Finding Peace

I finally feel like I am getting into a regular schedule. It has taken a lot more time then I had hoped for. With the kids starting at a new school, bible study starting, I returned to MOPS Leadership despite what I thought this year was going to look like, and I have started a new business almost full-time. PHEW! Sometimes I feel like I hardly have time to breathe (or sleep or eat!)

My youngest toddler is going to “preschool” at my sister’s house twice a week and I finally feel like I’m catching up with things and getting into a regular weekly schedule. Which means that I can FINALLY get back to sitting down and writing! I have really missed this part of my life. I never realized how much I loved writing until I wasn’t doing it.
Thank you to my faithful readers that have hung on, waiting for my return. =)
You ARE appreciated!

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As I said above, I have returned to my MOPS leadership position. I had assumed that God had other plans for me this year and now I know it was meant to see if I would follow Him obediently wherever He led me. It was not easy stepping down from MOPS. It has been a huge part of my time as a mother and it has helped me through some difficult times. I have made some amazing friends and been hugely blessed through the MOPS ministry. I was not quite ready to say goodbye and it was tough, but I felt that was where God was leading me.

Apparently, He was not ready for me to leave MOPS yet either and has bigger plans then I thought. Through circumstances, I was asked to rejoin MOPS with less responsibilities so that I could continue to grow my new business and to focus on the other things I need to do for my family. After MUCH prayer, I realized that there was a reason that God wanted me back there and I accepted. After I found out the topic that leadership will be focusing on at our meetings, I knew that this was the reason. While I will still have responsibilities and I will be pouring out to those around me, God is sticking with the plan that this year is the year meant for me to focus on me. I found peace with my decision to return.

In the midst of all this, I have started a brand new business. It is helping me find health and financial freedom. Two things that I was hoping to work on as I focused on me.

I am slightly disappointed in where my path is going this year because I had hoped that it would start moving towards writing and women’s ministry a little bit more. But then I realized that while this season of my life is busy and it is difficult, it is helping me to grow and mature in my relationship and my faith in God. As a result, I will be better prepared when He is ready for me to step down the journey of women’s ministry.
Because of that realization, I have found peace with the chaos of my life right now.

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Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
~2 Thessalonians 3:16~

Patience

I have never been a very patient person. I’m not a fan of surprises because I just do not have the patience to wait long enough for the surprise to happen.

Birthdays drive me crazy and Christmas is even worse. When I was a kid, I was very good at snooping for my Christmas presents and was quite successful; I even learned how to unwrap and rewrap gifts (sorry Mom.)
Our first Christmas together as a married couple, Jon and I opened our presents from each other 4 days early because I just could not stand to wait any longer.

Patience is something that God is continually trying to teach me.

God is teaching me patience right now.

I told you in my late night ramblings the other night that I am looking for discernment. I am looking for an answer. I am looking for clear direction for that next leg of my journey.

I am getting anxious about it. I feel like I still do not have a clear answer. Before church this morning, I prayed that God would have something in the sermon that would give me some clues or even a definitive answer. I went to church expecting Him to give me some direction.

Guess what the sermon ended up being about?

What are our expectations of Jesus?

Funny, huh?

I went to church expecting to hear this glorious message that would give me an answer from Him and what did I get but a sermon about how I should not have any expectations from Him except for the fact that He loves me.

He died for me.
He loves me.

That’s it.
Bottom line of expectations.

Because if I go around life having expectations of God, I’m going to end up putting Him in this little box of what I expect Him to be and not allowing Him the chance to show me just how big He really can be.

So I just need to sit back, be quiet, listen and wait. God will show me the path of my next journey in His timing.
He knows what the future holds for me.
I do not.
I need to expect that with God, ANYTHING is possible.

Whether that means another year on MOPS leadership or if that means saying “No” to everything, He knows. No matter which path He has in store for me, He will be there by my side, holding me up, guiding me and loving me.

Patience.

I am a work in progress.

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.
~Psalm 48:14~