I’ve been meaning to write you for ages but I was abducted by a large grey-haired man with a llama, a little old lady on a scooter loaded with Frappuccino, one yodeling pixie, and 40 fluffy comedians. Remember me now?
Truth is life with my Hubby, mother, granddaughter, and all our fuzzy critters plus building a homestead life while living in a camper provide abundant excuses not to write. Or maybe delay is what happens when God says wait.
Ever feel like the realities of your life hijacked the one you’d planned? But what if some delays happen because God has something better in mind?
Freedom is discovering we’re not late
when God says wait.
I planned to have blogged a bounty of encouragements and finished editing my next book by now. Because surely life at the end of the road would not only feed us body, soul, family and friends but would offer wide open spaces for inspired words to sift onto pages like lovely sparkly bits inside a farmy snow globe, right?
That was the dream before I realized so many living, thinking, hungry, pooping creatures would always keep the waters stirred so much. Muddied a bit as well : )
Now in our third winter on the homestead this season of the freezing fog has come, crystalizing outer and inner worlds as well. In the cold stillness – settling – words have begun to form again at last.
Are your swirling bits distracting you too? Lost sight of important things? Callings even?
What if we’re not failing but simply been told to wait?
“Wait” can mean…
God is waiting for us to surrender to His Plan instead of our own.
Time has not yet come for us or someone else. We’re not in this alone you know.
The stage is not yet fully set with all the players in place.
Harvest only comes AFTER other seasons come first.
Forgiveness may be required. For ourselves, our pasts or someone else’s, and our distractions too.
So let’s believe through the waiting. That something good is being distilled. Be-stilled. Remixed. That something more glorious will be revealed.
Because when God says wait, He will…
Give us what we need as we need it even if we think we don’t need it.
Redeem the time when time does come.
Reveal that we ARE enough even when we’re too weary to DO enough and that is ENOUGH.
And then sometimes there is this …
We’re simply making it harder
than it needs to be.
So let’s relax and trust we will know when it’s time to move forward again. That the meantime is an opportunity to grow where we are planted. Even if we can’t see it happening yet.
Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master’s Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time. ~ James 5:7 MSG
Amen.
QUESTION: What one simple step can you take to embrace the wait, making room for stillness so that clarity might settle a bit for you too?
Sometimes the waiting is hard for me because I let guilt slip in, thinking I am not doing enough, moving toward our goals fast enough, etc…
Great post.
I SOOOOO know what you mean Tonya. We have had to have a lot of talks with eachother and with ourselves about the pace we keep to get everything done when there is an endless list to projects. ENOUGH is a great word to receive and accept for ourselves. Thanks for sharing and trust you are not alone. Guilt is always a good sign that we need to let ourselves off the hook : )
Joanna, What an amazing gift you’ve been given in your ability with the pen to reach right into hearts and bring the best out of any and every situation. Your words are like a day at the spa. Well, I wouldn’t know because I’ve never been to one, but I can imagine what it’s like to be given a massage and all the pamperings. You give just such things for the heart and mind. And mine are most grateful. Thank you, dear Cousin of mine. I love you so very much, Julie
Ahhhh, Julie, thank you so much my precious little cousin-sister-friend! Since it took me nearly a year to get back on the writing pony, your encouragement is a word-massage to me as well : ) Love you!!!
I’ve missed your writing and am glad you’re back on the bronco!
Thank you for so much encouragement Julie! Prayers are super appreciated : )
Joanna, this is just beautiful. And so timely for me as well, since I’ve felt for a long time that I have been waiting (sometimes patiently, sometimes not) for something to happen that’ll point me in a new and better direction. I’ve subscribed to your email list and look forward to reading more of your writing. Thank you so much.
Welcome Lisa! To my writing and our community: ) Thank you so much for your kind words. You have been much on my mind for some time now. We must schedule a coffee date soon!
That’d be great. I think I saw you and your wonderful hubby and granddaughter walking past the house yesterday. I’m surprised you are ever able to leave the farm, what with all you have going on out there. I see your posts and am consistently amazed at your energy for all of it. What a wonderful life you are creating out there! Long may it thrive and blossom!
Thanks so much Lisa! A lot of work but so fun sharing it with our granddaughter every week. So many fun seeds are being planted in her and for her for future days, if it’s anything like the moments I remember so fondly of times spent with my grandparents and their love of the mountains and cabins and nature and growing things. I often marvel at how those seeds they shared with me are still blossoming in my heart and dreams all these years later : )
Joanna,
So good to see you are back at the computer! You have a way with words! This blog spoke to me…be still, wait! God knows the perfect time and season! God Bless!
Thank you so much Ronda! Feels really good to feel words bubbling up again at last : ) Since they’ve been there all my life, to have a long period of quiet was kinda scary. But more is in the creative pipeline. Bless you for sending me this encouragement!