Reflection TIME

God must REALLY want me to listen to this whole time thing...


After I posted a few weeks ago about looking at how we spend our time, I went back through some of the emails I hadn't read and came across the one below from Internet Cafe' Devotions.  I found this devotion as a great follow-up to applying the whole concept of looking at how we spend out time.  Check it out!

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A Summertime Re-Prioritization Guide Posted: 01 Jun 2012 10:15 PM PDT Stop, Look and Listen A summertime re-prioritization guide Stop! For many of us summer is a time to re-group and re-focus but let’s be honest for a minute, what often happens is that summer slips away and all too soon and the leaves begin to change, temperatures cool, Christmas arrives just around the corner faster than we can say “sunscreen,” and we’re back to making New Year’s Resolutions! What if we took the summer to pause mid-year to prayerfully see where we’ve been and where we’re headed? Summertime is a perfect time in the year to re-prioritze and reflect on where and how this year is going in your life. Pausing mid year to evaluate is a perfect way to assess life; the perfect time of year to “Stop, Look & Listen.” It just may be the re-prioritization you need to begin the second half of 2012 refreshed and renewed, there is no need to wait unitl January! Here’s how to begin: Write down each and everything that fills your day. (ALL of it! No cheating! I KNOW how tempting it can be! Include Household duties, commitments and ministries at church, outside and part time jobs and ANY other commitments that you regularly schedule into your week. This INCLUDES blogging, and social networking ladies!) It will also help to include HOW MUCH time a week or month is dedicated to these activities. There may be several ministries or groups that you belong to or participate in, include them each as a separate category in order to see later which ones need another look. DAILY ACTIVITIES & MINISTRIES: WEEKLY ACTIVITIES & MINISTRIES: MONTHLY ACTIVITIES & MINISTRIES: Look! This will be the most challenging part of the process for most women. It’s where we make a list of exactly WHAT we do and prioritize it. Making sections; MUST DO and ENJOY DOING can help begin to break down the process. MUST DO: ENJOY DOING: There are certain activities that will remain on the list until the END of time, but others may have to be “let go” of for a season. This may take days or weeks to compose this LOOK list, but it’s critical in coming to an understanding of who we are, what our gifts are and what we can and cannot accomplish. What items on your list did not make it into the MUST DO or the ENJOY DOING category? Those are the ones that need a second look. Are some of these draining you from time that you truly need to be spending on other areas of your life. As women we often REFUSE to say no. Saying no for a season does not mean saying “NO” forever. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1, NKJV I encourage you to truly meditate on this verse, soak it in and begin to allow God to guide you in which items on your list need to be released. Listen! Be truly still. Being truly still is a challenge for many of us. It is what has led us to this “superhighway!” In order to get back on the peaceful long and winding road, we’ve got to be willing to LISTEN. Spend some time meditating on these Scriptures and ask God to reveal to you which activities or ministries need to be re-prioritized or even let go. It may be painful, but making a choice to re-prioritize now will help your household as you move into the fall. As you feel God guiding your heart, journal which activities, ministries or commitments you hear HIM speaking to you about. Be aware, God often does not use the words we are used to….pay attention, HE often speaks through others, and in HIS time. Be patient. Commit to using the summer to reflect on how to make changes in your life that WILL affect those you love and care for! Scriptures for Meditating on Priorities: “Lord, Remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered- how fleeting my life is.” (Psalm 39:4, NLT) “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, NKJV) “But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will fly soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, NLT) “You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.” (Psalm 139:3, NLT) If you'd like to download your own Re-prioritizan list, click on https://acrobat.com/app.html#d=wRRn-MXwQbahOp6irC7XVQ You can find more devotions like this one at www.internetcafedevotions.com.  So how are you doing on your TIME Challenge?  I'm happy to report I've been doing really well, but it's taken a lot of discipline and prayer to keep it going in that direction.  Have a blessed Fourth of July!  Untill next time - God Bless!  Break of Dawn

Time

It all started a few weeks ago in my adult Bible study class…  We were talking about spending time with the Lord and spending time each day, week, month and year resting so we could work from our rest and not rest from our work.  I was so impacted that I even posted about the topic (see May 6th, 2012). The Lord spoke to me that day on two levels:  What am I doing with my time and am I resting enough?  Our assignment for the class was to schedule moments in our planners (daily, weekly, monthly and yearly) to spend time with the Lord and to rest.  I had really good intentions and somewhat wrote in my planner for the first week, but now I have to admit I’m failing miserably in both areas.

But, God isn’t going to let me forget!  This week I received my MOPS group’s newsletter and guess what the devotion was about?  Spending time with our children…

“Quantity or Quality Time”

Spending time with your children is vital to their well-being and self-esteem.  Providing for your children includes meeting their emotional needs, not just their physical needs.  When you’re an ACTIVE part of your children’s lives, you get to shape them.  Spending just a few hours every week with your children may not be enough time to teach them everything you want them to know.  Deuteronomy 11:19 states: “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”.  Evaluate the time you spend with your children with these questions:

-Does my child’s behavior suggest that he/she could use more “mommy time”?

-Do I spend time with my children doing special activities (playing, talking, going places together) or doing mundane tasks (cleaning, errands)?

-Do I know who my child’s best friend is?

-What does my child like on his/her hamburger or what is his/her favorite food?

-How does my child behave at school?

-Who is the primary influence in my child’s life?  Is it me…or a daycare provider or nanny?

-Is the time I spend with my child enough for my child (and not just my own preferences to do what I want)?

And it didn’t stop there!  On May 30^th, the “WOF Daily” was about – you guessed it – TIME!

Making The Time Posted Wednesday, May 30, 2012 by Women of Faith

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Ephesians 5:15-17 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. So, I'm sitting here with my husband trying to determine the next topic for this series on studying. But I just can't seem to put down my phone or close the internet to work on it. There are just so many facebook statuses, pictures, and notes. There are also tweets and blogs to "study". So I decided that's my topic — we have to start saying no to these endless distractions. Please don't get me wrong as there are times where our new social media can be a tool for reaching a lost world. But at what point are we not "making the most of every opportunity"? When does a "tool" or "medium" become foolish, wasteful, and evil? The context of these verses about being idle follow verses on exposing what we do to the light. Would I want everyone I know seeing the amount of time I waste on my phone and computer? Please join me in turning off our distractions and instead spend time in understanding the Lord's will for our lives. And I may just tape the word STOP on the top of my computer. Dr. Beth Ackerman is the Associate Dean, School of Education, at Liberty University

There are 365 days in a year, 24 hours in a day.  In those 24 hours, most likely you’re sleeping 8 of them.  That leaves 16 hours or 960 minutes (57,600 seconds) for you to do something with.  What are you doing with your time?  Are you sitting at the computer?  Are you watching T.V.?  How much quality time are you spending with your kids and husband?  Most importantly, how much time are you spending with the Lord? 

Will you take a TIME Challenge with me?  Let’s pray God shows us how to use our allotted time on this earth the way He wants us to.  Start each day with 15-30 minutes of quiet time in the Word and praying.  Schedule in little breaks in between all of the mundane tasks to connect with your kids.  Remember to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN everytime your child needs you.  This validates their worth to you.  Prioritize your ‘To-Do’ items and make lists.  Make it a priority to stop at a certain time each night (no matter how messy the house is or how many items are left on your list) to spend time with your husband.  End your night with a devotion and prayer.  Ask God to show you how to reach the lost.  Which activities does He want you to say yes to?  How about which ones does He want you to decline?  The rest of the time that’s available will be God’s script for your life…

Help me, Lord, to use my time on this Earth wisely.  Help me to nurture my relationship with you, which will fill me to the brim with your love so I am able to accomplish the tasks each day brings to the fullest.  Give me the self-control to say no to all the distractions of this life and to say yes to You and the people in my life that mean the most to me.  In your precious Name, Amen.

I will be praying for you to meet the TIME Challenge!  Please pray for me, too! 

God Bless, Break of Dawn

P.S.  I'm excited to start my summer small group study on Wed. about - yep - time!  I truly believe Satan loves to distract us with so many things that we don't have time to spend with the Lord.  This small group study addresses this very issue.  I'll be in touch and let you know what God shows me.

Wonderful Reminder

Today is going to be a quick post.  The weekend got away from me…  This weekend I heard about a news story which reminded me of a truth about God.  We need to constantly remind ourselves no matter what we’re facing, God cares about us and loves us.  We hear those words, but do we really believe them?  I encourage you to go to http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/s2620977.shtml and http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/s2622689.shtml.  It’s absolutely amazing!  God is very real and still performs miracles!

On a side-note, since this upcoming weekend is the non-official start of summer, I wanted to let you know that I will only post 1-2 times a month this summer.  We live on a lake and pretty much live in the water.  Computers and water don’t mix and I don’t plan on skipping the water part, so that means I’ll be neglecting my computer most days.  Remember to go to the right-side, enter your email address in the 'Follow By Email' slot and click Submit.  That way you'll be sure to get an email delivered to your account everytime I post.  So…God Bless and we’ll be in touch!

Dreams

Do you have any dreams?  I sure hope so!  Dreams give us a sense of direction and are exciting to pursue.

Last week, I caught one of Joel Osteen’s sermons on T.V.  It was a very powerful message!  He talked about listening to God’s voice and obeying full speed ahead.  He also talked about praying about your dreams and following through on them instead of saying ‘tomorrow I’ll look into XYZ’.  That got me thinking about my dreams and aspirations…

Some of my dreams or goals include visiting Israel someday;  traveling to Guatemala to visit our Compassion International sponsor child, Mirza; writing a book; starting a ministry; attending the Proverbs 31 “She Speaks” conference in North Carolina in 2013 or 2014; becoming a national speaker; becoming a teacher;  taking a family vacation to Disney World in 2013 or 2015; retiring in the mountains somewhere in Colorado; and ultimately knowing that my kids and all my family members have a strong relationship with Jesus and that we’ll all live in Heaven someday.

I could add a lot more, but those are some of my favorite ones.  I’ll ask you again - what are some of your goals or dreams? 

Can I ask you a favor?  Would you pray for me about a couple of these goals specifically?  I’m toying with the idea of going back to school in a couple of years to become a H.S. teacher and eventually moving on to teach as a professor at a technical or community college.  On the other hand, I’m also praying about the affirmation I received from God this past year in regard to sharing my story.  There are various venues God may want me to use, so I’m praying about attending the “She Speaks” conference which would help me pursue writing a book, starting a ministry and becoming a speaker.  Would you pray for me that God would show me what my future holds and if and when He wants me to seriously pursue these dreams?   First and foremost my highest priority is being a mommy to my two kids.  After that, I’d like to know which path God wants me to follow in regard to my future career.

Speaking of being a mommy – Happy Mother’s Day!  Being a mom is the most influential job you’ll ever have.  And, the mother/child relationship is one of the strongest on the planet.  Don’t forget to honor your mom and tell her how much you love her.  I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the love and support I’ve gotten from my mom!    

Being a mommy is a blessing:  “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.”  Psalm 127:3.  Enjoy your precious gifts tomorrow and don’t forget to dream!

Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream…

…all I have to do is
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream!   ;)

“All I Have to Do is Dream” by Everly Brothers

I just had the BEST weekend ever!  (Picture me screaming at the top of my lungs, with my arms lifted to the sky, and my face pointed upwards)  I guess you could call it an early Mother’s Day present…  For the first time in a really long time, I had the whole weekend to myself and it was wonderful!  So what did I do?  Oh, please, let me tell you – I’m still giddy!  J

Originally, I wanted to lock myself up in a hotel or cabin and not see or talk to anyone for three full days, but my husband wasn’t as keen on the idea as I was.  So instead, I hooked up with a college friend on Friday for pedicures.  After our pedi’s, we ran over to the mall and stopped for some coffee.  Our time was, of course, spent catching up, reminiscing and talking about life.  Unfortunately, we eventually had to say good-bye, but it didn’t happen without figuring out the next time we could get together.  I returned home a little later that night and had some time with my husband. 

On Saturday, I had the luxury of sleeping in until 9:30 a.m.!  For those of you with little kids, you know sleeping in is like getting a piece of Heaven delivered to your house.  It was amazing!!!  I actually had to drag myself out of bed even at that time.  I knew I was exhausted, but I had no idea I was that tired!  After having a lazy breakfast, I spent the next few hours laying around in my pajamas and doing a whole lot of nothing.  Finally around 2:00 in the afternoon, I hopped in the shower to get ready for my next date.  Later in the afternoon, I met up with a H.S. friend and her baby.  Our time was just as treasured as my time with my college friend the day before!  The three hours we spent together flew by and before we knew it, it was time to head home.  Just as I did with my college friend, we didn’t leave until we had our next date set.   That night, my husband and I were able to hang out and talk about life, which made for a perfect end to a nearly perfect day.

Today, then, I woke up just in time to hop in the shower and head to church.  My time at church was much less hectic than normal and I could take in every word and savor the last few hours of my rejuvenating weekend.  Ahhhhhhhhhh….  I feel so refreshed!

Now, don’t get me wrong – I LOVE my kids dearly and I did miss them!  But, having a little time to myself was exactly what I needed.  Prior to my weekend, I was feeling absolutely drained and getting some rest was high on my list of things to do.  It was interesting, because during my adult Sunday school class, we talked about the need for rest.  How timely!    

Jesus set a perfect example many times of how we should take time to rest.

Mark 1:9-13

⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted^[a] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Before Jesus began his three year ministry, he went away for forty days.  During this time, the angels attended or ministered to him.  He took time away from other people to pray, to hear the Word before working.  Granted, Satan tempted Him during this time, but isn’t that the way it works?  Whenever we want to set aside time with the Lord and to rest, the devil almost always tries to ruin it or to tempt us.  Usually when Satan shows up, it's because we're doing something God wants us to do or God is about to use us to further His kingdom.   Even though we may face some obstacles, we can't let Satan deter us from getting rest and time away. 

Mark 1:35-39

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” ³⁹ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Mark 6:45-46

⁴⁵ Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶ After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

Mark 6:30-32

³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

³² So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

If Jesus, God the Son, took time to regularly get away to spend time with the Father and rest, who do we think we are when we never get our rest and neglect our relationship with Him?  So many times we run ourselves ragged until we crash.  If we’re so busy that we don’t even have time to spend time in the Word and to rest, then we need to seriously reconsider our commitments and what we’re filling our time with.  What does your schedule look like? 

At the end of our Sunday school class, we were encouraged to pencil in daily, weekly, monthly and yearly time to rest and spend time with the Lord.  I plan to look at my schedule first thing in the morning and make a commitment to pencil in time with the Lord a regular habit.  I already have lots of ideas for ways I can take time to have more extended rest periods, similar to what I did this weekend, in my schedule.  How about you?  Do you want to take this challenge with me?  Let’s not procrastinate any longer -  follow Jesus' example today! 

It's time for me to get some sleep – good night!  ;)

Key Thought from our Sunday School class:  God created us, saved us, set us apart, and connected us to the Vine (see John 15:1-8) so that we could be productive.  But in order to be productive, we must first spend time in rest.  In other words, God designed us to work from our rest, not rest from our work.  

I had a basic idea what I was going to write about this week and then it all went out the window yesterday afternoon, which made me late in posting my blog. So, I’m starting over and telling it like it is to give you a glimpse into our daily experiences.

For those of you who know our situation, you know what type of confrontations and encounters we try to avoid. For those of you who don’t, basically we’ve had an unfortunate past year with my husband’s family. They live within walking distance from our house and live on the same property that my husband works on. My husband is a dairy farmer and comes from the elusive “dysfunctional farm family”, plagued with dysfunction and abuse. All of this dysfunction and abuse has been hidden from family, friends and neighbors for the past 35 plus years. My husband’s parents are very well-liked and come from a prominent political family, making this situation very difficult. After confronting them with a letter last year, we spent over half of 2011 in a counselor’s office and mediation meetings. Then, after a final meeting in June of 2011, we came to the unfortunate decision to cut ties with my husband’s family to try to break the cycle in our own family and to mend our wounded emotional health. In order to continue moving on with our lives and to continue healing, we try to avoid as many confrontations and encounters as possible. Unfortunately, since the last week in March, we’ve had some sort of issue at least once a week or more. Yesterday afternoon another one came our way.

Yesterday afternoon I was in our kitchen baking cinnamon muffins. I was enjoying the sweet smell of cinnamon and sugar wafting through the house. I love that smell! The Christian radio station played in the background and I could hear the kids laughing and talking downstairs. Despite being ridiculously tired, I was having a great Sunday afternoon. And then it happened…

I was standing by the kitchen sink looking outside as I washed the dishes. I saw the gold car slowly inching its way up the county road highway. I took a closer look. Yep, that was their car. I silently pleaded in my head, Please keep driving, please keep driving. The car turned down our road. A tinge of panic shot through my veins. I told myself to ignore it. Listen to the music. Listen to the kids. Smell the cinnamon. I tried my hardest to go about my business and remember the calming techniques I had learned in our counseling appointments. And then the car stopped. My heart raced and my palms got sweaty. Thankfully the car didn’t stop in our driveway, but the feeling of being imprisoned in my own house was more than I could bear.

At this point, many of you may be asking a very logical question. ‘If you’re not having any contact with them, then what’s the big deal? Who cares if they drive down your road and stop at a neighbor’s house?’. I wish with all my heart I could feel the same way!

A few months back I posted my story. I shared details about a traumatic experience I had ten years ago out in Denver, Col. I was raped and repressed the whole thing until last Mar. Being raped was a very out-of-control feeling. The whole situation with my husband’s family leaves me with the same feelings. With my rape memories coming out in the height of the drama with my husband’s family last year, that same fight-or-flight defense mechanism became interrelated. When we get a letter, phone call, text, email, drive-by, confrontation, encounter or even a sighting, this fight-or-flight state is triggered. Do you follow me? It’s a little confusing… Emotionally, I can’t blow off any of those things like others who haven’t had traumatic experiences, like being raped, can. A huge part of being able to heal is developing a “safe place”. When I can’t feel safe in my own house, this fight-or-flight mechanism is triggered. It’s very difficult going on a walk, going to the grocery store or anywhere else in town, getting the mail and many other daily activities that shouldn’t cause stress. Since I haven’t been able to establish a safe place in the place thatshould be my safe place – my own house – these little drive-by’s or encounters are very stressful. Just seeing their car out our window sent me into a state of panic.

By the grace of God, I was scheduled to watch my friend’s baby at virtually the same time. In addition to having my kids, it was nice to have a baby to snuggle. I thank God that my friend was able to come and give me a hug only 5 min. after my husband’s mom came down to our neighborhood. I was able to calm myself down quicker than I normally would have been able to.

That brings me back full-circle to what I was originally going to write about. I wanted to further explore various venues in regard to the art of waiting on God. In the midst of all of this chaos and when I feel under attack, I need to feel like I have someone fighting on my behalf. I NEED to feel safe and to have the goal in mind that there are blessings on the other side!

Luckily each and every one of us has Someone who shields and protects us on a daily basis. Even when the situation appears grim, He’s always working. And, the best part is, when we obey Him, He promises huge blessings are waiting for us on the other side. Our Someoneis Jesus!

Excerpt from the March 2012 “In Touch” magazine:

Isaiah 64:3-4

³ For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
⁴ Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

Even when it seems like God isn’t answering our prayers, He’s working. He orchestrates circumstances, changes people’s hearts, and protects His children (physically, emotionally and spiritually!). He keeps them from making hasty decisions that will have disastrous consequences.

When we obey, He…pours out His blessings. When He knows you’re ready to receive His blessings, they’ll flow into your lap.

There are so many encouraging words from that excerpt! When I feel under attack, I want Someone on my side who makes the mountains tremble. He can stand in front of me and take the piercing words that sting like arrows or the disapproving glances. Hecan hold my hand around town and lead me safely through whatever situation comes my way.

Is anyone else getting emotional?! I’m crying like crazy as I write this post...

We have an awesome Savior who loves us so much! He’s on our side, working things out. And, when we’re ready, He’s going to literally shower us with His blessings. Blessings we didn’t even expect or couldn’t even imagine. That’s what keeps me going each day! There’s a reason for all of this insanity and someday – hopefully sooner than later – He’s going to bless us for obeying him, for waiting on Him and for not taking things into our own hands.

And so…my family and I continue to wait… But, while we do, we’ll remind ourselves that we have the ultimate team player on our side – Jesus. When there’s nothing else left to do, we'll give it all to Jesus and wait for Him to work it out!

I still hear him whispering… “Wait. Trust. Just a little bit longer. I’m working. Hold my hand... ”.

Have you ever felt under attack? What visuals did you have to help you through the situation? Or, what visuals do you wish you had? Hearing your stories would be hugely encouraging.  Please share!

Until next week, God Bless!

Break of Dawn

Waiting on the Lord

Have you ever had to wait for something?  Maybe it’s as simple as waiting for the light to turn green, for something to come in the mail or for the elevator door to open.  Or maybe it’s something a little more serious like waiting for the doctor to call with your test results or waiting to see if the stick will turn blue.  No matter what you’re waiting for, waiting can be hard!  We live in a fast-paced society where the virtue of patience has gone by the wayside, which makes waiting even more difficult.  What happens when you face a major life-changing moment and God asks you to wait and to wait joyfully?

Our family has been in a season of waiting.  From our perspective, life isn’t working and something needs to change.  We’ve been praying our hearts out for the last year, crying out to God for answers.  We’ve gotten clear answers here and there, but when we’ve moved forward on those answers, doors have been closed and some of them with a slam. 

Right now our life could be pictured like a long hall of doors.  Our family is standing in that long hall.  There really aren’t that many options and some of the doors we’ve peeked through look unpredictable and unclear.  The hall is very uncomfortable.  We’re all getting impatient and tired.  Ultimately, we’re standing in the hall, waiting on God to show us which door we should open and walk through.  God keeps whispering, “Wait.  Trust.  Just a little bit longer. I’m working.  Hold my hand... ”

The hardest thing for me this past year has been to submit to the fact that God rarely works according to our timetable.  I’m very independent and like to think I have control of my life.  Up until getting married and having kids, I’ve been able to do things according my timetable.  Sitting here and waiting for God to work everything out for our family, when our situation affects the precious children we have, is hard!  Waiting for the Lord’s timing takes courage especially when it affects those around us.   I’ve noticed out of desperation, our fallen race gives God deadlines and, if He doesn’t come through when we expect Him to, we take matters into our own hands.  Taking control of the situation or taking forbidden shortcuts to escape prolonged difficulty or suffering is never the answer to our dilemmas.  The only way to receive the full benefits God has for us is to trust Him through the delay and wait patiently for Him to act on our behalf. 

I hear God whispering again.  “Wait.  Trust.  Just a little bit longer. I’m working.  Hold my hand... ”.

During this past year, we’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster.  As we get farther out, the amount of lows are decreasing, which are welcome blessings.  But, there are still days that are difficult.  I have days where I don’t feel like getting up and facing another nasty email, phone call or text.  There are days where I’d love to hop in the car and start driving and never come back.  There are days where I feel just plain beaten down and weak!

But then God reminds me of Isaiah 40:28-29:

²⁸ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

I love verses 29-30!  “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.   They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Do you ever wonder why Isaiah made the analogy of our strength being renewed like a soaring eagle?  I did so I hit the Internet.  I found and interesting article online at http://www.prophetic.net/eagles.htm:

”An eagle learns to soar by using thermal currents of air. These warm air patterns are created by the surrounding terrain. They will spread their wings and their tail feathers and let the wind carry them to new heights, and then glide down to catch another upward thermal. Soaring saves an eagle energy because it does not have to flap its wings as often.

If you notice the scripture says, those that WAIT upon the Lord shall mount up with eagles’ wings. (Isa 40:31) It seems like that is the hardest lesson in life, to learn to wait upon Him and not do something in our own strength. Sometimes He wants us to wait because it is a matter of timing, like for instance we are losing our baby fur and growing eagles’ wings. But other times He wants us to wait upon Him because He wants to carry us so we don’t suffer burnout in flapping our wings! The truth is, when one learns to abide in Him, he or she learns the secret of waiting upon Him for everything one does.”

That’s the key – let God take control so we don't exhaust ourselves.  In other words, we need to give God the steering wheel and trust Him to lead us.  Let God do the work since He's much more capable than we are.

When we hand over the control, it also helps to switch our focus.  Instead of looking at situation or circumstances we’re facing which bring us down and make us weak, we need to turn our eyes upward.

How does our perspective change when we focus on God?

We remember His power and majesty and we’re naturally in awe.  We can remember that He has EVERYTHING in His control and in the palm of His hand.  It’s comforting to know that we don’t need to try to take over because He knows what’s best for us.  Our pity-party can turn into a praise-party.  Our crying can turn into joy.  Making it a priority to spend time with the Lord and being in His presence each day – morning and night – helps us hear His voice and stay in step with Him. The more closely we walk with the Lord, the better we can hear His voice and slow down to keep in step with Him.

In the midst of our difficulty, we know God is working for our good and He will sustain us during it.  Without patience, we’ll never become the people God desires us to be or achieve what He’s planned for us to do.  God’s always faithful and will provide for us in the best possible way at the perfect time!

A friend shared a very wise quote with me:   “God’s never in a hurry, but He’s always on time”.  Anonymous

Due Time

How often, Lord, I've wanted life
to be as I preferred,
impatient to reach all my goals,
insisting I be heard.
How many times I questioned You,
embarking on a feat,
unwilling to be passenger,
but in the driver's seat.
How seldom I was patient
as I begged that life be calm,
not believing all along
that I was in Your palm.
How fast possessions slip away,
though often I would cling
to things thought safe instead of trusting
what Your will would bring.
Be with me, Lord, as I search for
another hill to climb.
I know rewards will come to me,
all in the Lord's due time.

By Kathy Schroeder

Credits:  Many of my perspectives were shaped or taken from an article that Charles Stanley wrote in the March 2012 ‘In Touch” magazine.