Now is the Time

God is Preparing a Way

This phrase has been jumping out at me a lot over the last week or so.  Either people have randomly spoken it to me during conversation or I’ve seen it written or read it in my bible.  God is definitely trying to tell me something here. I do not believe in coincidences. Everything has meaning and purpose and phrases like, “Rest in God’s strength, Trust in Him, He’s gotten us through worse.”  All of my world seems to be yelling at me to turn from my fears or my anxieties and turn towards Christ and refocus on His power and His strength. Stop dwelling in a pit of my own inability and lean on God’s ability to see my hopes and dreams into fruition.  He is working on my behalf even now, as I pound out these keys on my laptop trying desperately to concentrate over the chaos and rumpus dancing out from the playroom where my husband is entertaining our children for a few minutes before we all head up to bed.  

He orchestrated my day and evening, so that I could have these 20minutes of peace and alone time.  Time for me to reflect and to reach out to the buzzing internet realm who have shown up to read and relate and connect.  These moments are few and fleeting when you are raising a family, working, contemplating going back to school, working towards a fitness goal, trying to make time with your spouse, and ya know, trying to shower and look somewhat appealing to the world.  I know you all understand this mess way too much. You. are. not. alone.  

So I just want to take a moment in the middle of my own chaos, to praise and thank God for everything He has orchestrated in my life to get me to where I am today.  All the failures, all the regrets, all the lost time, lost sleep, and trials of faith. I would not be the same women I am before you. I would not understand the world and the broken people in it.  From a perfect pedestal, we can look down on others around us and judge their bad choices or their lifestyles decisions, saying things like, “I would never do that! My kids will never act that way! What kind of person would do such a thing.”  Until it’s you under the social microscope. Until the devil holds you down in your own darkness and out of all the lies he buries you in, you make a choice that you “never thought you would.” And then you can see. Finally, your eyes are open to the world and its ugliness.  I truly believe that without pain and suffering, we can never truly know Jesus --Know what he suffered on that cross and understand the weight and depth of his mercy and forgiveness. So thank God for your suffering as well as your joy. He’s working that pain into cobblestones and creating a pathway for you to righteousness.  All He asks is for us to TRUST Him. “Come, take my hand, walk to me, cross through the river, walk upon the water.”  

No more waiting until Monday.  Or until I have more time.  Or until all the details magically fit together.  Now is the time to thrive and be the person God calls me to be.   I am stepping up to the plate, God.  I hear you calling, and I am ready.  I've already prepped my mornings with holy armor and end my days with prayer.  I hope to include you and hand over all aspects of my day to day, specifically that which does not serve either of us.  Over the next 4 months, as I near closer to the new year, I pray you aid me in remaining steadfast to my goals and to my diet plan, so that I can be a woman of my word and hold this commitment to myself precious.  

Thank you God for this beautiful thing called, Life. Thank you for an able body to lift, move, run, swim, climb, and rest.  Thank you for my children that keep me on my able feet and help me see the world through innocent eyes. Thank you for a loving husband, who may not know you like I do yet, but cares for me and your people more than himself.  Thank you for a family that despite its trials and differences, always chooses each other again and again --always says, “I love you,” before walking out the door. Thank you for a home that is enough, food that is enough, and financial stability.  Thank you for our friends and our church who support, encourage, and guide us in pursuit of your never ending joy. You are so awesome, God! So powerful and so merciful. So wonderful and dear you are to me.

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Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight
Isaiah 43:16-21 16 This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: 18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. 20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
Exodus 14: 13-31 13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” 15 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” 19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” 26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the LORD swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. 29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.