Wait Patiently Upon the LORD

Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. (Psalm 27:14, NLT)

God has given me two of the most precious little granddaughters, Caley and Eden. They are very sweet natured, giving, and loving. (Proverbs 22:6)

Last weekend, Eden (five years old) did a quick survey of the gifts currently under the Christmas tree and discovered there were no gifts with her name on them. She took her concern to her mother and the conversation was overheard by her older sister, Caley (nine years old).

Three days later, Caley decided to take matters into her own hands. She took some of her own money, made an envelope, and put it under the tree so that her sister would have a gift under the tree because she didn’t want her sister to have to wait any longer.

I'm sure we can all agree, this is one of the cutest things ever!

I haven’t talked to Caley about this situation but I am sure she knows (through experience) her parents are going to insure gifts are under the tree for her sister when timing allows. 

I have information that Caley and Eden doesn’t have...Eden's already has gifts. They are hidden and waiting for a specific time. Their parents have already provided. (Daniel 10:12)

Caley acted with a giving heart and pure motives but once I learned what she had done, it occurred to me I have:

• decided I waited long enough for my Father to provide and took matters into my own hands. 
• waited a "few days" for my Father to provide and decided it was an acceptable length of time to wait, and I “provided” instead of waiting on Him.
• jumped the gun and provided for someone and then wondered how I “came up short” and realized waiting on my Father to provide for them would’ve yielded  a much larger blessing...for both of us. 
• been a Champion Rescue Ranger and do something to change situations myself in my life (or the life of someone else) which instead, created a setback.

All those times were birthed out of a giving heart and pure motives but God is God. (Deuteronomy 10:17) I am not God. Wisdom waits patiently for the LORD. (Psalm 27:14) God has a plan, a perfect plan. Part of that perfect plan includes His perfect timing...not our timing. His ways are higher than our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9)  

It is true that God uses us as part of His plan but wisdom is being led by His Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17) and doesn’t interfere with, delay, or interrupt His plan. Being a “Champion Rescue Ranger” doesn’t help us or the person we set out to rescue. As we practice waiting on Him, and being one with Him, we will wait when it is in His timing to wait and we will provide when it is in His timing to provide. Sometimes, “in the wait” is where we grow, change, and draw closer to Him. We do not want to skip that critical step.         

God has information we don't have. He already has gifts for us and they are good and perfect, hidden and waiting on His perfect timing!  (James 1:5) 

Father, thank You for Your perfect plan for our lives and thank You for Your perfect timing. Your Word says, if we lack wisdom, all we have to do is ask You for wisdom. Right now, in the name of Jesus, please give us the wisdom to know when to wait and when to act. Our heart’s desire is to give and to help and to encourage but most of all, we want to stay in alignment with Your perfect timing. Every day, help us become more and more like You!

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Provers 22:6, NKJV)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9, NKJV)

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. (Romans 8:14, NLT)

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28, NLT)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:14, NLT)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5, NKJV)

Moving On

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. (Psalm 37:23, NLT)

Earlier this year and quite out of the blue...I kept "seeing" Oahu. I would be busy about my day and the picture would pop up in my spirit. It was a picture of the map of Oahu.

Right after I started consistently "seeing" Oahu, my oldest child started talking about and listing all the reasons we should move to Oahu. It was mostly said in jest with a little bit of seriousness. I didn't share with her, or anyone else, what I had been seeing.

Several weeks later, and almost last minute (I believe it was about three days prior) I received notification about a special healing service being held on Oahu by an evangelist. My spirit jumped and I knew I needed to be there. Initially I had a concern about being able to make late travel arrangements and inter-island airfare had been between $100.00 and $300.00 but discovered online flights were only $69.00. I called Mike, asked his opinion, and he immediately told me to go.

While researching travel arrangements (air, car, etc), my nine year old woke up and told me she had a dream. She said she dreamed, "we moved to Oahu". I found the dream and the timing very interesting.

I went to the service and it was a very powerful service. A man who could hardly walk with his cane, stood upright and walked very quickly across the platform without the cane! A little ten year old girl who had been deaf from birth, received her hearing!

A pastor prophesied over me that we would return to Oahu. That I have "radical faith", Mike and I are "pillars, and God was bringing us full circle, back to Oahu."

A couple months later, Mike started tossing around the idea of us going to Oahu to work. I told him we would do whatever we needed to do and I knew he would make the best decision for our family.

I didn't share any of this with anyone except my spiritual mom. I told her because I wanted prayer agreement. I didn't discuss it with Mike because I didn't want to influence him one way or another. I simply wanted God to work on our behalf. It is my heart's desire to be exactly where God wants us to be and when He wants us to be there. I trust His timing to be perfect. I wanted this move (or the decision not to move) to be all of God and none of me.

Last month, the final decision was made and everything is in place. We depart very soon and will be posting Bible Studies from Oahu! Currently, we are unsure if this is a permanent move or only for a season. We wait on Him! (Psalm 27:14)

Please continue to pray for us and Key Tov Blog as we embrace this wonderful and exciting adventure as He directs our steps!

OK Mom!

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galations 5:16, NKJV)

Gracie, my youngest child, really enjoys pretend play. No matter where we are or what we are doing, she finds a way to play something. Paper, sticks, grass...it doesn't matter what it is, she can make a toy out of it. She is very creative and has an amazing imagination. 

At times, it has been a challenge for her to stop playing. For example, when its time to start school, it has been difficult for her to transition from her play to her schoolwork. In order to help her (and me...I ain't gonna lie to ya) we made a rule. When it's time to start school, I say, "Time for school!" And her response is be "Ok Mom!", with a cheerful heart. 

That plan has been working really well. Today, we went through our normal routine. Once we settled into school she sweetly said "Mommy, this morning, when you said it was time for school, my brain told me I didn't want to stop playing and do school but my heart told me to do my school and then I could have free time. I should always listen to my heart and not my brain."

Cutie Pie Alert! 

Can she be any cuter?! Can she be more precious?! 

*Beaming Momma*

She may not have fully recognized the connection between her brain (flesh) and heart (spirit), but she is learning to be Spirit led.

This made me examine myself. When an internal war tries to engage, it is critical for to me:

Recognize the battle. (Ephesians 6:12)
Take every thought captive. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Be led by my "heart" and not my "brain". (Galatians 5:16)

What leads you?