Advent - We Wait

Advent

And so we begin the journey to Christmas.

Advent - a season of prayer and fasting.
A time of waiting.

Wait. - delay - holdup - pause - bide one's time

And so we wait.

We wait to celebrate His birth.
We wait for His re-birth.
We wait.

How easy is it for you to wait?
For anything?
Are you a patient person?
Or do you pace while waiting?
Or chew your fingernails?
Or have anxiety?

Me? I'm somewhere in the middle.
It depends on what I'm waiting for.
This Advent I'm feeling patient.
I'm longing for this walk to the manger and all it represents.
I'm excited to read the next day's scripture to see what it reveals.
This first week in Advent is teaching me about Hope.
It teaches me to put my trust and hope in a God who never fails me.

Today's reading is:
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
Lord hear my voice.
Let Your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
If You, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
But with You there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve You.
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in His word I put my hope.
I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with Him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

A reminder that this Advent I am following Sara Laughed's Advent Bible Journaling Study.
http://www.essenceofme.com/advent-illustrated/

Today she suggested we listen to this song, "My soul Waits For the Lord."
It brought me right into the season of waiting. This young girl has an amazing voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG-Q9YhC2Dg&list=PLMnV-hAJigmoD6F0OuT3xC9Q3MgX5PGsS

Gratitude
1. A God who never fails
2. Hope
3. The Wait

Phil 1:4
In all my prayers for all of you,
I always pray with joy.

Blessings,
Deborah

When God Says Wait

I'm usually a fairly patient person. I was never one of those children who would sneak into their parents closets looking for my Christmas or birthday presents. I wanted the surprise on that day. I have patience.

But during these past eight months of waiting for God to "fix" my marriage had my patience at its wits end. I know this is first time I've talked about this, but now that it is over I would like to share what happened.

My husband was in a job that did not fit and we went through the valley of death during that time. It was almost the death of my marriage. Twice. Twice I thought about leaving. I did not want my marriage to end, but I didn't know what to do anymore.
I prayed. Silence. I cried out to the Lord. Silence. My shakedown of faith was partly due to this situation. Silence. I told the Lord that His scripture says, "Ask and you shall receive." Well, I was asking, but I wasn't receiving. I kept feeling I should wait. Wait to talk to my husband about how he was destroying our marriage through his actions. Wait to tell him how he was making me feel.
Wait. Wait. Wait.

My husband quit that job and started a new one. He is one happy camper and I was feeling better, but something still had to be talked about. Yesterday I got the feeling that it was time. No more waiting, so I talked. God gave me the right words and opened my husband's heart to really hear me. It was a leap of faith on my part and one worth taking. We are good. My marriage is good and we will continue our journey together.

God is good and waiting on His timing is the thing to do.
If I would have talked sooner, my husband would not have heard me. I know this now.
Lesson learned.


Thank you, Lord for all you do in my life. Amen.

Psalm 27:13-14
I will remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Amen.

Gratitude
1. A God who listens
2. His perfect timing
3. His mercy

Phil 1:4
In all my prayers for all of you,
I always pray with joy.

Blessings,
Deborah