Waiting On The Lord

Precious friends, there are so many of you that we love who have been caught or are in some challenging waiting places…… Oh, how we have prayed and continue to pray for you. Your story and heartfelt needs have not been overlooked. My journal is filled with your stories. I want nothing less than for you to know how very much….
You. Are. Loved.
I want to encourage you to “take heart” from the view of MY waiting place.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

A late December back surgery and “waiting” January recovery has become for me a sanctuary and beautiful God pause. Believe it or not, it has been a most needed and welcomed stillness, peace and gift. There has been a beautiful sense of calm over our home, in our lives and in MY spirit. It has fallen on me with the same sweetness that came as Monty and I watched the first layer of snowfall this winter cover the ground.

Quiet. Calm. Peace. Comfort. Love. Beauty. Fullness.

As I lay in bed with the window blinds open to watch God’s beauty in my waiting place, I considered these truths.
Nowhere to go.

Nothing to do.

Nothing but silence but truly a place to listen and hear.
Truth is, there have been hard days and if I am honest, it has been a struggle. Not a struggle with God, oh no, a struggle within my own mind and heart.

You see, I am much more of a doer than one who waits well. Not really about patience either as that requires an entirely different conversation that I will defer to another day. Ugh. Yes. I have a bit of a “get ‘er done” personality in me and have (has) a real problem sitting still. Not that I don’t appreciate moments of quiet, peace and calm. Oh yes, those are great. But the truth is some days I’d ask God, “Can’t I (we) just DO something?”

I can just imagine the side-turned eye of my Heavenly Father shaking his head as all loving fathers do thinking to himself, when will she ever learn? #peacebestill

Later that day, with the excitement of snow and all, I smiled so soul deep when our grandson shared his sadness that there was only a little snow. Nothing to do! We consoled him and encouraged him with the suggestion that maybe there would be more so that he could go sledding and Emma would enjoy her first real snowfall….. and there was. His little heart was so exhaustingly happy.

As the day was closing and night was falling, my heart was still so filled with the joy that came with the new fallen snow that we had all had awaited.

We were able to FaceTime Mason and as we shared stories, this small heart gave thanks for memories made, a present God and hearts cared for.

One thing I knew before time for bed, was this renewed closeness to my creator would have so often before be lost to busyness. Today, in my beautiful waiting place, Jesus held me close, loved me so very real and I did not want to forget a single moment.

Most of my life, I have worked so hard for all the right reasons and in every opportunity afforded to me.

Going. Doing. Striving. Being. Fixing. Planning. Caring for my family. Working. Making it all happen. Perfection has been a formidable foe and an always taunting enemy. #setfree

I end every day by writing in my journal and these four words are my prompt:

At this day’s end…..
That night, God ever so gently, as is his nature, whispered lovingly into the quiet of night……

He spoke INTO my “waiting” as I wrote…

So….
“What CAN you do?”
“HOW can you do it?”
I put my pen down and turned out the light. I purposed to still my mind and heart in rhythm with each other. I did not want to miss one thing. No. Not one thing.

The truth is, this day and all of its relaxed busy was simply about me “DOING” things DIFFERENTLY as I wait.

I soon fell off to sleep. I awakened the next morning to watch the sunrise in the stillness. The very power of God who spins our world from night to day awakens in me a new and more refined waiting view.

Thank you Lord for another day in waiting and surrendered obedience.
I CAN…..

Encourage every person that I can.

Experience personal growth.

Listen for whispers from the Lord.

Pray in faith believing God for answers to be given to every person that has shared their specific needs.

Read every book that I have intended to read if there were just more time.

Grab hugs that linger.

Be purposeful.

Memorize God’s Word.

Call someone who is on my heart.

Lean in close to hear when someone is sharing their deepest pain without any cluttering noise.

Write a note.

Be at peace.

Write many words that form run-on sentences.

Be fully in the presence of God in worship without distraction.
At this day’s end, I am not really sure what I was “waiting” for?
Beloved of God, may you know the love of God in YOUR waiting place. He is there and waiting to meet you where you are. He is near.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning…” Psalm 139:5-6a

For every waiting heart…..
Share how we can pray for you to find your waiting discovery.
For every heart that has a waiting discovery story, please share with us so that we can rejoice alongside of you!

Please check out the new book Wait and See by Proverbs 31 speaker Wendy Hope.
“Wait and See” looks at God’s faithfulness through the stories of everyday women and the life of King David.

Amazon is offering the e-book for $2.99. It is a great read for every heart that is looking for a deeper understanding with the hope of finding their own waiting discoveries!