Waiting on Dreams

Have you ever felt like your life is in limbo?

Like something AMAZING is waiting just around the corner and you just can't wait for it to start! 

I have that feeling. 

It's a restless stirring in my heart to do more and be more for the kingdom of God. 

I want to inspire, I want to move, I want to rise up and help others to become all who God is calling them to  be!

Sometimes there's a problem with timing. I want those things for my life NOW while everything God is telling me is pointing to; not yet, one step at a time, you're not ready.

I asked God the other night before bed to give me direction, to tell me what I'm supposed to be doing. 

He answered alright. 

That night I dreamed I was in labor with a new little one though my now little one hadn't aged he was still only 9 months old. I never really "went into labor" but after a traumatic repeat c-section I was put into recovery and not allowed to see my baby or nurse it. No one else wondered at it, and then they sent me home empty handed. 

I wasn't sad in the dream just horribly confused, was this not my child that I had birthed? Why was I not allowed to nourish them like my heart longed to? 

Upon waking I was like, "What the heck Lord?!?!"

As I meditated on the dream it became clear that I was not able to bond, nurture or raise this "infant" because I hadn't gone through the pregnancy process or labor. 

I realized that God was telling me that my dreams and desires would be like this babe if I wasn't patient, I am willing but the timing isn't right yet. 

I feel like He was saying the hard work is pregnancy and labor not just the birthing and after if I give birth to these dreams before the time comes it will be a traumatic "birth" for it, it will taken from me and I won't be able to nurture it the way it needs to be. 

He's encouraging me to pray more, and I'll see doors open for me to begin doing what I need to. That opportunities will arise as I meditate on His word.

Also I feel like He's asking me if I want these things for the right reasons. Is it to benefit me? Or Him? 

Of course I want to answer, "It's ALL for You God!" 

But is it really? 

I want what I do to be blessed by Him but before that can happen I need to make sure I do things for the right reasons. 

So until then, I'll wait. I'll pray. I'll read scripture. I'll meditate on Him.

I'm reminded of Isaiah 40:31, which is God's promises to those who wait....

Until He opens those doors and sees me ripe for the harvest I'll wait.

I hope this encourages you to wait upon His promises for you, that you would not be discouraged when God says, "Not yet.". 

When you're ready you will be a force to be reckoned with. 

~Be Blessed~

Amber

Not Giving Up So Easily....

Most of my facebook friends will know that a couple of weeks ago Travis and I adopted the sweetest little 2 year old retired  greyhound named Jedi.....

We were ecstatic to get him and be able to love on him and share our lives with him! After a couple of week however, though we have grown to love him soo much, he has an issue being  alone :( while we are away at work. We have been working with our adoption coordinator and the president of It's a Grey Area Greyhound Adoption to help us help Jedi as much as possible. Brittaney and Lesley have been WONDERFUL in providing support for us throughout the whole process and we could not have asked for a better experience working with them. 

We have prayed and talked about it and are determined to try a few more things to make him comfortable living with us as an only child...we all realize though that in the end it may not work out and we ultimately need to do what is best for this beautiful baby boy. 

I mean come on! Look at that face! As if we could give up that easily!

At the same time that we are dealing with Jedi and his issues it brought forth something in my mind and made me feel soo convicted in my soul. 

How many times I started off with good intentions for my relationship with God but failed to push through when things became hard?

Let's face it....we all do it...for instance...I had the great idea that I was going to read the entire Bible this year. Yeap...the whole thing...in 1 year. So I started a little nifty plan on my Bible app on my phone and for a whole week I nailed it! Until....things started to get rough...flooding....getting Jedi and dealing with his issues, housework, work in general....it;s gotten to the point where I've let all these things get in my way of my relationship with God...not that I shouldn't deal with or do these things...but that I shouldn't give up so easily. 

Same thing with my prayer life....I've gotten so busy and had my eyes and mind on the things of this world more and more that I am frequently missing that quiet time with my Savior.

My relationship with God should be the number one most important thing in my life...and in my mind...I'd like to think that's so but there are many times where my actions are not aligning with my thoughts. 

And then I also think...what if God had given up on ME that easily....where would I be? Probably still down that path of destruction, not married to an amazing guy with wonderful godly friends. Where would WE ALL be if He gave up on ALL of us so easily? Noah might not have been spared during the great flood..and for certain He would not have given up His only Son for us....

So I guess the whole point of this is DO NOT GIVE UP SO EASILY, especially if it's something good in your life...like going back to school, writing a book, raising your children, in your prayer life....or even dealing with a pup with separation issues like us :)

Basically anything that pleases God and is good for us isn't always going to be easy but it'll be so worth it in the end. So here's to keeping on keeping on...and I'm off to press that little "Catch Me Up" button on my Bible reading plan, give my pup a kiss and get some one on one time with my Lord :)

He's Always by my Side....

On my way to work this morning I heard this song.......

The lyrics deliver a simple message, who shall we fear? Why do we fear when the God who commands armies of heavenly angels is on our side?

"no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD."

Isaiah 54:17 (NIV)

I'm pretty sure the promise made to us in Isaiah isn't just something to appease us, but rather something that we can hold onto. Our God is a promise keeping God and we shouldn't take His promises lightly but believe them to be true. For if we have the faith as small as mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Luke 17:6 (NIV)

I've found that reading and holding true to the promises of God is what gives me strength to face new challenges and ultimately faith when dealng with situations.

For instance, the last month or so I have been a medical mess! I have been dealing with hearing loss in my left ear and battling an infection. However, in spite of these things I know that I will be healed because God is the great physician and healer and He promises that I will be healed. One of the main roles of Jesus when He walked on earth was as a healer and I believe that He has a passion for it. Already I have been feeling MULTITUDES better and am healing nicely from the infection, nonbelievers would say this is due to man made antibiotics and doctors...but who created those two entities?

From where I'm standing penecillin and other antibiotics are a Godsend and definitely a product of intelligent design. Anywho.....I digress....

The point is we always have a God who loves us, who wants the best for us and who wants to protect us at our sides constantly. He's always there and knows every situation we are dealing with. AND He commands an army of heavenly beings who are a force to be reckoned with.

I'd say I feel pretty confident in my battle against the enemy...though he throws things at me left and right....the God of angel armies is always by my side.

~Amber