Waiting with faith that expects
I felt Daniel kick and I instinctively reached down to touch my belly. I adjusted myself on the mattress, giving my hips the change in position they were demanding. The quilt rested on my 5-month-pregnant belly and I watched it move from side to side. Do you suppose he was dancing in there?
Isaac sat beside me as I pulled out an old notebook from our college days. It was green with soft edges - evidence that it had been shoved into Isaac’s backpack. I know because I can’t stand bent corners and Isaac delights in them. We scribbled down our highlights from the year. We celebrated the victories in our marriage, our personal growth, my business, and now, the little one growing inside me. But mostly the miracle child growing inside.
We had no idea what we were doing, but we knew that God could show us the way. God has shown us how to help Daniel sleep, provided nights of good rest between sleepless nights, and showed us when to play and when to work - because it’s good for Daniel to see both.
Friends, I can’t wait to see our family grow again! I’m not pregnant, but I find myself expecting for God to show up yet again in our lives. Afterall, He has already promised another little one. He promised a second son before Daniel was even born and left me in tears before lunch with a friend. I thought my faith was becoming sight, but 7 pregnancy tests later (this month) and there is no sight just yet. Just faith.
Our routines changed during July while we launched the new JB brand and site! I knew it was a season of working diligently and giving everything I had. You know that feeling you get when you lay in bed after a long day and you can feel every muscle relax? The days following the launch felt like that in my life.
We are 600 pageviews away from breaking the all-time record for traffic on this blog! Six hundred! The Lord has brought so much from the last month and there is still some lack of faith on my part. I know that the Lord will have His really grand, beautiful way with every booking for next year, every education commitment, and every aspect of motherhood. But still… I think there’s part of me that’s wondering if I’m going to like it.
I begin to wonder if His way in my business will bring me joy. Will it be fulfilling? Will it bring the income I want to contribute to our family? Will waiting on Him feel agonizing? Or will there be real trust this time around? Will it be stressful?
Because I want joy.
I want a joy-drenched life that trusts Him! Yeah! I want to let go of any pressure that tries to grip me with its nasty little fingers. (Yes, I think pressure is disgusting!) I want the unhindered life where you dance around whether the skies are dark or bright white! I want to embrace joy because I’m not in control of this business!
Let me tell you what giving your business to God is NOT…
It’s not binding.
It’s not hindering.
It’s not going to destroy you.
You are not missing out when you say, “Hey God! I need your help with my business!” Although the enemy would have you believe every single one of the lies above, submitting your business to the God who reigns and has victory in every season and in every thing is not bad for you.
But hear me out right now - God doesn’t demand and demand. He doesn’t steal from us. Ever. He is all about the relationship with us and it’s okay if we have a ton of fear about submitting our businesses to Him. He just wants to start a conversation about how He can serve you in your business. Yes, God wants to talk about how He can meet you in your business.
“Hey Jesus. Soooo.... I kinda sorta don’t ever want to say that my business is yours. But I want to follow you more than anything. I know that you give good gifts, but there’s still part of me that believes that you really want to steal from me. I’m afraid that if I lose control and you show me the way that I will somehow end up with nothing. Help me to see this the right way.”
“...but there’s still part of me that believes that you really want to steal from me.”
Here’s how God wants to serve you in your business…
He wants to give you peace when things aren’t going well.
He want to give you promises to cling to.
He wants to give you joy as you do the work you have been called to do.
He wants to tell you true things when everyone else is confused about what’s true.
He wants to provide for you.
He wants to show you that you can have a conversation with Him about anything and everything.
I need some daily encouragement and I’m going to be making a list of every promise Jesus has made about my business. I’m going to hang those promises on my wall so that when I feel discouraged I can remind myself of the truth! I would love for you to join me! If there’s a way I can encourage you in your business, I want to hear about it! Leave it here in the comments or join the conversation on facebook!
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