Holding Unswervingly to Our Promises

Some brief housekeeping before the meat and potatoes:

 

It turns out that people actually read this blog!  This is comforting, not because I wish to be internet popular (which you can tell by the complete lack of glitz and glamour on this page!), but because it means we are all banding together to press on towards being fabulous women, wives, and mothers…reading whatever we can get our hands on!

For the last 2 weeks, I’ve been emailing out recipes, jotting toddler activities down to pass out on the soccer field, and sharing what our schedule looks like and what we do to school our children.  Finally, a genius friend of mine said, “Um, maybe you should write all of this in your blog!”  Duh! 

So, this is my plan:  I want to be a bit more productive in blog-world.  Every week, I am going to dedicate a post to new recipes, school/craft ideas, toddler/baby activities, and my biggest love, reflecting on life so that we can learn and grow.  Stand by for further details as they develop! 

 

Now, for my Monday reflection time ; )

Have you ever had something that you always wanted to do, even been equipped or formally trained to do, but have never fully walked into that something?  Have you ever had a dream that you haven’t seen come to fruition, but not for lack of your own effort?  If so…read on.

Last week I celebrated my 31^st birthday.  It really was an incredible week.  I took a long walk by myself to reflect and just talk with God-mainly thanking Him for the life He gave me.  The rest of the day was spent with my family.  Two days later, my dad and step-mom took me and the boys out to a pumpkin farm, where we had a blast!  I felt like a kid again!  Then, that night, I gathered together with a group of ladies from various phases of life to celebrate and say thank you for being a part of my story.

If you are reading this and you are a mom, then you can completely understand the following statement.  As a mother, you give up a set of dreams and press pause on some promises of God for a season in order to pursue a much higher calling of raising little ones for this next generation.  To me, being a mother is an honor, privilege, and a noble task.  After all, my boys are princes and my little girl is a princess who will live in the kingdom of God.  I want them to function that way, having everything they were intended to have in this life, and affecting everyone that they come into contact with.  I want them to dream big and pursue all that God puts on their hearts.  Yet, there is this inner conflict:  what about all the things God laid on my heart that has nothing to do with my children?

*Dads, too give up on many things in this season of parenthood, no doubt!  I have not forgotten about you!  I just know that as women, we often press pause on our pathways more often...yet, we all are in a very similar place of waiting!*

I asked all the women who came to celebrate last weekend to pray and share something from the Lord to encourage me:  this was by far my favorite birthday because I truly felt inundated with beautiful truths straight from His heart.  The beautiful part was looking around the table and seeing friends who are new and wonderfully treasured, old and still active in my life, and relationships that have been dormant for  years, yet such valuable parts of my life story.  It was one of these old friends who hit the nail on the head.  She spoke the simple word “promise” to me and reminded me that God’s promises in my life have no deadline.  It’s o.k. when He puts them on the back burner, and she encouraged me to run hard after the things He placed in front of me.  She also shared my most favorite verse with me:  Hebrews 10:23 says “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”

As I chewed on this a little, I was reminded of David.  He was a very young man tending to sheep when he was anointed as King.  If that were me, I probably would either refusing going back out to the pasture the day after my anointing, or I’d have a really bad attitude about it.  Don’t they know I’m their next king??  David waited years for the promises of God to come to fruition in his life.  He had many twists and turns in his story.  He could have walked away from his promises by simply believing that God is not faithful and forging his own way.  Yet, David was a man after God’s heart…not a perfect man, but a loving, faithful follower.  I can’t imagine the joy in his heart the day he was coronated!

As I walked the day of my birthday, reflecting on all the good, I was so deeply reminded of His faithfulness.  As I spent the day playing with my four little gifts who have brought me more joy than I could imagine, I was reminded of His faithfulness.  As my husband came home with a bouquet of flowers, a hug, a kiss, and kind words (as he usually does!), I was reminded of His faithfulness.  While I watched my children running through a corn maze with their dear grandparents by their sides, smiles plastered on everyone’s faces, I was reminded of His faithfulness.  And as I sat at a table surrounded by amazing women, some who have know me since I was a little girl, all encouraging me and continuing to speak life into my heart, I was reminded of His faithfulness. 

I am ineffective in this season of life and calling when I spend energy, mentally, emotionally or physically, grieving promises that are not yet lost.  The truth is this:  we who are seeking the Lord are able to say “I’m ready” at any given point when He says “Go!”  So, we are not wasting our talents, skills, or education.  We are not “settling” for something other than what He has promised.  We are walking in it now, continuing to be equipped, trained, and chiseled so that when the next season unfolds, we are found faithful and able to obey.

In that, I encourage you to hold unswervingly to the hope we have always had and continue to have.  Hold on to the promises of God in your life…they were real, they are real, and He has not changed His mind.  He promised things to you and He is faithful.