I have this group of girlfriends that I’ve come to know and love over the past year. The Lord brought them into my life when I needed life-giving friendships and encouragement more than ever before. These women represent the true heart of God. They are transparent, they are open, they are love, and they are full of joy. We laugh, we cry, and we have fun. And what is most unique about this group…every single woman WANTS to be there for the rest. When someone’s child is getting baptized, we’re there, yelling and clapping the loudest, taking video or taking pictures. When someone is going through a hard time, we’re there, praying and comforting and texting to check on them. When I’m struggling or having a hard time with something, they’re all there, not with judgment and condemnation, but with love and support and encouragement. These are the women that I want to walk beside and share life with.
Thank you, Lord, for bringing these women into my life with their beautiful souls, love, laughter and hearts of gold.
I didn’t want this Christmas season to pass or this year to end without expressing my deepest gratitude for the gift they are to me.
To Shana, thank you for welcoming me to your group, for leading our group with your insightfulness into God’s Word, and allowing me to be me (even the crazy note-taking part of me!).
To Kristel, thank you for opening your home each week to all of us and not only allowing us to be open and transparent, but also by checking on us throughout the week or even weeks later to see how things are going.
To Tanya, thank you for the amazing prayer warrior that you are. Your prayers are so full of the Spirit, it’s as if angels sing every time you pray!
To Stacia, thank you for your strength. I don’t even know your full story yet, but to hear how you encourage everyone in the group, despite what you may be going through yourself, your strength in the Lord amazes me all the time.
To Maddie, thank you for bringing youthfulness to our group. I love that our group spans many ages and seasons of life. You have wisdom beyond your years and I’m so happy to have you as a dear friend.
To Lacy, thank you for inviting me to the group. I know that meeting you when I was a youth leader was God-appointed and I’ll forever be thankful for you and the friendship we’ve developed over this past year.
To Mary Ann, thank you for your smile. I love being around you; you are always so happy and full of joy. There’s always laughter when you’re around and I love that about you so much!
To Natali, thank you for being genuine. You don’t ever hesitate to share the good or the bad, the struggles and the victories. I learn so much by listening to you, and I also love hearing what you’re reading about in the Bible. You help me to see being transparent is a good thing when you’re with the right group of women.
To Kristina, thank you for all you’ve done for me inside and outside of the group. I love watching you with your girls and your family. You have a beautiful spirit about you. Not only am I blessed to know you, but I know your family is as well.
To Jennifer, thank you for your words of encouragement. You have a way of offering just the right words when someone is struggling. You’re not ashamed to draw from your past to share God’s love with everyone around you.
To Patricia, thank you for sharing God’s Light to every person you meet. You have a unique business and gift and I love hearing about the women you encounter and how you help them and heal them.
I think God for each one of you. Thank you for your beautiful friendship!
Proverbs 27:9 (NLT), “The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.”
1 John 4:7 (NLT), “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.”
Has God ever spoken to you through daily activities or using practical experiences? Every now and then, God will speak to me through my daily activities or interactions with my son. I do my best to write them down so that I can remember them and share them. One of the three I’m going to share with you came to me a few years ago; the other two came just recently.
Windshields
As I was driving to work one morning and the sun hit my windshield, I noticed how dirty my windshield looked. However, when the sun wasn’t shining directly on it, the windshield looked clean and normal. And then I realized, it’s the same with God. In the darkness, all our dirty spots are covered up and seem normal to us. But when the Light hits, all the dirty spots are exposed, showing us exactly what needs to be cleansed and purified by God.
John 12:46, NLT says, “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark.”
Shopping Carts
My son has reached the age where now instead of being a passive participant and riding in the shopping cart, he wants to be an active participant and push the cart. Plus, he doesn’t want my help. As he says, “I do it Mama. Don’t help!” And I politely tell him, as I’m still holding on to the cart, that I do need to help him. I remind him that he isn’t tall enough yet to see over the handles, so I need to help guide him, because I can see what he can’t see.
And it reminded me that we are the same way with God. We think we have it all figured out; that we know where to go and what’s in front of us. But God reminds us, sometimes gently, sometimes not (for those extra stubborn ones), that HE CAN see what’s ahead of us. We only think we have it all figured out when we really don’t. If we don’t tender our heart to His guidance, we’re going to crash straight into everything He’s trying to help us avoid!
Proverbs 29:18, NLT says, “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.”
“But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his.” (Job 12:13, NLT)
Don’t be the strong-willed child, thinking you can do it all on your own. Listen for God’s voice and guidance so you’ll avoid crashing into the things you never saw coming.
Convenience Stores
I was driving past a convenience store and noticed they are changing the exterior of the building. I have no idea what they’re actually doing or how they’re changing it. But I had the thought, “Unless they change the inside, it won’t matter what the outside looks like. It’ll still be old and dirty inside.”
And then I realized, it’s the same thing with us (people). You can change your outward appearance as much as you want…your hair color, your hair length, your nails, workout, eat better…whatever it is you’re trying to change. But if you don’t work on changing the inside, your heart, none of it matters. All the ugliness will still be inside.
Luke 6:45, NLT says, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”
Proverbs 26:23, NLT says, “Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.”
And Proverbs 27:19, NLT says, “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.”
Start the work on your inside, your heart, and the rest will fall into place.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10, NLT)
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT)
God is always speaking to us no matter what we’re doing; it’s us that need to be listening for His gentle, guiding voice. I hope these help you to see God and His lessons in the things you do every day.
Back in early October, the women’s ministry at my church hosted their annual Cherished Conference in Ruidoso, New Mexico. On Friday morning each year, different women are asked to teach breakout sessions about various topics. This year I was asked to teach one of the breakout sessions and the topic I was given was about God’s promises. This is a topic I’m very familiar with as it is something that I walked through for many years while I waited on God’s promise to me to be fulfilled.
I’d like to share my breakout session with you as a two-part blog. A few weeks ago I shared my personal testimony in Part 1. Today, I am sharing Part 2 of the session, which is offering encouragement and how to keep your faith strong during the waiting process.
Here is “Waiting on the Promise” Part 2…
God’s promises to us are different in so many ways yet are the same. There’s not a set time frame for one promise over another. The fulfilment of my promise took 17 years. Maybe yours take more; maybe it takes less. But when God gives you a promise, He will deliver it when He says it’s time.
Which brings me to the second part of the message: how to get through the waiting process. It’s not easy being patient and waiting on God to move. On our terms, He moves slower than a turtle stuck in molasses! But in God’s eyes, He’s not deliberately being slow because He sees everything! He sees the things that we cannot see. He could be saving us from greater heartache by delaying the promise until the timing is just perfect. We see the time as delayed, but He sees it as working all things together for our good. Our. Good.
I want to share with you some different ways to keep your faith strong during the waiting process.
There is no time limit or expiration date on the promise God has given you. If He says He’ll do something or give something to you, He will.
Hebrews 11:11 (NLT), “It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.” And He did.
I don’t know if you kept up with the math during my testimony, but I was 46 years old when I had my son back in November. That’s quite a bit past normal child-bearing years these days. But just like God kept His promise to Sarah, He kept his promise to me! And whatever promise you wrote in the blank on the piece of paper I mentioned last week, know that He will deliver that promise to you, too! He knows the desires of your heart and will give them to you! (Psalms 20:4 & 37:4)
2. Find an outlet (something to do or something else to think about) when you feel your faith is being tested beyond what you think you can handle.
James 1:3 (NLT), “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
For me, my outlet was writing. That’s the main reason I have this blog; so I can use it to write about my circumstances, feelings at certain times and general thoughts on the waiting process. For my husband, he found that serving God was a good outlet for him when times were difficult. Your outlet can be anything! Maybe you like to craft or exercise; maybe you like to cook or garden…maybe you just want to sit in God’s presence and listen to worship music. Sometimes it’s nice to just sit quietly in His presence.
Just remember that whatever you do to help pass your time, make sure it’s encouraging and positive!
3. Watch your words.
Proverbs 18:21 (MSG), “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.”
Romans 4:17-18 (TPT), “That’s what the Scripture means when it says: ‘I have made you the father of many nations.’ He (Abraham) is our example and father, for in God’s presence he believed that God can raise the dead and call into being things that don’t even exist yet. Against all odds, when it looked hopeless, Abraham believed the promise and expected God to fulfill it…”
Speak only life to your dreams or what you’re waiting for. Don’t give in to negative speak or thoughts. I told you in my testimony when I didn’t do this very well. I let the negative thoughts take hold of me and they held me captive for quite a while. It’s okay to get angry and frustrated; we’re human and it’s going to happen. Just don’t live there! Be angry…for a time and then let it go! Find a friend that you trust to let you vent when you need to, but someone that can also encourage you and lift you up when you need it.
There was a time several years ago when I was very unhappy in my job. I worked for two men, one a VP and the other a COO. My VP boss was absolutely horrible! He would say the most hateful things to me and when he walked out, I would just cry at my desk. I couldn’t understand why God had me in such an awful place! I wanted to quit so bad! But I couldn’t because my husband had just lost his job, and this was our only source of income.
I was sharing my frustration with a friend, and she encouraged me to speak life into my job; to thank God for my job and to also thank Him for my next job. She even told me to speak that God would either move one or both of them or, move me. I have to say I didn’t truly believe that at first when I spoke it, but shortly after, the COO left the company! I couldn’t believe it! So, I really started speaking to it with purpose. Within the next six months, I had a call from a previous place I had interviewed with prior to taking the current job. It had been TWO YEARS since I interviewed with them, and they had an opening that needed to be filled quickly and they were curious if I was still interested. Y-E-S! Yes, I absolutely was still interested. I went in for another interview the next week, and two days after I was turning in my two-week resignation and started the new job. I just celebrated 10 years back in June.
Speak to your promise…God does hear you! And He does move!
4. Be content in your current circumstances.
Hebrews 10:35-36, “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great rewards it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.”
It’s hard to be content in your circumstances when you desperately want them to change, when you want to start experiencing the next season of life. But when you embrace your current season, you give God room to move.
I had to embrace my pre-baby season and one of the ways was to host baby showers for friends. At times, it was nearly impossible to put on my happy face for my friends…they were living the life I desperately wanted. But even in those hard times, God was there with me.
And the last way to keep your faith strong during the waiting process,
5. Pray.
Prayer is a very powerful tool and it’s always with you. You can pray anytime and anywhere! It’s always good to pray freely, but sometimes it’s easier to write out specific prayers, too.
I’ve used several different ways to write out prayers using scripture.
A. One way is to search the Bible for specific prayers that speak to you and/or your situation. I have a few scriptures that I love and would always pray during my waiting period:
Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedinglyabundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Same scripture in the Passion Translation: Ephesians 3:20-21 (TPT), “Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ—and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen!”
Another favorite of mine is Isaiah 40:31 (NLT), “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
And the last one I’ll write out: Hebrews 11:1-3, 6 (TPT), “Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. This testimony of faith is what previous generationswere commended for. Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.
(v6) And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him.”
B. Matthew 5 contains The Beatitudes and they make a great & easy way to start praying scripture.
Matthew 5:3-12 (NLT), “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”
C. The book, Fervent, by Priscilla Shirer is a great option for specific prayer.
The subtext on the book cover even says, “A woman’s battle plan for serious, specific and strategic prayer.” Each chapter in the book talks about different areas and how to write out scripture prayers to pray for different things.
D. Friends.
I have a friend that is very good at writing scripture prayer. I had visited with her in late 2015 (after the dark period) and updated her on all that we had gone through and our current circumstances. She wrote out a prayer for me to pray for my babies. The prayer was loaded with scripture and self-declarations. And I remember I would stand in my living room and boldly recite that prayer almost every day! And then I took her prayer for me and I wrote a shorter, more specific pray to my unborn baby.
It doesn’t matter what your Promise is…God is always going to come through for you!!
As the song goes, God is the Waymaker. He is the Miracle Worker. He is the Promise Keeper. And He is the Light in the darkness.
There are days I feel every bit of 47! And as my husband noted about a month after our son was born, raising a baby is nothing like taking care of a dog!! Lol! (joke from Part 1)
It was never my plan to have a child this late in life, but it was my dream to have one. God chose the time.
He determined that my story would include a miracle baby at age 46.
He determined that my son would be born at this exact moment in time.
God plans everything to the finest detail. He is not wrong. He is not late.
Luke 1:37 says, “For the word of God will never fail.”
If He tells you He’ll do something, He will.
His timing is perfect. His plans are perfect. Your promise will be fulfilled at the exact time God has designed it to happen.
The fulfillment of your promise will be exceedingly abundantly BEYOND ALL you can ask or think because God will do exactly what He says he’ll do.
It will not return void and it will not expire.
Keep praying, speaking, and believing for the fulfillment of God’s promise to you.
Thank you for letting me share my breakout session with you about my personal journey of waiting on God’s promise to be fulfilled. I pray God spoke to you as you read Part 1 and Part 2. And I pray that if you are still waiting on the fulfilment of God’s promise to you, these words brought you hope and encouragement for your journey. If you would like a copy of the prayer my friend wrote for me, please message me or comment your email and I will gladly send it to you. If I can pray for you in any way, please let me know.
Back in early October, the women’s ministry at my church hosted their annual Cherished Conference in Ruidoso, New Mexico. On Friday morning each year, different women are asked to teach breakout sessions about various topics. This year I was asked to teach one of the breakout sessions and the topic I was given was about God’s promises. This is a topic I’m very familiar with as it is something that I walked through for many years while I waited on God’s promise to me to be fulfilled.
I’d like to share my breakout session with you as a two-part blog. Part 1 will be my personal journey and testimony of waiting on the fulfillment of God’s promise to me. And Part 2 will be some encouragement for those that are still waiting on your promise from God to be fulfilled.
Here is “Waiting on the Promise” Part 1…
God’s promises to us are different in so many ways yet are the same. There’s not a set time frame for one promise over another. Maybe you’re single and you’re waiting on God to bring you a husband; maybe you’re married and you’re waiting on God to bring you a baby. Maybe you’ve been saving awhile for God to bring you a new car or a new home. Maybe you’ve been working for a horrible boss or with co-workers you don’t like and you’re waiting on God to bring you a new job. Maybe you’re waiting on your treatment to finish for the “all clear” or waiting on a cure for something. Or maybe, you prayed Proverbs 22:6 over your children as they were growing up and now, you’re waiting for the promise of the prodigal child to turn to God and return home.
Whatever your promise is, God knows it. He hears you. He sees you. And as Romans 8:28 says it, “He’s working all things together for your good.”
I’d like you to find a piece of paper and at the top write this statement:
I am waiting on God’s promise of _____________to be fulfilled.
Fill in the blank with the promise that you’re waiting on God to fulfill for you. As you read through my testimony and hopefully Part 2 of the blog, I hope you allow God to speak to you through this message and find comfort in knowing God has not forgotten about you or the promise you’re waiting on.
I want to start out by telling you a little bit about me and my story. This is something that I have walked through and have seen the fulfilment of God’s promise to me.
My promise was about having a baby and being a Mom.
Like many women, there’s always been a dream of growing up, getting married & having kids. My plan was to get married & have all my kids (3) by the time I turned 30. That way, I could live the rest of my days raising kids with my husband…the American Dream, right!?!
Well, as I’ve learned and I’m sure you have learned too, our plans are not always God’s plans. Those plans, or parts of them, may turn in to reality at some point, but not always the way we think or dream it to be.
My husband and I were in our late 20’s when we got married in 2003. We had dated for quite a while, so I was more than ready to get going on the family part. But my husband said we should own a dog for at least a year before having kids so we could learn to be responsible for something other than ourselves. So, in December 2004, we got Daisy.
Well, the year of owning a dog first came and went, as did life and everything else. So let’s fast forward to 2013.
We had finally decided to start trying to make a baby. I bought an ovulation kit to help make things easier and after only one month, we were pregnant! We were so excited!! It’d been almost 10 years since we got married and it was time to move forward.
I did a couple of home pregnancy tests and then went to the doctor for the actual confirmation. They said I was about 5 weeks, so they set an appointment for me to go back in a few weeks to hear the heartbeat. We called our families and told our friends. Everyone was so excited for us!
We went in at week 7 for the first ultrasound to see the baby and hear the heartbeat. We were disappointed that we didn’t hear the heartbeat. But friends told us not to worry as most people don’t hear the heartbeat until weeks 8-10. The doctor wanted us to come back the following week and try again so we did and had the same results. The doctor seemed more concerned this time and sent me to have some blood work done to check my HCG level. In her opinion, the pregnancy was likely a miscarriage because the baby hadn’t grown any since the previous week, but the blood test would tell us for sure.
The gravity of the whole experience hit us like a ton of bricks. To go from ecstatic to devastated in a matter of weeks was something we hadn’t experienced before.
The pregnancy ultimately ended in a miscarriage as the baby never grew past 7 weeks and 1 day. To say miscarriage is a hard thing to walk through would be putting it mildly. You can work through your pain and move forward, but it’s something that stays with you. I could be walking in a store and all of a sudden break down in tears. I would get embarrassed because I would just randomly start crying. But a dear friend told me that when I needed to cry, just cry.
About a month later, once everything was finished, I went back in for a checkup. My doctor wanted to send me to a fertility doctor, but we weren’t interested. According to my husband, we were still young enough to try again and didn’t need the expensive measures. We just needed time to grieve.
But by the end of 2013, we still weren’t pregnant again, so I decided to check with a fertility doctor. Although we had been praying and fasting for me to get pregnant again, I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay with me, and nothing was preventing the process. I went through a series of tests and appointments and then decided to have a procedure done just to make sure all was well. A few days before I was to have the procedure, I developed a blood clot in my right leg, which turned out to be a side effect of some of the medicine my doctor had prescribed. I was in the hospital for a few days to clear the blood clot. While I was there, my fertility doctor visited with me and told me we now had to refrain from trying to get pregnant for 6 months! I was really disappointed. It had already been more than a year since we had the miscarriage, and I still wasn’t pregnant. And now we would have to wait for SIX MONTHS before we could try again!?!
Well, that brings us to 2015. I was so excited and ready to go back to see the fertility doctor so we could start everything again. But, by the next appointment everything had changed. I was told I only had a 1% chance of conceiving a child naturally. What!?! The news completely devastated me! The one dream I had always wanted and pursued for so long was now shattered into a million pieces!
I’m not going to lie to you…this news was hard to hear and come to grips with. On top of all of that, our dog Daisy passed away. So now within a two-year time frame, we’d miscarried a baby, had a blood clot, lost our beloved dog, and told our chances of conceiving a baby were slim to none. This was too much! I felt like God had actually given me more than I could handle!
After this, I went into a dark period for a while. I was mad! I was angry! I was frustrated! I stopped praying. The time in my life when I needed God the most, I just stopped talking to Him altogether. I told myself there was no use in fasting or praying because it didn’t work. I had been praying and believing for a baby for so long and it didn’t get me anywhere but heartbroken!
With my frustration, I started withdrawing from a lot of things. I still went to church and put on my happy face, but I stood in the back with my arms crossed and refused to sing and worship. I truly didn’t see the point.
Then one day, a friend of mine asked me to lunch. I had thought about pouring out my heart to her, but I still wasn’t sure I was ready to be so vulnerable or even just to not be so mad. Do you know that God still loves us in our darkest places? And that even if we think we’re done with Him (even temporarily), He’s not done with us? Lunch with my friend that day turned my world around!
I had put myself on an island thinking I was the only person going through this. My husband knew how I was feeling; he was even experiencing some of the same feelings himself. But my friend was a blessing in disguise! We met for lunch and talked until dinner…literally!! =) I felt so much better after talking to her. I just needed to share my feelings and let go of the negative so that God could refresh me and move me forward.
Later that year we decided to get a second opinion from a different fertility doctor. We were given the same answer, but this time, we decided to talk about our options. We took some time discussing our options and figuring out where the money would come from. Once we got everything worked out, we set the plan in motion for early 2017.
But our plans were halted again when we realized the fertility office misquoted the amount of money that was due. Being that fertility treatments are horribly expensive, we only had half of what we needed to pay for everything. So, as we worked to figure out the rest of the money issue, I had another medical setback.
There’s a song that Lauren Daigle sings called “Trust in You”. The very first line of the song is:
Letting go of every single dream, I lay each one down at your feet…
This is what I had to do. I had to lay down my dream of having a baby at God’s feet. I finally realized that I was holding on so tight to my dream, that I wasn’t allowing God to freely move in my life and do what He needed to do. The chorus of the song says:
When you don’t move the mountains, I’m needing you to move
When you don’t part the waters, I wish I could walk through
When you don’t give the answers, as I cry out to you
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in you.
And that’s exactly what I had to do! I had to put aside the money issues, the medical issues, the “Kara-get-out-of-the-way-and-let-God-move” issues and I had to TRUST HIM.
It’s amazing what can happen when we move out of the way and let God do what God does best…the impossible…the miracle work.
Now we’re in late 2019 and we’re ready to go. We’ve visited with the fertility office; we have the correct amount of funds, and everything is put into place to begin late February 2020. I was very excited, but also very nervous. There was still a quiet voice in the back of my mind saying, “What if…” But I was also too excited about the possibility of what was coming to give it a second thought!
I had a positive pregnancy test on March 19, 2020. We went to have the first check-up at 7 weeks. We were both nervous due to our last experience with a 7-week pregnancy, but God is so GOOD!! We heard the baby’s heartbeat, and it was good and strong!
And we heard his strong little heartbeat at every appointment up until the day he was born. We welcomed our baby, James Hyden, Jr to our family on November 24, 2020. He was born at 4:01am and was 8lbs, 8oz and 22” long. He was born the day before his due date! Ironically, the first time in my household that a Hyden man has actually been early for anything!! Lol!
Our long-awaited promise was fulfilled! If you count the time from when we first got married, we waited 17 years for Baby James. I look in his precious face every single day and just feel God’s blessings pouring over me. He is my rainbow after the storm.
But the fulfillment of promises doesn’t always take 17 years. Maybe it takes more; maybe it takes less. But when God gives you a promise, He will deliver it when He says it’s time. God’s timing is different from ours, but the promise will not expire, and it will not return void! God keeps His word to us…every time!
Baby James at birthBaby James 10 months old
Thank you for reading my testimony! I hope it brings you encouragement to know that no matter how long you’ve been waiting, God’s miracles still happen every single day. Please come back next week for Part 2 as I share the second half of my breakout session for ways to keep your faith strong during the waiting process.
The word “and” is generally used as a connector for other words and phrases or to mean that something is being added to something else already existing.
For example, you can say, “For your birthday, we’re having cake and ice cream.” You were already having the cake (existing) and then added ice cream. Or, when you think of the word “and” as a connector to other words or phrases, it’s something like this, “Today, we’re going shopping and we plan to shop at the mall, Hobby Lobby and Home Goods.”
I promise, I am going somewhere with this…this isn’t an English lesson! 🙂
But have you ever thought about how the word “and” is used in Scripture? Let me shed some light on what I mean by this. I was in a Bible study class the other night and we were talking about scriptures we like. Most people like verses that “speak” to them or to a certain situation they may be going through. But we also like to “cherry pick” the part we like the most, usually leaving out some of the meaning.
Take, for example, Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
This is a very popular scripture. It’s often quoted on journal covers, Facebook pages, tattoos, shirts, jewelry…you get the picture. It’s used just about anywhere and everywhere. And it’s a great scripture; I like it just as much as anyone else. But when we focus on just this part and don’t look at what comes before or after it, we’re only getting part of the meaning.
Here’s the full passage, including the before and after:
“10This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11For 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. 12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. 14I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:10-14)
See, the Lord told His people that He had a great plan for them and that He was going to do wonderful things for them. But first, they had to endure the struggle. And that’s where we get caught up…we want the great and wonderful things, but we don’t want to endure the hardships that lead to the wonderful things. We want the great plan, the financial blessing, and the hope for a wonderful future. We don’t want the struggle, the hard times, or the bleak financial picture we’re facing. We want to take the bad stuff and sweep it under the rug, or hide under our covers until it’s finished. But that isn’t at all what God has planned for us.
What we have to remember are the promises God has given us that help us through the tough times to get to the great and wonderful plan. Here are some examples:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
“For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever.” (Lamentations 3:31)
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:2)
“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
When we struggle, it doesn’t mean God has forgotten about us or doesn’t like us anymore. He puts us through trials to teach us, or to show us something we’re not seeing or learning on our own. When we go through the tough times, we have to remember there is another side to it; there is light at the end of our dark, treacherous and ongoing tunnel. We might not be able to see what’s coming ahead of us, but God does. But in order to fully grasp and enjoy the plan, we have to endure the hard stuff.
Let’s look at Jeremiah 29:10-14 once more.
Verse 10: This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.
Verse 11: 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.
Verse 12: Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
Verse 13: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.
Verse 14: I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.
God is telling His people EXACTLY what He will do FOR them. When they do this, He will do that…in each line of that passage. God is FOR US. He is not against us…EVER!
Reading, learning and quoting Scripture is a good thing; just remember to read it all, to understand the full context of what God is telling us. God does know the plans He has for us and He will see each and every one of His promises fulfilled in our lives. Rest in that.
My husband and I recently watched the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One. In the movie there was a man that constantly repeated a phrase over and over. It didn’t matter if he was just sitting still or doing something, he always repeated the same phrase. (By the way, I’m not giving anything away on the movie, so if you haven’t seen it, it’s okay to continue reading!)
The phrase he repeated over and over was, “The Force is with me. I am one with the Force.” Whether you’re a Star Wars fan or not, you know that “the Force” is what the Jedi use to fight against the Dark Side. So by this man repeating this phrase over and over, he was basically building faith within himself that no matter what he encountered, the Force would be with him and would help him accomplish his plans.
As I was driving to work this morning, I thought of this phrase and realized how easily I could change the wording to become, “God is with me. I am one with God.” No matter where I am, what I’m doing or what I might be facing, reminding myself that God is with me and I am one with God is something I should be repeating all the time. It’s an assurance, a faith booster and a reminder that God is ALWAYS with us. He never leaves us or forsakes us. All we have to do is simply call on Him and He is there.
Lately, I’ve been drawn to the story of the Israelites. Mostly, their journey from Egypt, through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. One of my favorite illustrations of this journey is from the book, “One in a Million” by Priscilla Shirer. I read the book for the first time a few years ago. I had heard Priscilla speak at a conference and was instantly engaged. A friend had been reading the book and recommended it so I immediately went out and bought it. Of course, then I got busy and didn’t read it for a few months. But when I finally picked it up to read, I couldn’t put it down.
In all my years of attending Sunday school, youth group and church, I never fully picked up on the facts of this story. Two million people left Egypt with Moses and out of the original two million, only two…T-W-O… actually entered into the Promised Land. Not even Moses got to cross that final river and stand in the Promised Land. Why? Lack of faith. All of the original two million people, with the exception of the two, died in the wilderness during the 40-year journey. The two million people that did cross into the Promised Land were the offspring of the original group.
It is such an amazing story…sad at times, frustrating at times and happy at times. And there’s so much we can learn from them. This has become one of my favorite bible stories!
So as I said earlier, I’ve been drawn to this story, so I decided to dig this book out and read it again. I’m currently reading it and this will be the third time (yes, 3rd). I’ve also been doing some other reading during my quiet time and each and every reading I’ve done lately…they’ve all referenced this one story about the Israelites and their wilderness journey. It has just completely blown my mind how everything I’ve been reading or studying or scriptures I’ve found all lead back and tie into this story. God is simply amazing!! And obviously has something for me to learn! 🙂
When I read the story about the Israelites, my first instinct is to get frustrated with them for their lack of faith. I mean, God was with them day and night; He had a visual presence they could see with the cloud and the fire. He provided everything they needed, every time they needed something. And when they complained, He provided. They even got to be a part of and witness one of the greatest miracles in the history of mankind…the parting of the Red Sea! They got to see the water split down the middle and become a wall so they could walk on dry land right through it. They got to see all two million of their traveling buddies walk through completely unscathed. And then they got to watch Pharaoh’s army follow after them and get swept away as the walls of water came crashing down on them.
They saw it all! And then they forgot. And then they complained. And this is where my frustration with them begins. And then I remember that I am a flawed human just like they were. And I remember how quickly I can forget the miracles God does in my life when things start to get hard again or busy or I stop seeking after the One I need.
I’ve been on many wilderness journeys of my own. And I’m sure you have too…we all have! Sometimes God takes us on a wilderness journey to show us something new or to teach us something we’re too stubborn to learn the easy way. Sometimes He takes us there to guide us away from something harmful that we don’t see ourselves. And sometimes He takes us there to breathe new life into us and/or the dreams and visions He has for us. That’s what my current wilderness journey has been…the rebirth of a dream.
I have always loved reading books. When I was younger and still some now, good fiction books….you know, the feel-good story with the perfect people who say all the right things at the right time, with the always happy ending. I love to read mystery books and see if I can figure out where the author is taking me before I read it. And I love to read non-fiction books; books like “One in a Million” that teach me something I didn’t know before.
But the one thing I have always wanted to do is to write books. I’ve had this dream of being a published author for as long as I can remember. At first, it was to write fiction stories like the ones I get lost in and love. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself drawn to non-fiction…to write something that can help someone else.
I have a friend who is a published author and I have asked her countless times how she does it, how she knows what to write or how to start. She tells me the same thing over and over, “You just sit down and start typing. God will bring the words to you.” And that is exactly what He has done!
As I said earlier, all the reading I have done lately has culminated to this story—the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness. It was deep in the wilderness that I remembered my love for writing. I realized my friend was right….I just need to sit down and start typing, so I did. I have. I started keeping a journal a few weeks ago. Is it profound and professional? Of course not! It’s just a way of making a habit to sit down and write something.
But I also felt there was something bigger stirring in me; a story to write; a story to share. And that brings me to this blog. Although this is about this specific journey of discovery and rebirthing of a dream, I know there will be many more to share. And as God brings those stories to my mind, I want to share them with you.
Maybe you already follow my blog or found it by happenstance. Maybe you found this on my Facebook page as it came across your News Feed. However you came across it, I’m happy you did! I’ve always loved being an encourager to people around me…seeing the blue sky on a cloudy day. And I want to continue to be an encourager through my writings and postings as the Lord leads.
Through the vision the Lord recently gave me, I have made some adjustments to my website where I blog and have also created a Facebook page to link future blogs and encouraging posts.
If you’re interested in seeing where God takes me on this writing journey, I ask you to come along with me on this ride. And if you’re not, that’s okay…we’ll still be friends in the blogosphere! J You can find my blogging website at http://kmhlivingbyfaith.com or find me on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/livingbyfaith.kmh.
Picture this: you’re focused, you’re driven, you’ve set your sights on a dream you’ve had for a very long time and you can see this dream finally coming true after years and years of prayer and wishing and hoping…you’re like a racecar driver on the final lap of the big race and you’re in first place…you can see the finish line and in a few more feet, you’ll not only have touched it, but crossed over. In your peripheral view, you see the flag guy, but instead of the checkered flag in his hand, you see a yellow caution flag. You think to yourself, “What is that? There’s no one in front of me…I can see the finish line and I’m the only one.” But he’s waving the flag anyway and telling you to slow down. So you make a split second decision and decide to push through anyway because you know that nothing can stop you now…you’re so close and then….BAM!!!!
That was my 2014!!!!
Oh how happy I am to see 2014 in my rear view mirror!! I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited to see one year end and another fresh, New Year begin!
Now that you have a great picture in your brain, let me explain what it all means.
My husband and I have long desired to have children and grow our family. We were given that dream a few years ago, only for it to be snatched away a few short weeks later through a miscarriage. As we are both not the spring chickens we once were, my doctor suggested I visit a fertility doctor. My husband didn’t really see a need for this as we were able to get pregnant once before. But, I thought it best to go and see what the doctor had to say and get things checked out…you know, just in case.
The initial appointments went good. There were a few minor things I needed to adjust, like my diet and exercise. After getting all of this adjusted, I was set to go in for an outpatient procedure as one final check to make sure everything was working properly and nothing was out of whack, so that we could proceed to the next step.
I had taken the morning off work this one Friday in late June to have all of my pre-op work completed. I had mentioned to my doctor during this visit that I had been experiencing some extreme shortness of breath that week so she added another test to the schedule to check it out.
I got home later that evening and all of a sudden started experiencing some major leg pain. My right leg was cramping and aching unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Imagine when you get a calf cramp…when it comes on, if you can stretch it out or stand up and stretch it, the cramp will go away. This felt like a calf cramp to the 100th degree that, no matter what I tried, I could not stretch it out. It hurt to sit; it hurt to walk; it hurt to stand…no matter what I did, it hurt! The pain was so severe that I got very light-headed and thought I was going to pass out!
Since the last time I felt lightheaded I was actually dehydrated, my husband thought it best to purchase copious amounts of Gatorade and have me drink them all night long. Did I mention how uncomfortable it was to get up and walk around? Imagine drinking bottle after bottle of water and Gatorade for about five hours straight…get the picture!?!
The next morning, I was still in a lot of pain and my leg was actually starting to swell. I decided to go to a clinic to see if they could give me something for the pain. When the doctor saw my leg, she measured it and said I should go to the ER and have them look at my leg; she said she’d feel better if they helped me first. So I left the clinic and went straight to the ER. The ER nurses put me in a room and ran some tests. They drew some blood and had a tech come in and do an x-ray on my right leg. About five minutes after the tests were done, the ER doctor came in and told me I had a blood clot in my leg and was being admitted to the hospital. About four hours later, I was in a private room in the hospital, where I stayed for the next three days. Now how’s that for a summer vacation!?! 😦
It all boiled down to some medication I was on, that mixed with my age, had a high probability of developing a blood clot…well, they were right. For once, I was the one in a million, billion, whatever the number was…just not the “one” I wanted to be! And with the blood clot, I was told that anything having to do with baby-making, fertility, whatever, was on hold for the next SIX months!
After all of it settled down and I was out of the hospital and getting back to regular stuff, I finally realized that I had blinders on my eyes. I was so focused and so driven to see my baby dreams come true, that I had completely tuned out God and His plan for this part of my life. I had basically told Him, “Hey, I found a way to make this happen faster instead of waiting on Your timing, so I’m going this way, instead of Your Way.” See what doing it “my way” got me!?! Six months of waiting…more freakin’ waiting!!!
HELLO 2015!!!
December 31st was the last day that I had to take my blood thinners. I used some of that six-month time to focus on God and His plan for our lives. I learned that I need to be content with my current place in life; to enjoy the time my husband and I have left in our “coupleness” before kids come along; and to enjoy that we can pick up and go out or grab a bite to eat without having to find a babysitter. And I also learned that no matter what the future holds, two things will never change: (1) God’s love for me is constant, unwavering and forever, and (2) so is my husband’s love.
I recently went back to the fertility doctor and visited with her on our next step. She gave us some options and said to let her know how we decide to proceed. This year, I’ve removed the blinders. I’m still focused and driven and my sights are still set on the baby dream, but this time, I’m doing it God’s way! I’m going to let Him tell me which option to choose and trust in His timing and His plan. 🙂 Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV), “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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV), “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
living by faith 