Not In Vain

This is probably one of the shortest blogs I have written, but it is more so just a quick word of encouragement for you. As a new parent, there are days when I question if I'm doing a good job with my kids. And then there are days when a plan comes together that hits a home run out of the ball park. Last week, it was simply by getting my picky eater to try new things & eat it all up, which is a constant battle.

But even in those moments of doubt, I'm reminded that I'm a human with flaws, and I will continue to have those feelings for the rest of my life. Yet, I thank God for those moments when He makes me feel like a rock star mom even if only for a few minutes, and how He uses others to encourage me.

One thing I know for certain is that my babies are extremely loved & cared for, and the love they have for me encourages me that I'm doing a good job.

I say all this to encourage someone that many times, people will never see the countless hours you've prayed...cried...didn't feel like you were good enough...felt unappreciated... Or struggled with doubts & insecurity. You may have also felt that God has forgotten about you or that you are being punished because you've been fighting a particular battle for an extended period of time. 

But I want you to know that all of your labor has not been in vain. And God has NOT forgotten about you. Every battle...every storm...every time you fall...or every time that you feel like giving up is just an opportunity for God to bring OUT of you the strength, tenacity, and perseverance that He has placed IN you. God sees & takes note of every effort you have made regarding your family, job, education, finances, health, ministry, and dreams. So "do not grow weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Gal. 6:9). Be encouraged! 

Preparation In The Waiting

   During the early months of my pregnancy, I had severe all day sickness. What I mean by that is usually you hear of women having “morning sickness”, but carrying twins made me extremely nauseated all throughout the day. In those early months, I found myself waking up every morning around 1 a.m. and remained awake until after 5 a.m. It was frustrating because people told me to rest as much as I could. Once the babies come, I would never see sleep again (LOL)! I was frustrated being up every day at 1 a.m., which heightened my nausea and sleep deprivation. 

   Several months later, when the babies finally came home, I realized that not only would I get up frequently throughout the night to soothe two crying babies, but I would also be up every 3 hours nursing or pumping breast milk. During that time, it made sense that all those months of getting up in the wee hours of the morning, even before the babies arrived, was a season of preparation for what was to come.

   Sometimes we get frustrated with things in life that do not happen on our time schedule. We feel that if we have already done the necessary prep work, then the next step should be getting what we have worked hard for. Yet when I look back over my life, I realized that God has taken me through several seasons of preparation before I saw the final results. I was frustrated that after graduating college, there was a 4 year season of waiting before I could go to graduate school. At the time, I did not realize that I had to learn some valuable life lessons that prepared me for ministry in ways that an academic setting could not prepare me for. 

   At the age of 13 years old, I prayed to be singing on a stage with millions of people watching me, and after a 15 YEAR season of waiting, God finally opened that door. And an area that seems to be a never-ending battle is the fact that I worked hard to obtain a college and master’s degree, and have years of experience in a wide variety of areas. Yet, I continue to find myself standing in front of closed doors that prohibit me from carrying out what I believe to be my God-given destiny.

   You might find yourself asking the same questions that I do…“Why do all this work if there are no results? Why all the sweat, blood, and tears if there is no reward in the end?” In the season of waiting, I am reminded of the people in Hebrews 11, who served God wholeheartedly, even with the understanding that they might die without ever getting their rewards. Now I don’t know about you, but that can’t be a good feeling. To be honest, it sounds downright cruel, yet God reminds me that sometimes, it’s not about me! WOW! That is a hard truth to accept, but sometimes the battles you have fought…the seeds you have sown…and the valleys you have walked through was never about you! It was so God could work THROUGH YOU to help SOMEONE ELSE!

   Sometimes those battle wounds and scars are for others to see the grace and mercy of God that is available to everyone. Sometimes the pain you went through was not a means to destroy you or cause you to feel defeated, but simply an opportunity to shed light on a situation so that you could help others. Think about those who were once victims of domestic violence and other crimes, and how they have used their experiences to give hope to those currently in those situations. Think about those who have overcome addictions that can give a word of encouragement to someone else that may feel that being an addict is all he/she will ever be.

   I am a witness that God uses our experiences to be a beacon of hope to someone else, which then also brings healing to you as you share your testimony. The season of preparation is sometimes painful, lonely, filled with anxiety, and can be a never-ending roller coaster. But there is a purpose in everything, and God is faithful to bring you through it. Just trust that HE CAN and HE WILL!

   So what are you doing in your season of preparation? Are you feeling resentful, indifferent, or possibly missing what God is trying to show you? I encourage you to hold on, be strong, and don’t grow weary. Every battle that we face in life was never meant for us to fight in the first place. Every battle belongs to God, and in due season, there will be victory coming your way. 

   So while you’re waiting for that door to open, trust that God knows what is best and He will be faithful to work all things out for your good. Above all things, beloved, be encouraged in your season of waiting!