Seven Days Without Prayer Makes One Weak

I believe that many things in our life are predestined. It is tough to fathom though. For instance, there must have been a day last year amidst the holiday season when my mother-in-law Sherri saw a book or heard about it on the radio. I'm not sure when it occurred or how she found it, but I am certain that when she lifted it for purchase God could already see the days ahead. The days I would pull it out. The days I would need the words it contains. The season of my life that it would serve.



I don't know how my parent's did it. How they had little but still managed to provide for all three of us everything we ever wanted. Dance lessons, brand name clothes, trips to Skate World. Yes, my parent's sent three kids to Skate World three days per week, every week. Yeah, I was one of those girls. I was a speed skate owning, daisy duke wearing, eye batting, trouble maker! Anyway, I'm used to getting what I want when I want it. My parent's provided everything for me until I began to work and even then between my pay checks and my wonderful Todd, I still managed to always have it all. Until now. I'm not a patient person. Okay I don't want to profess that. I used to have trouble being patient but God is changing my heart. I prefer immediate gratification. So this long season of waiting and rebuilding and learning and healing is long and frustrating and long and long. Did I say it is long? It actually hasn't been that long but to one who used to easily get what she wants when she wants it, it's an eternity.



So back to the book. These words filled my heart and refreshed my patience as it has so many other days. I am more aware now that what happens in my life isn't just about me. It is about so much more. The lessons I learn I will later share with others. I need to be in the right place at the right time, the God place and the God time in God's will, in order for my life to truly be what he intended it to be. So I will rest on the following words in patience and trust that he has a perfect plan for me. He will fulfill my dreams. The fulfillment of my life and my dreams will then affect many around me. I'm in awe at how he does it all.



My Princess...

Wait on Me



Wait on Me, My princess. My timing is always perfect. I know you're anxious about many things (let me just interject here and say that is an understatement), and I see your passion for all the plans I have put in your heart. I know that you long to fly, and I see your enthusiasm. However, just as a vinedresser nurtures the vine and waits patiently for the right moment to harvest the grapes (that would be why I'm not a vinedresser), so too am I working tirelessly to prepare you to bear much fruit. Don't run ahead of Me or try to fly before My plans are complete. Your strength will fail you, and your dreams will wither away. Trust Me that My dreams for you are far greater than you can dream on your own. You will run farther and soar higher if you will patiently wait for the season of My blessing. Draw close to Me now, and I promise that this season of waiting will bring you the sweetest of rewards.



Love,

Your King and Lord of perfect timings



Isaiah 40:31 NIV

But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on winds like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.



All kidding aside, I've already been in a place where I tried to fly on my own, make my dreams come true instead of waiting on God. Been there, done that, I'm writing the book! Trust me when I tell you, my dreams came true by my own hand and now, well they're gone, they've withered. For now. My strength has failed me until there was none left! It is only by Jesus and what he does in me daily that I am able to keep going. And there are still many days and many phases where even his love and his comfort cannot sustain me and I want to ball up, hold my chest, and pray my heart be ripped out because it would be more comforting to have it gone than to continue to bear the brokenness. Not because he cannot sustain me. Not because he isn't all knowing. Not because he cannot heal me. But because in those days I choose to believe the lies. I choose to believe that I don't deserve it, that I deserve to suffer and carry the weight on my own. It isn't always enough for me to lay it at the cross once. I often need to lay it down over and over and over in the same day.



My parent's bought me a trivet. It reads "seven days without prayer makes one weak." Do you know how long that thing sat in my kitchen before I realized it said "weak" and not "week?" I know that having time in his presence renews my strength and holds my head up high. I wish I could say that I didn't allow too many days to come and go before I get back on my face again. But when I do let too many days go by, I know it and so do those who live with me. I get down, way down into the worst kind of funk and it stinks down there and it's dark and it's just not fun. So get in his word and stay in his word. Prayer doesn't have to be this stern, humongous thing in life or be uber spiritual. Just talk to Jesus like you would talk to any friend. I'm committed to not letting too many days go before I seek his presence so his love and peace will keep me.