Waiting

“29 He gives strength to the weary, And to the one who lacks might He increases power. 30 Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, 31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”

— Isaiah 40:29-31 (NASB20)

Waiting.

That is my season right now. The Lord asked me to move, so I moved, but He has not revealed the next step. Here – I’m supposed to wait.

Wait for the right open door.

Wait for direction.

Wait for Him to place me where He wants me.

Here’s the thing:

I struggle with patience. And I want to be in control. I’m sure none of you can relate to that, right?

In the waiting, both of those things are tested. What does next year look like? Where does He want me to go?

I thought I knew what the rest of my career looked like. I was home. With my people. Comfortable. Until – a yearning for more began to rise up in my heart. I never wanted to be anywhere else.

Until some things began glaring at me…until I poured myself out for everyone else…until I saw the sacrifice my own children made for me to hold this job. Until I grew tired – weary. Restless.

Then my thoughts became more like:

Can I really do this for the next 10-15 years?

I love my school so much, but it is time for change.

During this wait, I have watched the interviews happen to fill a spot that I have held for five years. Though it shouldn’t bother me, it does. There’s a lump in my throat even now. This spot…this place.

Not my will, but Yours, Lord.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Even when we want to shove Jesus out of the way and take the reins back, we still have to trust. Letting him direct us may be difficult, but it will be worth it.

I’m doing my best to trust right now. I know He will direct me…and that’s the truth I’m going to walk in.

During this wait, I have noticed a change. That restlessness – gone. The weariness – gone. I am enjoying time with my girls already even though I’m still going to work every week. My situation hasn’t changed yet, but my heart and mind has. Sadness has been replaced with hope and excitement.

I know the Lord has led me to this moment. I know He’s working on me. I know He already knows the next step even if I don’t yet. I have to trust that even when the control freak tries to take over again. Each day, I have to resolve that I will trust that He will provide the door. 

So here – I – wait.

Here’s my question for you: 

Are you trusting God with those areas you like to control? If not, take a step of faith. Trust Him to do what He says. Let Him direct your path and if He asks you to, wait on Him. The rest I have found in Him already is so very worth the step of faith.

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.”
Romans 12:9

Have you ever had days when you just don’t want to______ ? Get out of bed? Pray? Read your Bible? Exercise? You fill in the blank.
You just want to cry uncle and go back to bed.

Discouragement is real and I have to be diligent to keep it in check. My nature is to push through in my own strength and be like Martha. Just. Keep. Going. That doesn’t last long and I’m worse off for trying.

Even if it’s for just a 1/2 hour I need to follow Mary’s example to sit with Jesus. I have to fill myself with His love and receive the rest and encouragement He alone can provide.

We have to be diligent because discouragement comes straight from the enemy. He is going to try and back us off the plate any way he can. Curve balls, breaking balls, fast balls to the helmet….he is relentless. Stay in the box. Crowd the plate more. That’s what we are called to do. Press. In.

The verse I shared is from a good solid Christian walk chapter. It tells us exactly how we should walk in the Kingdom and minister to others.
We start by being a living sacrifice, renewing our mind and move on from there.

About mid chapter Paul reminds us to let love be without hypocrisy. 😳
Y’all it’s peopley. It’s messy. It can be discouraging. If anyone knew that it was Paul. We have to battle letting hypocrisy creep in. When it does we have to take the time to go back to 12:1 and restart the renewal process.

Reminding myself that my works and good deeds are filthy rags if Jesus is not the driving force behind them is key. Renewing my mind to keep it in line with His truth is of utmost importance. Without His love shining through me I can accomplish nothing and hypocrisy will creep in. (Think clanging cymbal)

God is faithful to love me, encourage me and use me. That’s my focus. Shake off the discouragement and remind the enemy of his future. He is truly defeated. 🤺

Do you miss your burdens ? 

Fear. Anxiety. Family hardships. Financial difficulties. Depression. Grief. All. The. Things. 

God’s Word tells us that He will bear all of that and MORE! Everything that weighs us down. His Truth says we can come to Him when we are weary, that we take His yoke upon us. 

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

I don’t know about ya’ll, but I read that and I’m all about it! 

He will give us rest ✅ 

He will teach us ✅ 

Rest for my soul ✅ 

His yoke is easy  ✅ 

His burden is LIGHT – ✅ 

Yet… in my controlling, human, weak self, what do I do? I turn around and pick those burdens right back up! Ughhh. Like, do I really miss that heaviness? Nowhere does He say I will give you rest like a “nap” – for a little while, or bear your burdens “partially”. 

“Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22

God knows that we allow some of those heavy burdens to literally weigh us down so much we can’t even look up. That’s not what He wants for you my friend – for any of us. Our Father tells us to cast our cares on HIM. To lay them down at the foot of the cross and WALK AWAY. Seek, pray, find the hem of His garment ya’ll- and FIND REST FOR YOUR SOUL. He will SUSTAIN you. ❤️❤️

He takes our mess and turns it into a message

Jesus never avoided the mess. He didn’t flinch at the dirt, the shame, or the failures of others. He sat with sinners, but He didn’t become one. His holiness wasn’t threatened by their brokenness; it was the hope they needed most.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:10 (NIV)

That’s the gospel. Jesus sat with the broken not to blend in, but to bring healing and truth. He didn’t run from sinners. He ran to them. Jesus did this knowing full well that the table was a place of transformation, not compromise.

We’re called to that same courage. To sit in places that are uncomfortable. To love people without conditions. To be present in the lives of those who are hurting without losing the holiness that makes us shine.

Jesus didn’t avoid broken people. He moved toward them. He didn’t come to approve of their sin, but to redeem them from it. He didn’t become like them in their sin; instead, He showed them what it meant to live in grace.

This message echoes in the music of Jelly Roll, a man whose raw lyrics often paint a picture of a life touched by pain, struggle, and redemption. In his song “Save Me,” he cries out:

“Somebody save me, me from myself
I’ve spent so long living in Hell…”

Jelly Roll doesn’t hide his scars, and neither does Jesus. In fact, Jesus’ scars are the reason ours can heal. Life can leave us feeling far from God, stained by choices we regret. But here’s the good news: Jesus isn’t afraid of our mess. He doesn’t require us to be clean before we come to Him – He just asks that we come.

And this is where, in the midst of our struggles and imperfections, He turns our mess into our message. Jesus transforms our perceived failures into testimonies and creates opportunities for us to share God’s grace with others.

May we strive to be more like Jesus – not becoming part of sin, but stepping into people’s pain with compassion and truth. Let’s also be honest about our brokenness and hopeful in God’s ability to redeem it.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

At some point in everyone’s life there is doubt that creeps in. Whether it be a test, paying a bill, relationships, and even doubting god. 

In John 20 we hear the story of doubting Thomas. Jesus’ disciples saw Jesus for the first time since He had been crucified and they were telling Thomas that they saw him. John 20:25 says, “So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 

When Thomas finally saw Jesus he shouted, “My Lord and my God!” In John 20:29 Jesus says, “Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Everyone told Thomas that Jesus was back and he didn’t believe them until he saw him with his own eyes. 

 In April of 2024 the day had finally come where I was going to ask Mr. Billy to marry Kelanie. My parents both told me I was going to be nervous, and I didn’t believe them one bit. All my friends and family told me the same thing, but still I didn’t believe them. 

As I pulled into their driveway I was still perfectly fine until I stepped inside their house. My heart started beating so fast to the point where I thought I was going to pass out! Mr. Billy and Mrs. Tera were in the living room, and they said hi to me as soon as I walked through the door. All I could do is wave at them without saying a word, and I walked straight to the hallway where my sister in law was and she saw just how nervous I was. 

I went into their bathroom and washed my face and once I gathered myself together I walked back into the living room and asked Mr. Billy if he could come help me with my truck outside. When we were outside my 3 year old nephew was out there rolling in the mud and throwing rocks at the road, which calmed my nerves and I finally asked him for his blessing. 

 All day everyone told me I was going to be nervous, and I didn’t believe them one bit until the moment finally came. More times than we want to admit we doubt God and his plan that he has on our lives. 

Jeremiah 29:11 says: “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.” 

Jesus please help us to not doubt you and to trust your plan that you have for us.

I’ve spent a lot of time reading the old testament in my quiet time recently, and my take away from everything I’ve read is to have faith like those before me. 

David was thrown in a lions den.

Joseph was sold into slavery and thrown in prison.

Moses was called to lead a nation out of slavery.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a furnace.

These men faced unfathomable circumstances and used it to proclaim God is faithful. They walked the walk and talked the talk. These stories are not only about God delivering them, but about how having faith when it makes no sense has an impact on those around us. 

Hope is the most impactful when it shouldn’t be there. Let’s use our fiery furnace, our lions den, to show people how good our God is.

Paul writes in acts 27:15 “so take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.”

Use your trails to show Jesus!