STAY HOPEFUL

How is your summer going, friend? Where does that question find you? I know many of you are at home, working hard around your house, loving on your kiddos, and trying to soak in the summer, while at the same time hoping some quiet, downtime might show up in your path soon! I hear ya! I know some of you are working hard at a summer ballet workshop…I remember how intense those were…know that you are going to gain so much from that experience. I know many of you are working hard in your full time jobs or school. I know some of you are going off to college. I know some of you just sent your last kiddo off to college. And I know some of you are welcoming grand children and great grandchildren into the world. I know some of you are trying to start a family. I know some of you are pregnant and waiting for your little one. I know some of you are engaged. Some of you are celebrating wedding anniversaries. Wherever you are in your story, I just want you to know that I sure love journeying with you. Excuse my sporadic posting…sometimes I get all gung ho, many times I need whitespace in my mind, and lots of time I pop in and out on this little corner of the web, thankful for a spot to encourage you and to remember the things I want to remember!

If we were to sit across from each other over coffee today (how fun would that be, y’all…I do hope to meet some of you someday, somehow!) and if you asked me how my summer was going…well…I would say…it’s good. But I’m also in waiting mode. I have dreams, just like so many of you, and I’m waiting. In my waiting angst, I just blurted out to my oldest son… “You know that verse, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight… Mommy needs to…trust in the Lord with all HER heart and lean not on HER own understanding and in all her ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make HER paths straight!” It sent him into a rolling ball of giggles…maybe I threw in a silly voice for dramatic effect. :)

Camp’s laughter and giggles snapped me out of my serious, waiting funk and reminded me to stay hopeful, watchful, and expectant in the Lord. And this verse seems to be following me around the last couple of days echoing this reminder to wait in expectation…

“In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Psalm 5:3

I notice my tendency is to wait in…angst, or impatience, or frustration. How do you tend to wait on God? Most of my waiting tends to be related to my dreaming. :)

And dreaming…about whatever it is we are dreaming can be this whole dance of learning to let God lead your whole life. And some parts of the dance are tricky, some parts feel anti-climatic…particularly the parts where we are learning and waiting. For so. many. years… my dreams revolved around wanting to aspire in this or that for ME. I wanted to reach my full potential as a dancer or become an olympic gymnast when I was younger…I wanted to shine for me. It sounded fun and exhilarating and glamorous. But I am learning there is more to this dreaming thing than I had initially thought. As I follow Jesus, I’m realizing that fulfilling dreams aren’t about fulfilling me. Fulfilling dreams are more about helping someone else find fulfillment in Him.

So today, maybe you just need a gentle reminder that God hears your voice. He hears every request you lay before Him. He hears YOU. And together, let’s wait in expectation. Expect Him to answer. Expect Him to show off. Expect Him to do what feels absolutely impossible. I have two “impossibles” running through my mind, my heart, and my soul right now…they are pretty impossible. There are lots of obstacles. There is lots of blockage going on to my dreams. But I remember…the same God who parted the Red Sea, can part my “Red Seas”. What are your Red Seas?

Remember a delay to us is a divine timeline to God.

Remember no answer means God is still up to something.

Remember the answer is on the way.

Remember God knows the dreams and desires of your heart.

Remember to wait with expectancy.

Remember that God wants to use you to bring others to Him.

Remember to let God lead your dance of dreaming.

Dream on. Wait with expectancy. Wait with hope.