I Don't Wait Anymore

Ok...well I still do wait, but not for my life to work out the way I want.  I just finished reading (literally right before writing this post) the book called "I Don't Wait Anymore" by Grace Thornton.  I found this book on sale at our local Christian book store and before I buy a book I read the first sentence on the back of the book to see if it will grasp my attention.  Well this one got my attention.  The first sentence in big letters on the back of the book is "HAVE YOU BEEN WAITING for your life to turn out the way you expected?".  Yep...attention grabbed and yep...I have been waiting...for a while.  This book changed all my expectations!!!

From thinking this book was about the authors wait for a spouse, children, etc. it ended up being a book about letting go of expectations and Grasping God's adventure for you.  Yep...mind blown..lol.  This book changed my perspective on why we wait and what we are waiting for.  For me, this period of waiting for my future spouse has been a long one.  I would remove myself from opportunities to make new friends, new connections, have new experiences just because I didn't want to go 'alone'.  I've missed out on so many opportunities all because I felt that everyone would be looking at me and feel either that they had to hang out with me or they felt sorry for me because I was 'all alone'.  By letting go of our expectations and grasping the adventure God has for us we can experience a fuller life and love for Him.

Look at your life like a tapestry...but you cannot see the full complete tapestry.  You can only see a portion of it.  You can see the portion that has already happened.  Now imagine that God is weaving your tapestry.  He is still working on it...it's not complete yet.  Now since He's still working on it, there is threads coming down from it.  Now grab a thread...yep I said it.  Grab a tread.  These threads that God gives to you are opportunities that open doors.  These threads are ways for you to grow more in His love for you and you for Him.  "These threads of our tapestry are purposeful parts of our story God is weaving." (page 212 of the book).

When I began reading this book I took a look at my life at the same time.  I was living for God, and I felt that I had given my full complete life to him.  I knew the bible, I knew the love He has for me, I knew He has a perfect plan for my life.  However I did not grasp His adventure for me.  I did not see Him in all aspects of my life.  Once I began fully understanding this, I took a look at the practices I was  currently doing and how they affected me.  In this same time I began regularly reading my bible through journaling verses (other post :) ) and continually praying.  I have felt God's presence in so many ways in such a short period of time.  I have felt a love, strength and comfort that I have never felt before.  I was beginning to let God have control over my life.  I was handing over the keys and falling into a deeper relationship with the one who holds my future.

In order to get Him we have to go 'all in'.  We have to lay down all our dreams, all our plans at His feet.  We have to allow Him to write our story, weave the tapestry.  What desires do you see in moments of silence?  Can you be content if God never filled that desire?  Look at Hebrews 11:13 (NLT), "All these people died still believing what God had promised them.  They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it from a distance and welcomed it.  They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth."  We have to allow freedom to write our story.  Those mentioned in Hebrews died still believing they would receive what they were promised, what they desired.  Can you be content?  For me that is something I still struggle with since I have these earthly desires to long for a future husband, to be successful, etc. but we have to desire something bigger.  We have a heavenly father who loves us and wants to be our world. 

 All bets are off as to what God will do when we give Him everything in order to know Him in our lives. We need to deny ourselves, take up your cross daily and follow Him. We need to spend our time not thinking of things of this world but of of our heavenly home. “But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16 (NLT) As I end this post (I could go on and on because of this book :)) I encourage you to seek Him, follow Him. Hand God a blank check on your life and allow Him to work. What will you lay down? What do you let go to follow Him?