Waiting

What are you waiting on today? Have you been wearing out the floor by your bed pleading to God to answer that prayer for a break through in your finances? your marriage? healing in relationships? a job? a ministry that you have felt called to but it isn't going any were??

Merriam-Webester defines wait as:
1. to stay in place in expectation of
2. to delay serving (meal)
3. to serve as a waiter

1 a.to remain stationary in readiness or expectation
   b.to pause for another to catch up

2 a. to look forward expectantly
    b .to hold back expectantly

3. to serve at meals

4 a. to be ready and available
   b. to remain temporarily neglected or unrealized.

Waiting...its one of those things we do daily. I don't handle waiting very well, most of us don't. When I'm waiting most of the time I feel most like 4b's definition. I wallow, panic, worry, doubt, question, wonder...pray, seek, read, talk to others....panic, worry...you know how it goes but most often I think when we are called to wait or we are in a season of waiting on God to perform those big things that only he can do is to remain stationary in readiness and expectation. to look forward expectantly, to be ready and available.

Instead of becoming bored, overwhelmed or even underwhelmed, stay focused look to God watching expectantly for what he has in store.

This year as been a year of getting comfortable being uncomfortable. We have been stretched in ways we didn't know we needed to be stretched, areas that needed stretching for a while, even those areas that just need to be refined a little more. One of those areas of course is waiting, you know those fruits of the spirit?! peace, patience, self control?! all roll up into how we are supposed to handle waiting. (HAHAHAHA right) well you know how when something needs to be refined God has a way of refining it to make us look more like him!! So needless to say in this season of getting comfortable...God is refining our waiting skills.

If we would have been able to control it there would be an orphanage built in India, all of the orphans would be sponsored. Little changes wouldn't throw us off, those unexpected things wouldn't come and everything would just work out, with as little stress as possible.

God loves us to be in a constant state of dependence on him. He wants us to long for time with him. A little over a month ago in Mid October a friend of mine and I sat down for coffee in my living room for a much needed chat. It began with the normal, kids, husbands, life, work, etc but eventually came around to a well prayed around part of both of our lives. Something we both lay before Jesus daily, the orphanage those 32 boys who desperately need a home. My husband who feels called to get it done. Lots of ideas...followed closely by a whole lot of closed doors...

until

 

God shows up and says now

 

The venue was available

The ideas came together

The team formed

The date was selected

 

November 21...

 

 

The kicker?? its October 21. 30 days to plan...prepare and make this thing happen. What an incredible, wild, crazy, adventure filled, drawing our team of 4 out of our comfort zones into the midst of something simply perfect. God showed up and showed off in such a great and powerful way and allowed us to pull it off. Our goal for the fundraiser was 5,000 and we thought that was high...you wanna know how God showed up and showed off?? as of right now because of this fundraiser we have over $15,000 towards the orphanage!!!

 

 

We have been trying so hard to accomplish a fraction of this for over a year...but God had something else. He had a bigger plan in his timing. It is all coming together. We aren't sure how its going to look but wow are we excited and ready.

 

So be encouraged. He is working. He hears your prayers, counts your tears...He's preparing the way. It will all come together. If it all seems hopeless and up in the air, grab coffee with a friend, seek him together because that helps, community helps you see the light when the darkness hides it and the lies confuse. Stay focused it will all come together in time. Hold fast to his promises...He is always true to his word. 

Divine Interruptions

Life can be crazy, busy, loaded with to-do lists, as the year winds down and holidays are in full swing. Throw in planning a fundraiser, talking to the mayor and holiday travels and life gets a bit more complicated. You plan moments and minutes trying to fit in every single conversation you possibly can with potential donors. Praying that God goes before and guides your way so the little bit of time you have to devote isn't wasted.

In the midst of yesterday and our to-do list...our day didn't go as planned. we didn't make it to one place to share our hearts and passion about building an orphanage and getting the funds to begin phase 1 by the end of the year. I wasn't ready for a busy day, a day full of running and talking and entertaining little people. Yesterday ended with sweet conversations about what Jesus is doing in the lives of women in Arlington, Tx. How God is moving, building, changing, molding, calling, burdening. We didn't accomplish much yesterday, but we listened to God. We allowed him to slow us down and interrupt our plans and for one moment this week we allowed him to place us in the right place at the right time.

We miss these moments a lot because we don't sit still long enough to listen to the gentle nudging's of the Holy Spirit. The things we are doing are good things and they are things that God has called us to do. However, in these things he has called us to he wants us to rely on him. God puts us in situations so he can show up and show off. He give us challenges so that we remember we need him.

All the opportunities we thought we "missed" yesterday God replaced in bigger better ways today. You know I'm not sure how this fundraiser is going to turn out or how we are going to raise the $50,000 for phase 1, but I know God knows, God has a plan, God is going before us.

There is a barn in Arlington that is going to be a meeting ground for lots of people to come together to love on some orphans across the world, to let them know that not only do some crazy Americans who love Jesus love them but more importantly that God loves them and that God can do all things.

Allow him to interrupt you, to switch the plans, he's got time in his hands and will always go before you. Pave the way and make a difference, trust that, abide there. In that crazy reality that is full dependence on the savior of our hearts. He has it all.

Love

1 Corinthians 13: 1-8 

Love is Indispensable

If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess too the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is Patient, Love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth.

It always protects, always trusts,

always hopes, always perseveres.

 

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease;

where there are tongues, they will be stilled;

 

As I was talking to my hubs this morning before he went to work. We were talking about love and how we love our boys, how the love for our boys seems to overshadow most of their faults, the mistakes, the things they do that drive us bonkers. The love we have for them overshadows their faults. Love allows us to see their best parts. Love allows us to keep no record of their wrongs, it rejoices when they are honest and it helps us mold them into the men God is calling them to be.

Life at our house is surround by being molded and shaped we are in a season of going through the fire while God mold us and shapes us to be more like him and its hard. Its so hard. Some days in the midst of the refiners fire my anxiety flares up and I feel like I'm drowning, I feel like God is refining every flaw in me and growing us in every area possible and I don't know if I can take much more. The truth is I cant I was done with this whole process months ago, but God isn't through he loves us too much to let us stay as we are...thankful but man its painful. So thankful he loves us enough to change us.

As we were talking about how love allows us to keep no record of wrongs and allows us to look past each others flaws and mistakes. It hit me like a ton of bricks. If I can love my boys, my husband, my parents, friends, acquaintances enough to let love and let the Holy Spirit cultivate that love enough so that it is a 1 Corinthians 13 Love for them how come...I don't hold myself to that standard? If I can forgive others and let it go...I mean completely let it go...sometimes it takes longer than others, but that's healing. Why cant I let myself off the hook? Why don't I love myself enough to forget the past mistakes I've made? the things I've done wrong? because we have all sinned, even though we are saved from sin, we still sin, its going to happen. Why don't I extend that same grace and love to myself?

That's as far as I got, I guess even though we are being refined, changed and molded, there are still so many facets where I need to grow. But I just wanted to challenge you and me to truly love ourselves like we do others. We owe that to ourselves. We aren't our past mistakes, screw ups or choices. We are conquerors and co-heirs with Christ, fully loved and forgiven. Jesus has forgotten. We are no longer slaves to our old ways, so Satan can't use that against us any more!! Stand Strong and tell Satan to take it elsewhere we are moving forward with heads held high with God all around us and empowering us.


Blessings to all until we meet again.