Rise Up, Recount Love

"Have you ever grown tired of waiting and made a real mess of things in your life? Waiting for something can seem like an eternity. Sometimes, in the waiting process, we lose our perspective and make wrong choices. It is wise to wait on God and working things out together with family and friends. When we follow heartfelt stirrings, the wait is worthwhile.

Our generation is no different than the Isarelites who roamed the desert forty years. Like them, we spend more time fixing messes we made and waiting even longer to receive the blessings.

Oh, the tales I could tell of times I've waited. Plenty of my waiting experiences could have ended in disaster due to immaturity and stubbornness. When it seemed Tim and I would wait forever for things to work out for marriage, we almost eloped. Believing in God's promise, we stood together through years of waiting, being of good courage, and knowing God was strengtening our hearts. Making the right choice to wait worked a miracle that blessed us bigger than we ever imagined. OUr life together began and ended with us crazy in love,honoring God and one another, and enjoying life until death parted us in 2007.

His plans continue to unfold in our lives, even after trials and tragedies. Moving forward in faith propels us to new places and promises from our Creator. Do you wait on the Lord or take things into your own hands? I've repented a kazillion times for being unable to hold my horses.

In 1985, our family built a small barn together in our back yard. If took forever, waiting for time work on it and money to finish it, We loved our barn, but I longed to add another door on the side. My husband told me we were fine with one door. The thoughts of that extra door wouldn't go away. I waited for Tim to change his mind. He didn't. Years later, our neighbors were remodeling their home. I asked the contractor to take a look at our barn. He assured me a side door would look great and add value to our structure. I should have waited but impulsively gave him the go ahead. The day long project was finished when my husband pulled in the driveway after a long day at work. He was not happy with his wife. He forgave me, but the hurt in his eyes reminded me that waiting and working together keeps couples in tune.

Every action has consequences. The new door became a thorn in my side. Every time it rained, water ran in and flooded our barn. What I thought would be a good thing made a big mess.

In Genesis Abram and Sarah longed to have a child. Sarah became tired of waiting and asked Hagar, her handmaid, to conceive a child by her husband. Sarah had good intentions when she took things into her own hands. Yet, their family would endure unnecessary heartaches and tough consequences, because she was unwilling to wait on the Lord.

Waiting and trusting brings about the good things promised to His children. God's got great things waiting for us and will bring them in just the right timing. Just wait and see.!