Nobody likes to Wait

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and 

renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] 

as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run  and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or be tired 

(Isaiah 40:31 AMP)

Every valley shall be lifted and filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked and uneven

shall be made straight and  level, and the rough places a plain.  And the glory (majesty and splendor) of the Lord shall  

be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. (Isaiah 40:4, 5 AMP) 

I don’t like to wait! I’m impatient, anxious and hasty by nature. But in reality I think 

we all are.  The more I share and listen to others I realize the impatience that comes with waiting 

on God to fulfill a promise or desire is universal. God works in his own timing. He often takes the

"scenic route" when I would prefer him to take the expressway, ignore the speed limit, run all red 

lights and get me to my destination ASAP!!!! 

Joyce Meyer often says "everyone will wait", it's inevitable. Some will have to wait longer than 

others, but either way we will wait. Fact of life. Bummer, huh?

So what do we do in the wait? How do we find peace in the midst of anxiety? 

Trust God. The end. 

When you can learn to trust God with whatever you are waiting on you can find rest. It’s not the 

time to question Gods ability. Just because we don’t see or feel him working doesn’t mean he is 

somehow stripped of his power. God is able to bring to pass whatever it is you are believing him 

for. He has the power to do great and mighty things and he gives us the strength to wait on him. 

It may seem as though the dream, promise, desire or need is at a standstill but you have to know 

that God is working and is able. 

God is a "behind the scenes" kind of guy. Think of it this way: while we are living everyday life, 

he's planning and writing a great script , finding the perfect cast of characters, designing the 

perfect set (think: Jer 29:11) and when it's finally SHOWTIME, spotlight is on us and we step up 

as Lead Actor in the role of a lifetime of our own Oscarworthy movie. All that can't happen 

overnight.  If what you are believing God for is worth having, it’s definitely worth waiting for. 

No matter how long it takes. So while we wait, we must be sure to cooperate with Gods plan by

building our faith, studying his word, seeking revelation and standing on his promises.   

Wait patiently. Expect a miracle. Believe the best. Keep the faith. 

Trust him and enjoy the scenic route : )

My Saving Grace

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God

and Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2 NLT)
 
I've still got a lot to learn
But, at least I know where I can turn
When I'm in my times of need
Just as long as I believe
 
I've loved a lot, hurt a lot
Been burned a lot in my life and times
Spent precious years wrapped up in fear
With no end in sight
Until my saving grace shined on me
Until my saving grace set me free
 
Giving me peace
Giving me strength when I'd
Almost lost it all
Catching my every fall
I still exist because you keep me safe
I found my saving grace within you
 
 
These are the lyrics to Mariah Carey's "My Saving Grace" beautiful and inspirational song. 

I was riding in my car this week when this came on the radio. I had almost forgot how moving 

the song was. Thinking about Gods grace took me right into worship. As I grow in my 

relationship with Christ I become more aware of his grace at work in my life. It doesn't take 

long for me to have a flashback... 

When fear attempted to stall me, his grace gave me hope to believe.  

When the enemy tried to keep me entagled in the bondage of sin, his grace set me free.

When my hectic workload increases my stress levels , his grace gives me peace to calm the 
storm. 

When I suffered tremendous loss, his grace gave me strength to carry on and finish strong.

When I put myself in dangerous situations because of bad judgement, his grace kept me in the 
safety of his arms.

Indeed our saving grace is found in God and God alone. As you grow in your relationship
with God I pray you discover his grace at work in your life...past, present and future.

There is More that I require of you (part 2)

Lean on, trust in, and  be confident in the Lord with all your heart  and  mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 AMP)

So let's keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience. God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it-no matter what.  (Hebrews 4:11-13 MSG)

In my post last month I spoke about obedience and my personal experiences hearing the voice of the Lord. This post is a continuation of that topic...

Have you ever had the Lord scream at you? I mean literally fuss at you like a parent would a child?
I believe the Lord speaks to us individually in ways that sometimes only the two of you can understand.
I am quick to confess that I've had (umm..still have) a "rebellious" spirit since I was a child. Which meant I was always getting a "talking to" by my mom, teachers, instructors, bosses,etc. because of my need to do things "my way" (im the baby of the family so give me a break:-) So I'm very familiar with being fussed at for my wrongdoings but had never experienced the Lord speaking to me in that way until this past summer..

"STOP IT!!" I was preparing for work when I heard those words from him. I was knowingly being disobedient in an area of my relationships and I knew it wasn't pleasing to God. That morning my mind was trying to foolishly reason my actions and how I would "make it work", even if that meant some ungodly compromise. Clearly God was not having it!!! In response I even attempted to talk back to God and explain my reasoning.."NO, JUST STOP IT" was all I got back. I know for some this may seem "spooky" but I can't make this stuff up..trust me!!!!:) I knew what I had to do and I knew it was going to be hard. Tears instantly fell from my eyes. God was calling me into complete obedience and I knew there would be some casualties along the way. My flesh would suffer (rightfully so), my relationship would drastically be altered and I had no clear indication of what the future would
hold.
Hebrews 4:12 says the word is like a "double edge sword" (or "surgeons scalpel" in this message translation) judging our thoughts and attitudes, forcing us to listen and obey. Defined "double edge sword" means: having two sharp edges, something that can have both favorable and unfavorable consequences. Gods word proclaims his blessings but it also serves to correct and judge us. That correction can be uncomfortable to our flesh.

I'm without a doubt a recipient of Gods amazing grace.  It's covered me when I made bad decisions and desired to do wrong. I didn't want to keep taking advantage of that grace so on that day after hearing his voice, I surrendered. I promised God no matter the costs I would obey, do what he was telling me to do and trust him like never before. Have there been costs? Did my relationship change? Is it a struggle? YES, YES and YES!!!!
While my circumstances and situations may not appear to be "ideal" or fitting in "my plan" still my joy, peace and contentment comes from knowing and being close to a God that loved me enough to save me from myself. God knew my disobedience would soon land me in a pit of destruction but with his words that convicted my spirit, he was giving me another chance. A chance to do it his way so that i can bear good fruit and experience his blessings. Fully relying and leaning on God is a perfect place to be. I feel closer to him now than ever before, he's overwhelmed me with favor and provided me encouragement along the journey. I'm indeed blessed to be walking in obedience and am expecting God to continue to do great things! I encourage you to let go of your way and reasoning and trust God. As long as we hang on to his word, walk in obedience,  keep the faith and keep believing WE CAN NOT FAIL:)

If you desire to dig deeper into the amazing journey that comes when you trust God, check out this awesome book "Trusting God" by Girlfriends in God ministry. http://www.girlfriendsingod.com/trustinggod/
You will be blessed!