Day 3 Update: God Will Make a Way

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Yesterday was Day 3 of the challenge for me.

I was able to have about an hour and 15 minutes of quiet time with the Lord in the morning, and logged about 19 minutes on my Facebook app on my phone yesterday.

However, as I was looking through the other stats tracked by the Screen Time app on my iPhone, I noticed that I spent an hour and 50 minutes on Safari (the web browser), 1 hour 15 minutes texting/reading texts, 50 minutes in my Fitbit app, and 43 minutes in my email. That’s a total of 4 hours looking at my phone – and that doesn’t take into account other things I spent a shorter amount of time on.

I don’t want to obsess over these numbers, but I have to be aware of how much my phone is still in front of my face.

I’m avoiding Facebook as I set out to do at the start of this challenge, so I’m not stressing out over coronavirus or other world events, but I’m obviously continuing to crowd my mind with a lot of other “stuff.” That “stuff” is still consuming more of my time than I am giving to God each day.

I was processing that information during my quiet time this morning while I prayed and read my Bible – the book of Ezra, chapter 7.

In this chapter, the Persian king Artaxerxes commissioned a Jewish scribe named Ezra to go back to Jerusalem and take a group of exiles. Ezra was charged with teaching God’s law to the exiles that had returned and begun to rebuild the city. To assist Ezra, the king sent money and supplies from the royal treasury and proclaimed that Ezra should have any other resources from anywhere in the province that he needed for the temple or the carry out his job as he saw fit.

Go back and reread that paragraph. I’ll wait for you…

Can you imagine? A great king of a pagan nation (one of the greatest powers at the time) doing all this to advance the work of a God he doesn’t even believe in?!

That is the power and might of God. He controls the hearts of even the most powerful kings and rulers! God’s administration is mightier than any other on earth that ever has been or ever will be.

I realized when I read this: God will make a way!

Through a pandemic. A financial crisis. Job loss. Death. Destruction. Unrest. Uncertainty. Whatever else may happen personally or globally.

God will make a way!

Say that to yourself right now.

If it didn’t make you exhale that breath you’ve been holding for a while, say it again with emphasis:

God.will.make.a.way!

I’m not saying it will be easy. We know there will be suffering, and some of it will be our own.

But, God will make a way.

We may screw up.

Maybe you were consumed by news stories yesterday. At the end of the day, you realized you focused more on what was happening in our world than you did on God.

It’s ok.

Don’t throw up your hand and say, “I quit. I failed. I can’t do this challenge.”

NO! Acknowledge that you didn’t do so well, ask God to forgive you, ask Him to strengthen and help you today, and move on.

God will make a way.

Maybe you’re doing ok staying away from the specific thing you were trying to avoid (for instance I challenged myself to decrease my time on Facebook), but now you realize you’re filling the time with other things – you’re not focused on God like you should be.

Start again. It’s a new day, and God gives us new grace every day.

God will make a way.

If God can move the heart of a pagan king and use that king and his kingdom to do God’s will (and we have examples of God doing that many times throughout the Bible, not just with Artaxerxes in the book of Ezra), then God can take care of you and me.

God will make a way.

How was Day 3 for you? Are you able to spend more time with God that you do on news or social media?

Do you see a difference in your mood or attitude?

How is God speaking to you during this time?

Please share updates with us.

***To help you get an idea of what a quiet time could be like, I asked a variety of people to share what they do to spend time with God. Here’s what Deborah Ross of Deborah Ross Ministries had to say:

My Quiet Time With God:

  • Generally, I love to spend my mornings eating a slow breakfast and drinking hot coffee while inquiring of the Holy Spirit to reveal to me God’s heart in light of current events of the day.
  • I try to walk my neighborhood most days while listening to my Bible App and/or praying. 
  • When I am curious about something in God’s Word (perhaps I don’t fully understand the meaning or I have more questions about history or I want a deeper knowledge of that topic) I love to use my Strong’s Bible Online Concordance https://www.biblestudytools.com/concordances/strongs-exhaustive-concordance/ to study. I also use Webster’s Dictionary some. The Holy Spirit will usually prompt me to look up other passages of scripture that give more insight on that topic. I love going deep with God!
  • Many times while putting on my makeup and doing my hair, I listen to my Bible App.
  • Every Tuesday morning I host a prayer call for ladies in my ministry leadership group.
  • I love waking up early on Sunday mornings and spending 1-2 hours digging into God’s Word before heading out to church to teach my Women’s Life Group.
  • My most frequent prayer times are: laying in bed at night; driving my car; walking; doing house chores
  • My most powerful prayer times are: while fasting
  • My most desperate prayer times are: on my knees beside of my bed
  • My most intimate prayer times are: during praise and worship (either corporately or individually – singing, dancing and listening)
  • My most sacred prayer times are: when I pray in the Spirit (my prayer language)
  • I try to keep my conversations clear of gossip and all about God as much as possible. Always looking for ways to bring faith, love, hope and God’s Word into the conversation. 
  • When I have a crisis, I run to God first.
  • When I have a health issue, I run to God first.
  • When I have a financial issue, I run to God first.
  • When I have a relationship issue, I run to God first.
  • I only seek advice from my husband and strong women of God whom I know are gut-wrenchingly honest overcomers. I want my faith built up for my personal pathway to victory; therefore, I avoid getting advice from people who would lead me down a path of fear, defeat or self-pity.
  • Before I get out of bed each day, I purpose myself to be blessed and to expect God’s favor. No matter what trial I am going through, every day is a special day in the Lord.

Deborah G Ross

Occupation: Christian Evangelist – Speaker / Author / Media Professional / TV Host

Official Brand: Deborah Ross Ministries

Works from Home with Travel for Special Events both Nationally and Internationally

Born August 1962 (currently 57 – I’ll be 58 this August)

Married since 1984

2 Adult Sons

1 Grandchild

Official Ministry Website: http://www.deborahrossministries.com 

Professional Website: https://deborahross.tv/

Branch Ministry Website / Marriage:  https://saveitmarriageministry.org/

Branch Ministry Website / Women:  https://thewoman2womanministry.org/

Day 2 – Challenge Update

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How are you doing with the challenge? Are you able to focus more on God than news or social media?

How have you altered your routine?

Do you feel any changes in your mood? Your attitude?

On Day 2, I got 45 minutes of quiet time in the morning, and my phone tracked 35 minutes on Facebook.

On Monday, Day 1 for me, I was just about too scared to even open the Facebook app because I didn’t want to run up the time, so yesterday, Day 2,I tried to relax a little. There needs to be balance. I need to be informed, but I don’t want to be influenced.

When I got on Facebook, I tried not to scroll or get caught up watching videos. I opened the app, and went straight to do what I wanted to do : check notifications, post something, reply to people’s comments, then close the app and move on.

I took phone into the bathroom with me a time or two šŸ˜‰ But, overall I tried to keep my hands off of it as much as possible.

I don’t want to obsess over it either way because obsessing over being on Facebook too much is just as bad as being on Facebook too much.

The point is to learn to focus on God, so rather than focus on what I’m not supposed to do, it would be best to focus on what I am supposed to – God.

Looking at God should be the focus instead of not looking at Facebook.

For Day 3, I pray we find our focus is on God more.

***To help you get an idea of what a quiet time could be like, I asked some family, friends and church family to share what they do to spend time with God. Here’s what Meggan had to say:

I try to get up around 5pm then work out from 5:30-6:30 Monday-Friday then I start my devotions.

I have found the easiest thing for me is a daily devotional book with scripture to look up at the end, then I have my prayer time. Right now I’m reading, “New Morning Mercies A Daily Gospel Devotional” by Paul David Tripp.

If the kids haven’t gotten up yet, by then I may do further Bible study or spend a few minutes talking to my hubby if he is at home and not at the fire station.

My husband and I are 34, married 13 years and he is a firefighter. I am a mom of four busy girls (ages 15,8,6,and 2), owner of a salon and also work behind the chair. I find that it really helps to start my day off right with both physical exercise and spiritual devotion time with the Lord.

How Did You Do On Day 1?

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Our Challenge: For one week, spend more time with God than you spend watching news outlets or scrolling social media.

How’d you do on Day 1?

I enjoyed 45 minutes of quiet time yesterday morning in prayer and reading/studying scripture before my children woke up. According to my phone’s usage tracker, I spent 5 minutes on Facebook and 7 minutes on Facebook messenger. (On the iPhone, go to Settings>Screen Time>Turn On Screen Time. You can set schedules and restrictions as needed. I will mostly use the data it keeps each day about which apps you use the most, how many times you pick up the phone, etc).

Compared to last Friday when I spent 1 hour on Facebook and last Sunday when I spent 2 1/2 hours on Facebook (excuse me, WHAT?!), yesterday went pretty well for me. (See, I told you I had a major Facebook problem).

Obviously, yesterday was a huge change for me, but I want this to be a permanent change. I pray I can stay focused and determined to look to God rather than social media from now on.

Yesterday, I made a list of specific ways to decrease my time on Facebook…some changes I made in the past, and others I started yesterday when I started my pastor’s challenge. You could modify these to fit your needs.

One big thing I resolved to do a while back was to give God my attention first thing in the morning. For several years now, I have made it a point to get up earlier than everyone in my house and have a quiet time of prayer and Bible study.

As part of this, I try not to look at Facebook or email or Instagram or another else like that on my phone until after I have spent time with God. I have roughly an hour for time alone with God each morning because I purposefully get up before everyone else. (I usually do this on the week days and sleep in on the weekends, but I feel God’s conviction to put him first every day of the week and know I need to be obedient to that).

Maybe you could try putting God first each morning. Make a pact with yourself not to do anything on your phone, not to turn on a TV news show, or not to pick up a newspaper (whatever your biggest temptation and waster-of-time is) until after you’ve spent time in prayer with God and reading the Bible.

A long time ago, I turned off notifications for Facebook and email so I wouldn’t hear the ding or see the green check mark on the apps’ icons on my phone screen. (When I add new apps, I don’t allow them to send me notifications). The sounds and visual notifications draw too much attention. Once I turned them off, I was less likely to pick up the phone and think it was absolutely necessary to check Facebook or email.

Yesterday, I tried leaving my phone in my bedroom (ringer volume up so I could hear calls or texts). It seemed to help that it wasn’t in the same room with me. It within reach so I could pick it up and quickly scroll Facebook when I needed a distraction.

Also, I decided not to take the phone into the bathroom with me (enough said about that one, right?)

How do you put God first?

What helpful hints can you share about decreasing your time on social media or news outlets? What works for you?

I’d like to hear from you. How did you do yesterday?

{If you didn’t meet your goal for spending more time with God yesterday than you did on social media or news, don’t beat yourself up. Today is a new day. Set another goal. Make a plan with small, specific steps to take to help you achieve that goal on a daily basis. Tell your spouse or a friend what you’re trying to do and ask them to hold you accountable each day. Most importantly – pray.}

What if there might be a way to feel less afraid during this time of pandemic and social unrest?

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How much time do you spend each day scrolling through social media or watching/reading news outlets?

Has this amount of time increased during the pandemic?

How do you feel right now?  

Honestly, stop and think about it. 

Are you anxious? Upset? Sad? Angry? Afraid? Content? Excited?

Sit quietly for a moment and take stock of yourself, then write it down, including today’s date.

Many of us use daily news sources to keep up with whatā€™s going on in our world.

Many turn to social media to stay in touch with family and friends, as our source of news on current events, or for an escape from our day.

But, excess time spent on these things, especially when coupled with a lack of time spent alone with God, will have a negative influence on you.

Image Credit: https://dailyverses.net/2018/6/10

During his sermon yesterday, our pastor issued a challenge to the congregation.  (It felt impromptu.  I donā€™t think this was something he planned as part of his Sunday message.  This was something the Holy Spirit laid on his heart in the moment).

He first mentioned it as an aside…something like, ā€œBy the way, we ought to be spending more time each day focused on God rather than on watching the news…more time reading the Bible than reading the paper.ā€

To me, his point was that we had to keep our eyes on God so we donā€™t drown in all the negativity around us right now, especially as portrayed by the news media.

Our pastor mentioned it a few times in the beginning of his sermon, then he stopped and issued a formal challenge:

Spend more time with God this week than you do looking at the news…and let me know about it.

In my life, this means less time on social media, especially Facebook.

I canā€™t tell you how many hours a day I waste scrolling Facebook posts.  (Actually, I could tell you if Iā€™d used the Screen Time control in my iPhone settings. It’s turned on, but I rarely look at the data…guess Iā€™ll have to start using it this week). 

Consequently, Facebook is also my source for news, and thatā€™s scary because that means Iā€™m getting information mostly secondhand, from another personā€™s post rather than directly from a news outlet…which may or may not be more unbiased and credible, if Iā€™m being honest.  

(By the way, thatā€™s exactly how I learned about George Floydā€™s murder, through a Facebook friendā€™s comment about not being able to breath.  I didnā€™t understand the reference, and it was still a little while before I actually found out what happened and connected it back to the post).

So, I accept my pastorā€™s challenge and offer it to you as well: spend more time with God each day than you do on social media or news outlets.

Try it for at least a week.  Letā€™s see if it makes a difference. 

As we go through the week focusing more on God, pay attention to yourself and how you feel, how you react to things, how you respond to people, etc., especially compared to right now, before you start the challenge.

Does your stress level change?  Your outlook?  Your focus?  

What has God said to you this week?  (You may be surprised to hear from Him again or maybe for the first time once youā€™ve cleaned out some of the excess noise).

Iā€™m going to try to share each day how Iā€™m doing in the challenge.  Iā€™d like to hear from you, too. Please comment here or contact me through the blog’s “Contact” link, and let me know how things are going. I’ll try to follow up through the week with my own updates as well as any tips and tricks I’ve found helpful.

Image Credit: http://staceythacker.com/2019/04/12/threadbare-prayer-2-chronicles-2012/

A Call to Prayer

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Tomorrow morning at 8am Eastern Time join me in praying for America.

I mean at 8am, stop what you are doing and get on your face.

Pray for the family and friends of George Floyd.

Pray for Derek Chauvin, his family and his friends.

Pray for the other officers who were present when Mr. Floyd was murdered – their family and friends

Pray for the police officers and their families across the nation

Pray for the government officials local and national

Pray for the protestors

Pray for the rioters

Pray for the business owners who have lost or damaged business.

Pray for our children and our future.

Pray for change.

Pray for a heart like Godā€™s. Pray to love like He loves.

Iā€™m not asking you to sign up for anything. I am not asking you to prove that you did it. You know we need to do it just as well as I do. Iā€™m not going to go Live because Iā€™ll be on my face crying out to God.

Will you join me in pray for our country? Tomorrow morning at 8am. Set a reminder on your phone.

When I Sin and Blame it on My Kids

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Ethanā€™s upstairs doing school work on the desktop. Calling me because he needs help. Emeryā€™s downstairs doing school work on the laptop. Calling me because she needs help. Iā€™m in the dining room reading scripture for this weekā€™s Bible study lesson.

I advise them to work as far as they can on their own or try to figure it out and keep going.  I promise Iā€™ll help in a little while.  

But I keep working.  I want to get done with this lesson.  I want to move on to the next thing on my check list – laundry, dinner prep, vacuuming…heck, I may even get to take a shower today!  

But they keep calling me.  I go upstairs to help Ethan.  I go back downstairs to help Emery.

Repeat all day, 4 days a week since their school began assigning new virtual learning after spring break.  

The tipping point comes.  

{Wasnā€™t it inevitable?}  

I lose my temper.  I raise my voice.  I go on a rant.  My heartbeat accelerates.  I feel my face getting hot.  I knit my brow together and glare at whoever is unlucky enough to be closest to me at the timeā€¦

Then, God reminds me that my quiet time with Him is supposed to be earlier in the day…before the kids get up and start their day and need me to be their mommy.  

Weā€™ve already settled this, He whispers.  

Image Credit: https://www.bible.com/bible/72/1ki.19.12.hcsb

And I know Heā€™s right.  We settled this.  I submitted to His will: Give God my time early in the morning, and the daytime when my family is at home belongs to them.

But, Iā€™ve gotten slack.  Iā€™ve been lazy.  I wanted to sleep in.  I can do my Bible study while theyā€™re doing school work, I rationalized.  Iā€™ll have free time when they have screen time.

Then, God called me out, and I realized – How dare I get angry with my children for needing and wanting my attention when I’m trying to do my Bible study that I should have gotten up early and done while the house was calm and quiet and no one needed me.

I’m actually being selfish when I ignore my children under the guise of studying the Bible.  Should I even go so far as to say Iā€™m being sinful?

Daytime, when they are awake and home with me, is their time.  They deserve my attention and affection during that time.  After all, I wanted to be a mom.  Taking on this responsibility was my choice.  Giving them attention and affection when they need it is part of that responsibility.

Quiet time, when I fill up with the fullness of God, is in the early morning.  Darkness outside.  Silent house.  Just me at the table with my Bible and my journal.

So, where’s the balance? After all, I’m always preaching about how important it is to find balance.

Honestly, they don’t need or deserve every bit of my undivided attention or direction.  That wouldnā€™t be good parenting either.

They need their own time – to learn to occupy themselves, to be bored and learn what to do about it…

And of course there’s housework for…

My point?

When I neglect my quiet time with Jesus, when I refuse the time he has already appointed for me and convicted me of…

AND I try to force it into the time and space where I am supposed to be mommy…

I am at fault.

This is my sin, not my children’s.

Image Credit: https://timewarpwife.com/

On a practical note, this will look different for you depending on your situation:

  • Moms who work full time outside the home
  • Moms of infants
  • Moms who work full time at home
  • Moms of older kids or teenagers
  • Single moms
  • Moms who are caregivers (or an elderly parent or sick partner or child, etc)
  • Moms who stay at home with small children
  • Moms who home-school

The list of different situations you can find yourself in as a mom are infinite.  But, I donā€™t think this changes the issue.  It is our responsibility to give them the attention and affection they are supposed to have from us as their mothers.

Image Credit: http://lemonadelaughter.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-are-you-craving.html

Why We Have to Suffer

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Itā€™s 1 in the afternoon.  My husband wonā€™t be home for at least 3 more hours.  And the baby wonā€™t.stop.crying.

Heā€™s had a nap.  Been fed and had a diaper change.

Iā€™ve held him.  Bounced him.  Sung to him.  Put him down.  Picked him up again.  Everything I can think of.

But he wonā€™t.stop.crying.

I remember a DVD the OBGYN gave me at a prenatal visit.  Something about purple crying.  That sometimes babies cry for no good reason.  The DVD said if youā€™ve done everything you know to do, and the baby is still crying, put the baby down in a safe place and walk away for a little while.

So, I lay him in his crib and go outside.  I slowly circle the outside of the house a few times to try and clear my head.

Each time I walk by his window, I hear him.  Still crying.

That day is tattooed in my memory, but that baby is now a rising 6th grader about to start middle school.

EthanNewborn2009

Sleeping like a baby – January 2009

When I think of that day, I laugh.  Usually.  But it wasnā€™t humorous then.

What I didnā€™t understand as a new mama is that crying is the only way a baby is able to communicate.  To tell us thereā€™s something wrong.

Why is that the only way, though?

And do they have to be so loud?  How is it that they change so quickly from content, cooing angels with their feet in their hands to irate, screaming banshees with their fists in tight balls?

Is there no other way to signal that theyā€™re hungry or need a diaper change?  Surely God, in His wisdom, would have devised another way if there were one.  But, He didnā€™t.  So, there must not have been.

I mean, would I have kept the baby on a regular feeding schedule if he simply lay there sleeping peacefully or gazing contently at the ceiling fan?  Sure, Iā€™d probably stare at him a lot, marveling at how cute he was.  But would it occur to me to feed him if he wasnā€™t causing a scene?  Possibly not.

The baby must do something to get someoneā€™s attention.  To snap a caregiver out of her self-absorbed-ness.  To encourage a parent toā€¦well, parent.

Hear me outā€¦

This scene with my son came to mind recently when I read commentary on 1 Samuel chapters 16 and 17 from the English Standard Version Study Bible.  One sentence got my attention: ā€œGod trains David, through suffering, to lead his peopleā€.

My immediate reaction: Wait? What?  Why use suffering?  Wouldnā€™t something else work?

To suffer is to undergo pain or distress.  To sustain injury.  It might involve anguish.  Suffering isā€¦negative!

How does suffering  – which sounds negative – produce someone who will make a good king, parent, teacher, CEO, writer, leaderā€¦

Well, if I didnā€™t suffer, would I learn as much?  Would I pay attention as closely?  Would I even realize I was supposed to learn anything?

If David hadnā€™t suffered, would he have become a great king?  Would he have been prepared to lead Godā€™s people?

Maybe it is necessary to suffer because it drives us TO God.  As David suffered, he wrote songs that we still use today to call out to God in our despair or to lift His name in praise.  Davidā€™s words have become prayers for millions.

When I struggled as a stay-at-home mom with an infant I couldnā€™t figure out, I cried.  A LOT.  And in my suffering, I turned back to God.  Whom I had been ignoring for nearly a decade.

Would I have done that if everything had been all cute baby giggles?  Itā€™s less likely.  If everything were going well, I wouldnā€™t have seen a need for God.  I would have thought, ā€œIā€™m doing awesome at this mother stuff!ā€ and gone about my business.

But people arenā€™t usually compelled to move or change if life is a bed of roses.

The opposite of ā€œsufferā€ is calm, soothe, please, comfort, relieveā€¦

When I read these words, Iā€™m not inspired to move.  Are you?

I have found that God uses suffering to move me.  To prompt me.  To inspire me.  To change me.  To point me back to Himself.  To cause me to seek Him.

When I think of it this way, Iā€™m not as bothered by the fact that I will suffer in this life.  If that is the way God, in His sovereignty and providence, has designed life to be, then I will meet it head on and see what He teaches me.

*Crossway Books. (2011). Holy Bible: english standard version, study bible. Wheaton, IL.

How to Survive the New Normal

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The New Normal.  That’s what we’re calling what’s happening right now.

It started March 11, the last day of school in our district.  It became “real” March 31, the first day the stay-at-home order was in effect in our state.

Everyone talks about the new normal.  We know what it means: the way we’re living during the pandemic with churches, schools, libraries, restaurants, and parks closed.  With people wearing masks and plastic gloves to the grocery store.  With people having virtual visits with their doctors.  With people working from home and having staff meetings on Zoom.

What’s your new normal look like?

For me, it’s been about finding balance.  I can’t lean too far to the left or to the right or the boat will flip over.  I gotta keep it in the center.

At our house, our attempts at finding balance during the new normal have looked like this:

1. We try to keep our lives and our schedule as close to what they used to be as possible.

2.  We try to embrace the changes we’ve experienced – things being added to and taken from our lives.

You could try to keep your life and schedule as close to the same by…

  • waking up in the morning around the same time you used to; going to bed at night around the same time.
  • washing your face every morning and every afternoon; taking a shower every day.
  • eating like you normally eat; don’t go crazy with a lot of junk food and sweets.
  • having meals at normal times.
  • emphasizing more time playing outside, building with LEGO (my kids love LEGO), drawing, reading, or writing, and less time on screens or social media.

You could embrace new things and changes by…

  • taking a walk, riding bikes, playing a board or card game, or watching movies together everyday (hey, we have a lot more free time now, right?)
  • eating a picnic lunch outside.
  • wearing pajamas all day.
  • tackling that home improvement project you’ve been putting off.

Like many people, I’ve chosen to keep some parts of my old, daily routine the same in the new normal even though I don’t have to do so.  I change out of my pajamas and wash my face in the morning and at night.  Continuing to do these things makes me feel better.

I have a friend who puts on her make-up every day although she isn’t leaving the house for work anymore.

Some people still drive to Starbucks for their morning coffee even though they no longer have a commute to work.

A few friends still wake up at their regular time for Bible study or their morning job even though they could do it later in the day since they’re currently at home with their children.

Honestly, the new normal isn’t like the life we were used to.  Lots of plans have changed.  We can’t do a lot of things we used to be able to do.  But I think we can figure our how to keep our wits about us and push through until this thing is over.  And I have faith that it will be over.

 

John16_33OvercomeTheWorld

Image Credit: PhDmind Blog

 

What To Do When God Changes Your Plans

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I wiped the slate clean on April.

Alright, it was a dry-erase board rather than a slate, but I wiped off what little plans we had in April and rewrote the calendar for May.

Our April calendar was just about blank anyway.Ā  Was yours?

IMG_0201.jpg

April had some dates marked, but they were mostly Zoom meetings the kids or I had scheduled for school.

Our March calendar was another story though. The month of March was completely planned out before the world shut down.

When I wiped the March calendar clean to replace it with April, I wiped away events that never happened.

Events were planned alright…

A date night for my birthday.

A weekend beach trip.

Class pictures with my students.

My kids’ first school dance.

Field trips to the zoo and Carowinds.

But when those days in March came and went, I drew black slashes through those boxes to cross them off.

I cross off each day on my calendar, but I’ve never crossed off so many dates with scheduled events that didn’t happen.

And never will.

All those plans we made!Ā  All that effort spent!

I hear God saying, “You can make your plans, but I am in control.”

Proverbs19_21_Many are the plans in a person's heart.jpg

Image Credit: By The Spirit Band

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make plans for our lives.

It means that any plans we make are under God’s sovereign control.Ā  If He purposes to change the plans we’ve made, we have to go with it.

It may take prayer and time to get our hearts to a place of acceptance, and that’s ok. Prayer is time spent with our Father, the one in control, and that is never wasted time or effort.

Proverbs 16_9 the mind of a man makes his plans.jpg

Image Credit: Bible Verses To Go

Pray to accept His will.

Pray to understand His will.

Pray to obey His will.

James 4_13_15 if the lord wills we will live.jpg

Image Credit: Happy Wonderer Blog

 

 

Waiting on God

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God should have answered me by now.Ā  Iā€™d been waiting on His input forā€¦how long?Ā  A few weeks? And it wasnā€™t a life-changing decision.Ā  Just something small.

But He was silent.

And I wanted to know what to do. Ā  Do I say yes, or do I say no?

Read the rest of my very first guest post and find out how God answered me.

Thank you to Misty Oerther for the opportunity to write a post for her Waiting for Sticky Notes series.