Waiting on God

(Below are Jessica's thoughts on Chapter 12 of Just Enough Light For the Step I'm On. Please know that what we all learn from a study is usually different. Therefore, we ask, if you feel like it, to please share in the comments section what you got out of the reading as well. We're sure you'll lift someone's spirits!)

We’ve all heard the expression “The waiting is the hardest part”. In Chapter 12, Waiting in the Wings, I realized that this is because it involves so much patience. This chapter was helpful to me in realizing that you can wait on God patiently and still be fruitful and constructive. Stormie also gave some great insights on how to make the waiting periods in life easier to understand and even embrace.

Brief recap of Chapter 12:

Waiting in the Wings begins with Stormie illuminating the waiting periods in our lives, where we are eager for God to take action that will move us toward greater blessing and increase. She likens it to a play, where you are waiting for the next scene or act to start. Instead of a quick and smooth transition, her intermission gets extended and prolonged and we are left wondering when the real action will begin. She reminds us that the waiting is necessary because it produces patience, which we could not develop otherwise. She ties it all together with previous chapters on page 108, “When we are being tested, walking in the wilderness, surrendering our dreams, or standing in the line of fire, part of what we are learning is to be patient.”

Patience. This is something I pray for on a daily basis. Mostly, this involves praying for patience with my children and what challenges will arise on any given day. I realize now that I also need to be patient with God. I need to trust that He is still working on my behalf even when I can’t see it or feel like it is taking too long. This, for me is a very true measure of my faith at any given time. I can feel God’s love, promises and hopes for my son’s future but how well I am able to endure the waiting and persevering really shines a light on how much I am really trusting God to work things out.

Waiting can often involve stillness, where you need to stop what you are doing and open up an opportunity for God to guide you in a new direction. Sometimes we have to let people or circumstances out of our life to make room for something new that will ultimately be better. It can be very hard to let go, especially if you feel someone or something has been beneficial in the past. Waiting can also be a time of preparation (As Stormie puts it on page 108, “Waiting doesn’t mean doing nothing”). This may give us an opportunity to learn a new skill (or in my situation, type of therapy to work at home with my son), make new connections or develop a new insight that might be infinitely helpful. It can give us a chance to regroup and re-evaluate what is working and what is not, leading us to better decisions for our children. As we strengthen our faith and trust God more fully, we empower Him to work more in our lives and our waiting, perseverance and patience will invite the positive action we are longing for.

Sometimes it really is all in how you see things. Stormie’s suggestions helped me to view waiting in a different way. She suggests that it’s better to think of yourself as waiting on God, not trying to be patient with your circumstances. This makes a lot of sense to me and gives the power back to God, not what is troubling me or causing difficulty. I definitely related to her description of going through the motions, waiting for the next spurt of progress or new direction to take. On page 110, Stormie writes, “Every day you have another opportunity to affect your future with the words you speak to God. Each prayer sets something in motion”. I pray that my eyes and heart are open to the new ways God wants to show me that will affect my son’s future in a positive way. It is good to know that God gives me that chance every day when I call on Him for help or guidance.

Lord, thank you so much for all you do for us behind the scenes. Help us to remember that you are always acting on our behalf. Protect us from any fear, anxiety, doubt or sadness that might creep in and tempt us to give up instead of persevering and believing in you during our seasons of waiting. Your timing and Your ways are always perfect and will lead us in the direction that we need to go. Remind us lovingly that you use these situations to strengthen our faith and develop patience. Empower us with your graces and allow us to fully embrace Your perfect will in our lives so that we can grow in knowledge of you and bring our families into greater blessing. We ask this in Your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Bible verses:

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
-Isaiah 43:19

“Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.”
-Proverbs 8:34

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”
-Ecclesiastes 7:8

I am a Dreamer

(Below are Nicole's thoughts on Chapter 11 of Just Enough Light For the Step I'm On. Please know that what we all learn from a study is usually different. Therefore, we ask, if you feel like it, to please share in the comments section what you got out of the reading as well. We're sure you'll lift someone's spirits!)

I've had many dreams throughout my 35 years of life. Most of them dealt with growing up and being an actress, teacher or a writer. I also remember dreaming of getting my first Cabbage Patch Kid. (Remember how hard they were to buy back then?) However, no dream can compare to the dream that I have today. The dream I have in my heart today is so real and I know one day it will come true. I dream of the day my son will be healed of autism. Then, I read Chapter 11, Surrending Your Dreams and realized how I have made this healing that I've been waiting so long for an idol in my life.

Brief re-cap of Chapter 11:
In Surrendering Your Dreams, Stormie Omartian talks about how God wants us to dream but He doesn't want us to exclude Him. Stormie says "if we don't have a vision from Him, then we don't have a vision that will ever be realized." The point that she's making here is that if our dream isn't from God, we will be aiming for a dream that will never come true. The best way to see if our dreams are from God is to surrender them to Him. If He returns them to us, they're from Him. I love how Stormie put it on page 104..."Even if you are certain God has given you a vision or dream for your future, He will still ask you to surrender it to Him so thoroughly that you will think it's as good as dead." She also writes how going after the dreams that aren't from God will only lead to misery, frustration, and unfulfillment.

This dream I have of Sean being healed is one I've had ever since the day they diagnosed him with autism three and a half years ago. In my dream, my son wakes up in the morning, stretches, looks over at me and says "I'm good now Mom. Thanks for not ever giving up on me. Oh and my favorite color is blue. I love to play baseball. And I want to be a Doctor when I grow up." Then he goes over to his brother and plays with him. In my heart, I know this can happen. This past Sunday at church I was reminded of how God is still here. A pastor was talking about the story in Mark 7:31-37 where Jesus healed the deaf and mute boy. I was reminded once again that He is with us today just as much as He was back then. Jesus is still healing. We just have to have faith in Him and give Him our dreams. I believe with one touch from Jesus, He can heal my son who can't talk and play as well as other children just like He did for this boy. I believe that Jesus is with us today and can heal us today just as much as He did when He was on earth. So now I have to surrender this dream to God. My first thought is "what if He doesn't give it back?" Then I think "what if it's not in line with His Will? What if He needs Sean to have autism for the rest of his life?" My heart stops and I pray.

Lord, if this dream is not from You, please take it from me and let me never think of it and long for it again. Give me total peace on this. Amen

You see I believe that Stormie got it right. If it's not in God's Will for my son to be healed, why would I spend the rest of our lives being frustrated, miserable and unfulfilled? I'd rather know that's it's not from Him and find what is from Him so that our lives can be happy, fulfilled and wonderful. Now, to me, that doesn't mean I don't stop helping my son. I'll still research more and more ways to help my son. After all, I do believe that God uses other people and things to show us His dreams and to do His healings. It also doesn't mean if I don't hear back from God on this that I will stop therapy with my son. It's working for him and he's doing great. What it does mean is that I will stop thinking about, as Jessica mentioned in her last post, I will stop thinking about Italy and enjoy Holland. I will try not to stress about my son's future and know that God will put the right thing in my path. If I do start to stress about it, I'll stop and pray and give back to God. I'm going to pray more about what I can do during this time for Him. I know that our God is an awesome God and during this time He will always provide for me everything that I need. I just need to trust in Him and have total faith that He knows what is best for me even if it's not what I think is best for me. He never promised it would be easy but He did promise us so much more!

Lord, thank you so much for the dreams You give us. Please help every one of us see the dreams that You have for us and help us follow these dreams. In Your name we pray, Amen.

Bible Verses:

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about it's own things." Matthew 6:33-34

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever." Phillipians 4:19-20

"For with God, nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:37

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' " Jeremiah 29:11

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9