus, I began to think about perspective. It's the way I see things. Do I want to continue to look at my life as half empty, or have full?  It's about my attitude.  Will I allow myself to become bitter and angry over something that I, in my own strength, cannot change?  It's about choosing joy in the midst of hardship and struggle.  Every new circumstance that my family is faced with that could be a cause for worry, doubt and fear is an opportunity to look up into the face of God, reflect on His promises and faithfulness to us, and realize how truly blessed we are.

I have a loving husband who works hard to provide for our family
and who loves me unconditionally.

My children are healthy and following the Lord.

We have shelter and food on our table.

My family lives nearby and we get to enjoy Christmas together.

Unemployment has brought opportunity for sacrifice and growth.

One car broke down, but we have two that are working.

Not enough money for all that I want to give at Christmas....

but JESUS is FREE!

I have been pondering these scriptures this morning as I allow God to once again breathe hope over my circumstances.

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—my Savior and my God! (Psalm 42:5)

I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.  (Psalm 121:1-2)

"LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." (Psalm 16:5-8)

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.  (Psalm 118:1)

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.  (Psalm 27:13)

How about you?  Have you lost your perspective?  He is with you Beloved One.  May Jesus come afresh and a new and breathe hope over your circumstances.  May you be filled to overflowing with peace and joy!  

Merry CHRISTmas!

 

What Matters Most

(Source)

Over the last couple of years (notice I said years and not days, weeks or months), conversations like these have been all too familiar in our home:

Mommy, can we go to a movie today?  No, sweetie, I don't have the extra money.

Hey mom, can you buy me that neat flannel?  It's on sale.  No hun, I have bills to pay.

Mom, can we buy some ice cream bars?  No sweetie, I can only buy what's on my list.

These conversations continue on almost a daily basis.  As a mother, it's not just my desire to provide what my children need, but I long to be able to give them the things they want from time to time.  Over the last couple of years, we've struggled financially to keep our heads above water.  God has been so good to provide my husband with work, after being laid off for a year, and we never lack in having the things that matter most -- love, food, clothing, shelter.  I have grown so much in my faith during this season of my life.  But although I am learning and grasping the importance of the things that truly matter, I am not sure my children, at least the younger ones, have caught on just yet.

My heart aches when I have to hear myself say "no" over and over again to the smallest and even most inexpensive things.  Today was an especially hard day. I took my youngest daughter shopping with me and had to hear myself deny her wants a few times.  And then I started to look around and see that the stores were beginning to put out their Christmas merchandise and I could feel near panic setting in.  I caught myself beginning to feel a little hopeless and depressed.  I had to pull it together though.  I refused to have a melt down in the middle of the mall in front of my ten year old daughter!

When I got home, I had to begin to reflect again on the goodness of God.  I had to purpose in my heart to fix my gaze on Him, focusing once again on what matters most.  Today was an opportunity to teach my daughter that although she has wants, they are not necessarily needs at this time.  And for those things she is in need of, God will take of those things.  We do not have to worry about what we will eat, drink or wear, for the same God who feeds the sparrow will feed and clothe us.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

 ²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

 ³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matt. 25:26-33 NLT)

Even though today was a hard day I know what matters most.

I may not be able to afford the movie theater.
But we can enjoy a movie we own, snuggling together on the couch,

sharing popcorn and making memories.

I may not be able to afford the latest fashion.

But I am very resourceful.  eBay and Craigs List are two

of my best friends.  We don't mind hammy downs.

I may not be able to buy a lot of the "extras" at the grocery store.

But our stomachs are always full.

Our God is rich beyond measure and desires to lavish good gifts on His children.  That includes me and my family.  And even though I've been labeled as the "mom who always says no", we serve a God who loves to say "YES"!  I pray that my children would understand how rich they are.  I may not be able to take them to the Magic Kingdom for vacation.  But I can show them how to secure their place in the Kingdom of God and teach them to set their affections on things above and not so much on material possessions.

I am so thankful that God is using this season of my life to help me to understand the importance of the things that matter most.  All of the other things I leave in His very capable hands. 

Embracing The Winds of Change

 (Post edited to add my own artwork.)

When the winds of change come, do you turn and walk the other direction, or do you lean into the wind, embracing it, anxious to see where it might take you?

This was my Facebook status tonight, just as I am getting this post written and heading off to bed.  I was reading through my journal tonight and I was stuck on a particular word the Lord spoke to me back in April of this year.  I had been sitting in the Prayer Room, and listening to a song that made reference to letting the wind blow, about not being afraid, and facing the wind. (Misty Edwards, Fling Wide).  This is what God spoke to me:

I am bringing the winds of change.  You have two choices.  You can allow yourself to be caught up in fear and doubt and allow yourself to become immobilized, unable to move, OR you can embrace the winds of change.  Will you choose to trust that I will guide your course?

There are a few "winds of change" that I am facing right now in my life.  My desire is to lean into the wind, to fully embrace it, trusting that God will carry me through.  However, sometimes in my human state and in my weakness, I want to turn, and run in the opposite direction of the wind.  But when I choose to run away, it is no longer the wind of the Spirit of God that carries me.  But it is my flesh that carries me.

I won’t be afraid
I will face the wind
I won’t be afraid
I'll embrace the flame

When the winds come, at times they come with such force and strength that it catches me off guard.  In those moments, will I choose to trust, facing the wind and embracing the flame?  God does not promise that it will not be painful at times, these winds of change.  But He does promise that if we will lean into it, surrender to it, He will bring us through, unscaved and much stronger.

The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

Are you facing the winds of change in your life?  Trust the Lord.  Lean into the wind and hear what the Spirit of God is saying to you in this season.  Then, embrace it and allow the wind of the Spirit to carry you to your next destination.

Running The Race With Joy

This was delivered to my in box this morning and I just had to share it with you.  Sometimes in this journey of life we get weary or just plain tired.  I know that I do.  We have been dealing with our house situation for over a year now and just this week I found myself saying, "I'm done.  I don't want to even try anymore".  But God has told me, "Don't give up yet".  And I ask, "Where will I find the strength to go on?"  And He says, "My JOY will be your strength"!

"The joy of the LORD is your strength."
(Nehemiah 8:10)

When we find ourselves tiring along the path of life, we need to stop for a JOY refreshment.  It's all about drinking from the water of life and eating of His word.  When I am rooted and grounded in Him, His joy will overflow in my life and then my problems aren't so big anymore.  It is only by spending time in His presence where I will find true joy and as a result, the faith to continue to run.

Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy
in his dwelling place. (1 Chronicles 16:27)

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11)

So I run.  I continue on in this season of my life where there are moments of despair and worry.  Yet I trust.  I hope.  I continue to fix my eyes on the One who holds me in the palm of His hand and then I know everything will be okay.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

Delight Yourself in the LORD

I am continuing my reading of the Psalms.  Today's reading was Psalm 37. This is one of the first portions of scripture that I memorized when I became a Christian:

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will 

give you the desires of your heart. 

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD; 

trust in him and he will do this.

What does it mean to "delight oneself in the Lord"?  When we are delighted by something, or someone, we are pleased.  The word "pleased" refers to experiencing or manifesting pleasure, or to be filled with wonder and delight. Therefore, when we delight ourself in the Lord, we are pleased.  The Father delighted in the Son, in whom He was well pleased.  The Son brought delight and pleasure to the heart of the Father.  In the same way, we must allow the Lord to fill our hearts with HIS pleasure.  If we make the Lord our delight, He promises to give us the desires of our hearts.  I believe that every desire that is birthed in our heart is first birthed in the heart of God.  Those dreams that we may be afraid to speak out, for fear they will never be realized, and those passions that we keep to ourselves because we are afraid we will be told we "can't do it" -- all of those pleasures in our hearts began in the heart of God -- He put them there.  Because they were birthed in the very heart of God and transplanted into us, they are meant to be re-birthed through us.  

God asks that we COMMIT our way to Him and TRUST Him.  If our desire is first for the Lord Himself, and not for those things that He can give us, and not for those dreams that we have, but for HIM alone; and if we TRUST Him, believing that He holds all things in the palm of His hand and knows the exact hour which our dreams will become reality, than He says He will do it.


So we must first DELIGHT in the LORD.  How do we do this?

1. Spend time in His presence and let Him lavish His great love on us.
2. Spend time in His word, delighting in HIS law and reflecting on His promises.
3. Spend time with Him in prayer and ask for HIS heart in all matters.
4. Spend time worshipping Him, praising Him and thanking Him for who He is and all He has done and is yet to do.

Then, we COMMIT our way to the Lord and TRUST:

1. Commit our dreams to God.  Trust that He will bring them to fulfillment.
2. Commit our purpose to God.  Trust that He will reveal HIS plan for our life.
3. Commit our Life to God.  He holds us in the Palm of His hand.  Nothing is too big or difficult for Him.  Simply trust.

I am on a journey of delighting, committing and trusting.  How about you?

*Photo Credit:  Amy Welch Mosaics

Power Outage

Last night as I was helping my children with their homework, we experienced a power outage. When the power has gone out before, my children would be pretty frantic, looking for mom and dad, as well as for flashlights and candles.  But since it was not yet totally dark outside, they were able to see enough to find their way around.  Dad went out for a bite to eat (since he couldn't heat up his food which I saved for him ), and the kids and I settled into the living room.  I folded laundry by lantern, and my kids kept themselves occupied with a game of strategy playing Star Wars Miniatures.  As I sat there watching my children, I reflected on how much peace resided in our home at that very moment.  Even though the lights were out, we had peace.  My kids were secure in the knowledge that they were not alone (mom was there) and I was overwhelmed by the presence of God as I folded my laundry.  This laundry had been sitting on my floor all week, and during the power outage, I was overcome with supernatural strength to get it all folded and put away!


We do not have to fear in times of darkness.  We can be secure in the fact that our Heavenly Father is right there beside us and will never leave us nor forsake us.  Isn't it reassuring to know that we will never experience darkness.  Even though the lights may go out around us, even though the sun may go down and the darkness comes, He IS light and in HIM there is no darkness.  

...God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)

There is no power outage with our Heavenly Father.  As children of God, we continually walk in the light of His presence. Even in times of darkness when we cannot see in front of us, He is always there.  

You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.  (Psalm 18:28) 

The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1) 

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105) 

Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:12)

 He is fully charged, always ready to go, and His light will never go out!

Do You Trust Him With Your Heart?

I've been feeling impressed to read and begin meditating on Psalm 139. I absolutely love this scripture, because it reminds me that I was created by a loving and powerful God, and that He formed me perfectly. I am His great masterpiece! He delights in me and calls me GOOD! As a woman who still struggles at times understanding the depth of God's love, this is always a refreshing read. Today, I've been chewing on the last few verses:

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

²⁴ Point out anything in me that offends you,

and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

This is my heart's cry, that God would examine my heart and reveal anything in me that brings offense to His heart. But I think it's been a while since I've actually verbalized this prayer. I mean, it's always in my heart and God knows what's in my heart, so why pray it, right? But there is just something about coming before the creator of Heaven and earth in a posture of humility, and asking Him to search me, to know me, to find those things that aren't pleasing in me; to bring them forth out of darkness into the light. Let's face it, it is not easy to face ourselves, is it? It's easier to shut the door on those things and tell ourselves we will deal with them later. But God's heart is that we allow Him to come in and take those things, to clean us up so that we don't have to look at them anymore.

Even though God knows my thoughts, and that my desire is to live uprightly, when I verbally pray and make this request known, it tells God that I am opening up the door of my heart and giving Him permission and access to those very places that remain hidden from anyone else but Him. And it doesn't always mean that I am trying to keep these things hidden. It might be that I haven't yet realized the extent of what is there. But when I ask, when I invite Him in, it's at that moment when He comes and begins to gently bring to light those things that would rather remain in the darkness -- selfishness, bad attitudes, fear, anxiety, jealousy, anger, etc. He already knows these things are in my heart. He will do it anyways, but I would rather He do it announced and invited rather than sneaking up on me and catching me off guard, wouldn't you? I don't want to have to wrestle with God. I want to allow him to work in me gently while I am at rest,

So here I am Lord. I give you full access to those places in my heart that need a clean sweep from You. Search me and know me and reveal to me all those things that offend you and keep me from pursuing you with my whole heart. I want to be closer to you Lord. Thank you for the gentle and loving way you hold my heart. You are a GOOD and loving daddy and I trust you with my heart.

Do you trust the Lord with your heart today?

Trusting

The last couple of days has been hard. In my last post, I spoke about being secure in the storm. A couple of days ago I asked God if I could stay there -- hidden in the shelter of His wings. I did not think I had the strength to weather this storm. I've never walked this way before. I don't have directions to get me from Point A to Point B. I feel lost. I am reading His Word and finding strength there, but my mind, will and emotions are taking their own sweet time catching up. God told me that I could not linger there in the safe place, high in the cleft of the rock, where the storm cannot find me. He told me instead that He would go with me, back down into the valley, and walk with me through this storm -- and that this too shall pass. What, might you ask am I dealing with? I am going to put it out there, because I feel like I need too. I have tried to hide it, taking it with me into the safe place, wanting to hide it and appear as if nothing was changing. But it's time to look reality in the face.

We are losing our home. It did not happen over night. This storm's been looming for quite some time. Have we made poor financial decisions? Yes. Did we fall victim to bad loans? Yes. No matter the reason, the fact of the matter is our home is no longer ours. We have taken steps during the last year to make things better, but every door we attempted to walk through was closed. So now we find ourselves sifting through 15 years of accumulated stuff as we frantically pack and search for a new home, all before December 1st. I don't know where we are going, but I trust that He has gone before us and is preparing a place that is far beyond what we could ever hope or imagine. I am learning that my spirit can yield and be in perfect peace, but that it takes work to keep my mind, will and emotions walking in that peace. Almost daily I deal with waves of different emotions. And I will admit that there are moments of gripping fear like I've never known before. Those "what ifs" that creep up and whisper to you in the middle of the night so you can't sleep, causing you to wake up sick to your stomach in the morning.

But I trust.

But when I am afraid, I put my trust in you.(Psalms 56:3)

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.(Psalms 112:7)

And I rest.

Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. (Exodus 14:13a,14)

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.(Psalms 91:1)

And I hope.

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord! (Psalm 31:24)

You will have courage because you will have hope. You will be protected and will rest in safety. (Job 11:18)

Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone. (Psalms 33:22)

And I wait.

But if we hope for what is still unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure.(Romans 8:25)

You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my place of safety.(Psalms 59:9)

But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

We are moving forward even though we cannot see where we are going. The picture I have in my head is of us (my family) walking down a long dark corrider. Our arms are stretched out in front of us and we can feel the Lord's hand in ours. There is just a tinge of light at the end, but we know that God is leading the way. So we trust Him to guide us through the darkness.

So that's what's been going on with me. I will continue to blog about what I am learning on this journey. I hope that you will be encouraged in whatever situation you are facing. Nothing is impossible with God! Allow Him to take your hand and lead you through the dark place.

We would appreciate your prayers! I can't wait to testify to what our Amazing God has done for us!

Secure In The Storm

Hello bloggie friends! I am so sorry I went and took a break from blogging and didn't tell anyone where I was going. I didn't realize I was going until I had already gone, and then I had trouble finding my way back. Oh how I have missed blogging! My life has been a bit of a whirlwind lately, and I found myself trying to juggle way too much, as well as allowing some very personal things to get in the way of my thoughts. My family is going through a storm of late, but we are trusting God. Even though at times I am full of emotions, cry, want to scream and think this will never end, I take a deep breath. When I finally come up for air, and allow the Holy Spirit to bring His peace, I stand firm, full of faith and am secure in the fact that He goes before us and will bring us through. Perhaps someday I will share more about this particular storm.

Are you weathering a storm today? Are your feet firmly planted in the good soil of the Word of God? The Bible tells us that we will go through hard times. Just because we are Christians this does not mean that we are automatically saved from experiencing pain and heartache. But God has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. During this time in my life, I like to sit and close my eyes and picture myself high up on a rock. God has taken the form of a huge Eagle and He has come, taken me underneath his wing, and tucked me safely away in the cleft of the rock. There He will keep me until the raging storm has passed. Even though I am experiencing the storm -- I can see the lightening, hear the thunder and almost feel the waves crashing around me, I know that I am safe under the shadow of His wings. I am secure in the fact that I remain in God's presence and that this too shall pass. And when it does pass, God will be there in the form of a rainbow to remind me once again that He has not forgotten His promises for myself and my family. Today I choose to rest securely in His love, hidden in the cleft of the ROCK, tucked away under the shadow of His wings!

Waiting

Since the day we are born, we are taught to wait. In our infancy, we are helpless. We cannot ask for the things we need, so we cry, trusting that mom or dad will come to our rescue. As toddlers who are old enough to ask for what we want or need, we are often met with the dreaded word “wait” by mom or dad. We throw a fit, stomping off with our arms crossed and a frown on our face. We would often comment, “I don’t want to wait. It will take too long”, or “it’s not fair”. In our teenage years, we wait for the first day of Jr. High or High school, we wait to get our first job, our driver’s licenses, we wait to graduate high school, for acne to be gone, to start college and to find our soul mate whom God has designed specifically for us. The list goes on and on. As adults, we are still waiting on the Lord for many things. Waiting is not always easy. But I believe God’s timing in all things is perfect. He always brings forth the answer, yet it is not always within the time frame we would choose. We simply have to trust.

David was a man after God’s own heart. He walked closely with God. Yet, his prayers and admonishes are full of waiting:

• David waits in expectation for the Lord’s answers each day.In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (Psa. 5:3);
• David encourages us to be strong and to not lose heart as we wait for the Lord to reveal Himself in our situation.Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (Psa. 27:14);
• David instructs us to wait with hope because God will come to our rescue.We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. (Psa. 33:20);
• David instructs us to put our hope in the Word of God as we wait for the Lord’s answers.
  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. (Psa. 130:5)

Webster’s Dictionary defines “to wait” this way:

to remain in readiness for some purpose

Other words for “wait” are: anticipate, look forward, long, pine, yearn, expect, be ready.

As David waited on the Lord, he remained in a state of readiness to fulfill the purposes of God for that day. He encouraged himself in the Lord, telling himself to stay strong and reminding himself that God would rescue him. David put his hope in the Word of God. He trusted that God would take care of him. In those times when I desperately need an answer from God, I can often get impatient and tend to want to find my own solutions. Sometimes in the waiting, I can feel abandoned, unloved or like God isn’t hearing me. But the Word of God reminds me that He is waiting for me to come to him during those times.

But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them. (Is. 30:18)

Does this mean I simply ask once and leave it at that? No! I must continue to press in, to ask, to seek God through His word until such time as the answer or direction is brought forth. I am to continually come to Him so that He can show me His love and compassion, and so that in due time He can rescue me.

I do not know what you are waiting on the Lord for. I myself am waiting on a few things. But my prayer is that we would all be strengthened as we wait; that we would lean in to hear what He is saying; that we would trust that His timing is perfect and that He will reveal His plan in due time. God is for us, not against us. In our waiting, we must remember His great love for us!

But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Is. 40:31)