THE WAITING PLACE.

EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WAITING? WE SPEND ALMOST ALL OF OUR LIVES WAITING…WAITING TO MOVE, FOR A NEW JOB, FOR SOME FINANCIAL HELP, FOR MORE CHILDREN, TO SEE OUR FAMILY, TO SEE OUR FRIENDS, FOR THAT NEXT BIRTHDAY, CHRISTMAS, FOR SOMEONE WE LOVE TO BE HEALED OF SICKNESS, FOR SOMETHING AROUND US, OR IN US TO CHANGE….NEED I GO ON? I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS SO MUCH LATELY. IF WE SPEND MOST OF OUR LIVES WAITING (MIND YOU, WHEN I SAY ‘WAITING’, IT MEANS ANY KIND OF WAITING…HAPPY, HOPEFUL, IMPATIENT, ANY FORM OF IT…) SURELY THE LORD GIVES SOME PRECISE STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH TO DEAL WITH THIS IN OUR LIVES…RIGHT? I MEAN, SURELY THERE IS SOME MAGIC REMEDY TO HELP US THROUGH THE WAITING PLACE…
I’VE BEEN WAITING SINCE I WAS BORN. WAITING TO TURN 16 TO GET MY LICENSE, WAITING TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL, WAITING TO GO TO COLLEGE, WAITING TO FINISH COLLEGE, WAITING TO MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN…….AND THE LIST WILL CONTINUE TO GROW...
I’VE BEEN TO THIS WAITING PLACE. I’M HERE NOW. I’M SURE YOU’VE BEEN THERE COUNTLESS TIMES, I’M SURE MANY OF YOU ARE THERE NOW. AND IRONICALLY, AS WE SIT HERE AND WAIT, TIME CONTINUES TO BE HARSH. TIME CONTINUES TO STEAL (IF WE LET IT) THE JOYS OF NOW. I’VE EVEN WONDERED IF GOD WOULD STOP TIME FOR ME, AS HE DID IN THE BIBLE, BECAUSE MY HEART ACHES AT HOW QUICKLY MY SON IS GROWING UP. I’VE SERIOUSLY WISHED I COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND TRY TO ENJOY, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, ALL THE TIME I’VE BEEN BLESSED WITH. BUT FOR NOW, I STILL WAIT. LET ME SHARE WITH YOU MY HEART, WHAT IS MY VERY HOPE AT THIS TIME, WHAT IS SEEING ME THROUGH THE WAITING PLACE. IT IS SURELY THE BEST WAY I’VE FOUND TO WAIT HERE.

YOU KEEP TELLING ME NOT TO WORRY
I KEEP TRYING MY BEST TO TRUST,
NOT LETTING MY HEART BE TAKEN OVER
BY WANTING MATERIAL THINGS OUT OF LUST.

YOU KEEP SAYING YOU’LL DELIVER
THE NEEDY WHEN THEY CRY…
YET I’VE BEEN HERE WAITING…
AND EVERDAY WONDERING “WHY?”.

I KNOW YOU ALWAYS KEEP YOUR WORD
I KNOW YOU WILL ANSWER ME
AND I ALSO KNOW ALL I CAN DO
IS SIT AND WAIT PATIENTLY.

I’VE PUT MY TRUST IN THINGS BEFORE,
IN OTHER PEOPLE, MYSELF, AND MY PLANS…
BUT THE LESSON I KEEP LEARNING
IS JUST TO LET YOU HOLD MY HAND.

“BUT LORD, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND-“
AT TIMES I’VE CRIED TO YOU…
AS IF YOU DIDN’T, YOURSELF, CREATE ME-
AND MAKE ALL THINGS AND PEOPLE NEW!

“I CAN’T DO IT ANYMORE-I GIVE UP!”
I’VE CRIED BEFORE.
BUT I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT’S NOT THE WAY
I CAN BE ANYMORE.

ALL I KNOW IS THAT I DON’T KNOW!
AND IT’S OKAY TO BE HERE NOW.
IT’S OKAY TO TRUST YOU HAPPILY,
AND NOT KNOW THE “WHY’S AND HOW’S”.

EVEN WHEN THE FUTURE SEEMS HOPELESS,
IT’S A GOOD THING TO TRUST IN YOU-
IT’S GOOD TO KNOW, LORD JESUS,
THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO.

SO I STAY HERE-IN THE WAITING PLACE.
I MAY BE HERE FOR DAYS.
BUT I WILL DO MY BEST TO FOLLOW YOU, JESUS
AND LET YOU TEACH ME YOUR WAYS.

JESSICA SCHAFER-JULY 4, 2007


“HOW LONG, O LORD? WILL YOU FORGET ME FOREVER? HOW LONG WILL YOU HIDE YOUR FACE FROM ME? HOW LONG SHALL I TAKE COUNSEL IN MY SOUL, HAVING SORROW IN MY HEART ALL THE DAY? HOW LONG WILL MY ENEMY BE EXALTED OVER ME? ……. BUT I HAVE TRUSTED IN YOUR LOVINGKINDESS; MY HEART SHALL REJOICE IN YOUR SALVATION. I WILL SING TO THE LORD, BECAUSE HE HAS DEALT BOUNTIFULLY WITH ME.” *THE PSALMS*

“THE MIND OF MAN PLANS HIS WAY, BUT THE LORD DIRECTS HIS STEPS.” *THE PROVERBS*


“REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS; AGAIN I WILL SAY, REJOICE! LET YOUR GENTLE SPIRIT BE KNOWN TO ALL MEN. THE LORD IS NEAR. BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD. AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH SURPASSES ALL COMPREHENSION, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.” *PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7*

“FAITHFUL IS HE WHO CALLS YOU AND HE WILL ALSO BRING IT TO PASS.” *I THESSALONIANS 5:24*

I'VE GOTTEN A LOT DONE TODAY, AND SOMEHOW IT SEEMS AS IF THERE'S MORE TO DO!!! WE HAVE VBS COMING UP, AND I'M THE LUCKY ONE HEADING ALL THAT STUFF UP. I LIKE DOING IT. MY HUSBAND SAYS I HAVE THE GIFT OF "ADMINISTRATION"....I BEG TO DIFFER, THOUGH!! WE HAVE COMPANY COMING THIS WEEKEND, WHICH I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT.

STILL LEARNING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN THE WAITING PLACE. MORE ON THAT ON THE NEXT BLOG. WAITING ISN'T ALL THAT BAD, RIGHT? :)

A NEW DAY.

MANY THINGS ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN MY LIFE, SO I SHALL RING IN THIS NEW SITE OF MINE WITH THESE ENCOURAGING WORDS: "THE LORD'S LOVINGKINDNESSES INDEED NEVER CEASE, FOR HIS COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL. THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING; GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS." ~LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23~

IF THERE'S ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IN LIFE, IT'S SUMMED IN THISE VERSE FROM PROVERBS: "THE MIND OF MAN PLANS HIS WAY, BUT THE LORD DIRECTS HIS STEPS." THANK GOD FOR THAT!! THANK HIM FOR NOT LETTING ME HAVE THE CONTROL I SO DESIRE TO GAIN FROM DAY TO DAY. THANK HIM FOR ALWAYS LOVING ME, IN SPITE OF MYSELF. AND THANK HIM FOR FORGIVING ME WHEN I SO OFTEN KNOWINGLY FAIL HIM.

I HAVE LOTS TO GET DONE!! GUESS I BETTER GET OFF HERE AND DO THOSE THINGS!! :)