LORD,YOU WANT US TO DO WHAT? How does that possibly fit into our plans??

A number of years ago, Mike and I had the opportunity to travel to Israel, and to walk the very streets that Jesus walked on.  It was a trip of a lifetime that I am so thankful for.  One of the highlights was to sit on the very hillside where Jesus taught the ‘Sermon on the Mount’.  We opened out Bibles and read through the sermon once again, drinking in the depth of what He was saying to them, and to us…

Sitting there, reading His Word in the same location that He spoke the words from His own mouth, stirred us deeply in the recognition, that these were not just ancient words meant for people of  another day and time.  These were the Words of God that never changes; He remains the same yesterday…today…and tomorrow.

Fast forward to our present lives, and He is still using these very words to teach us, mold us and prepare us for things ahead.  We have learned what it means to “wait upon the Lord”, we now know that waiting can take days, months or years… in our case 5 years.

During those 5 years in Gods ‘waiting room’, much preparation was taking place within our hearts, minds and spirit.  We didn’t recognize it at the time, but looking back through that rear view mirror we can see how God was constantly at work within us for His glory.

We learned to rely on Him above All other things.  We learned to trust when we could not see nor understand.  We learned that He is greater than our grief and that He Will restore things in His due time.

HE taught US to see Him…really SEE.  We started to see Him in places we never recognized prior.  We could see Him in nature all around us. We could see Him in the kindness of a strangers smile.  We could see Him, in friends that offered help and oftentimes financial assistance, at precisely the right time.  We saw Him when we were shown mercy and love when we least expected or deserved it.  And, eventually we started to see Him in ourselves, and in each other.  For the more we saw Him, the more we were drawn to Him, and it became Him, that we wanted more than anything else.

We also felt the pain, when those we loved would reject us because of this growth and this faith in what they could not see.  We felt the sting of betrayal, and the loss of relationships that were not equally yolked. We heard the ridicule of the words spoken of us, as we allowed God to direct our steps, rather than trusting in our own plans.

We sensed that the winds of change were coming, we just didn’t know when, and when an opportunity presented itself, we almost missed it.  We reverted back to our will and our plan and this opportunity definitely did not fit within that picture.   Our plan was West… this plan was North.

It took a special friend to gently remind me of the prayer requests we had prayed over together through the past 5 years, as well as to re-read my own prayer journal and the things that I was writing, such as what you are reading today.  And… she encouraged me to do this with an open spirit to see what God was saying about it.

That action was actually very difficult to do, to do this would mean I had to let go of my plan and be willing to listen to what God said (even if it was very different from mine).  My plan had a warm climate, a brand new grand baby and I would be closer to both of my daughters.  In fact, I had already told God quite clearly that this past winter was my last winter in Alberta… pretty sure He had a good laugh at that one!

Throughout the course of the day, when I allowed myself to fully seek Gods will, I had to come to a place where I could surrender my plans to Him.  By the time Mike came home from work my heart and mind had done a complete 180.

Mike on the other hand was still in the ‘no way’ camp.  I could only share what I had gone through and how God had reasoned within my heart and then as I submitted my plans to the Lord, I also submitted His plans to Mike.  We knew we were on a very tight time frame for making this decision, so a lot of thought and prayer went into it.

Over the course of the next 24 hours, Mike struggled to come to terms with the fact that this might actually be the answer that we had been looking or waiting for.  It’s funny, but when we pray for something, oftentimes we already have our desired outcome in our hearts and minds.  I believe this had happened to us, so when God led us onto this path… a path going to the Northern edge of Alberta, 2 hours from the North West Territories.  To an area that is made up of mainly First Nations people groups, Metis and German Mennonite, (not to mention another 11 hours farther away from my grand baby), it just didn’t feel plausible.

Yet, when we allowed ourselves to SEE God in the midst of it.  Remembering the prayer requests for change, for a new hope and a new future, and the opportunity to serve Jesus together,  It was undeniable.  God was sending us on a new path, a path North rather than West.  So within a period of 72 hours from offer, for a 1 year contract, and a Hard-No in our hearts, we finally submitted to the will of God and said Yes.

So our Journey for Jesus continues, albeit with a different twist than what we had planned or expected.  I hope you will continue to track along with me, because the one thing I can tell you with absolutely no doubt in my heart… God is IN this, and I am so excited to see how He will use us in this coming year.

 

Journal Entry: #27

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your Word.  Every time I read it, something new is revealed to me.  Thank you for your layers of wisdom that teaches us at exactly the right time.  

I love that when you saw the crowds, you didn’t send them away or call them towards you, but you simply went up, sat down, and as your disciples gathered around, you started teaching.  Jesus, you were not drawing attention to yourself, but to the words of life that you were speaking, and those around started listening and responding to them.

Heavenly Father, as I contemplate those words spoken over 2000 years ago, I recognize that every word is still relevant and meant for us still today.  Lord God, help me to depend on You above all else.  The things of this world are fleeting, but You are Eternal, only You can meet my deepest needs.  

Lord, You tell us it’s ok and good to grieve; there are many things to grieve in this life, as we live in a fallen world with so much pain.  Thank you for promising comfort when I grieve the losses in my life.  My home… my business…my plans, plus so many other painful losses, of which You Father, know them all. 

Lord, teach me to be gentle and humble, to live out of true humility.  Forgive me for my selfish & prideful ways, that only lead me astray and away from You.  You desire us to want to obey You above ALL things.  Trusting You, even for our daily food and drink.  Too often I put my fleshly desires ahead of You, Lord.  Create in my heart the depth of love that would desire You above ALL else. 

Lord, help me to treat others with the same mercy that You have shown to me.  Help me to not judge or condemn, but to Love others out of your Spirit within me.  O Lord, would You purify my heart, as it gets filthy and stained by sin in me as well as the sin that is in this world.  Forgive my sins and cleanse me of all unrighteousness, Thank you Father! 

And Lord, help me to be a peace maker, rather than focusing on getting my way,  help me to focus on Your will for the good of those You put on my path.  Lord God, help me to Love;  to Love You with All my heart, soul and mind, and to Love others, so that it might bring praise and glory to your name, and so that others will see You within me.  

Lord, I recognize that there will be times that I will be treated badly, simply because I follow You. especially as this world becomes more and more intolerant and hostile towards You.  Help me to be strong in these tests as they come my way, To have joy in You regardless of what the world throws at me.  

You have shown us in your Word, that your followers have always been rejected, particularly those You chose to serve You publicly,  like your prophets and apostles in the past to the preachers & teachers of this day.  Give me a heart of courage to serve You well Lord God.  

In Jesus name ❤️ Amen

 

My Final Thoughts & Encouragement:

Have you, like me, made plans that seemed to be sidelined for no apparent reason?  Have you found yourself in Gods’ waiting room, wondering how long you are meant to stay there?  Wondering if anything is even happening?

Trust me when I tell you that God is at work.  His ways are not our ways and His timing is not like ours.  We are an impatient people, we want things in our timing rather than waiting for it… the wait is difficult, many things will come at you, trying to push you onto your own path rather than trusting in Gods.

Seek His face, He actually desperately wants to be found and seen by you.  He wants you to communicate with him and He will communicate with you.  While you are waiting on him, take the time to learn to see and to listen.  He WILL draw close to you, so close that at times you can almost feel his presence in the room with you.

Read His Word;  learn and grow in your knowledge and understanding.  Find a mentor or prayer partner to walk the journey with you, and like mine, hold you accountable when you’re missing what is clearly right in front of you.

Wait while you are called to wait…trust in the one who is trustworthy… and walk when you are given the green light, onto His path and  His purpose.

Blessings, Janet ❤️  Journey4Jesus

Do you know Jesus ? He’s waiting for you… ( click the link to learn more) 

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