Wowed by God!

 I have a "Our Daily Bread" daily devotions book that I love. I use it every morning for their wonderful devotions and help guiding me through my bible reading. I also use Joyce Meyer's "Ending Your Day Right" daily devotion every night. 

Last night's devotion, this morning's devotion, and today's bible reading all have the same theme. I love how God can strike you over the head sometimes with a lesson you need to learn. Before I share what the devotions were I'd like to share a similar experience with you from last year, actually about this same time too! I'm telling you God is AMAZING!!

Last June I was down visiting my family and I was using a daily devotion called "365 Most Important Bible Passages for You". We had decided we wanted another baby so we had been trying for a few months. We really wanted a January baby since my due date would have been really close to my husband's birthday. When May came and went and I found myself not pregnant I was really discouraged and frustrated. 

I told myself I couldn't take it anymore, the excitement and then the let down. It was too much of an emotional roller coaster for me. I had a friend who had been trying for over 2 years and I couldn't even imagine what kind of strength that took mentally. 

So I had planned on talking to my husband when I got back home and tell him I could't try anymore. It was just too much for me. Well my day to start came and went. My sister always said a sure way to make your Aunt Flo come visit was to take a pregnancy test. So I bought one the next day. I waited until two days after I was supposed to start and took the test. 

I was shocked and so excited I nearly screamed. I would have but I was at my family's house and my hubby wasn't around. I didn't want to tell anyone before him. I did though. I told my two and a half year old daughter. I couldn't contain my joy! She wasn't going to tell anyone. 

The next day my devotion was all about God's timing. The devotion commentary stated "the Lord does not function on our timetable. And that is frustrating" and "He knows what is what and how things work. And sometimes he doesn't help us out just when we think he should. It's not because he likes to watch us suffer, but because he wants to grow our faith in him."

I have always had a struggle with control issues. I think that is how I got through some pretty tough times in my life was controlling everything. If I was in control of everything then there wasn't anything that could pop up and ruin me. The saying "the fear of the unknown" was a constant debilitating fear for me.

I just sat back in awe after I read that devotion commentary that day. It was like God spoke directly to me saying, "Heather, I'm going to give you what you want. I am blessing you with another baby. But you do not control when you will have a baby. Just as you do not control everything. You have no control. I am in control. It's about time you learned this once and for all." 

WOW!!! That was so amazing. God knew exactly what I needed to learn. Looking back we only tried a few months before getting pregnant. And we were blessed with a baby boy, the first boy on both of our sides of the family. 

My devotions yesterday and today are about waiting on God. I think that strength goes along with the knowledge that God is in control not us. Joyce Meyer wrote "any time you become frustrated and start trying to make things happen on your own, it is a sure sign you are not being patient with God. You need to practice waiting on God and let Him do what He wants to do, in His way and time." She also says "patience is not merely waiting; it is how you act while you are waiting." 

And this morning's devotion talked about several bible stories about waiting "Abraham waiting for a child, the Israelites waiting for deliverance from Egypt, and the disciples waiting for Jesus to act like the powerful Messiah they anticipated." 

Powerful stuff!! The author of today's devotion asks the question "As we wait, why are we so often fearful and axnious?"

The bible reading today covered some of the Psalms. In particularly Psalm 101 spoke volumes to me. I'm going to end this post with that Psalm. I know in our society today we are an instant gratification type of people. I am challenged daily to wait on God and rely on Him to be in control. I am so glad He is still working on me daily.

Have a great day everyone!
xoxox ~ Heather

Psalm 101      

I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.
     I will praise you with songs.
I will be careful to live a blameless life-
     when will you come to help me?
I will lead a life of integrity
     in my own home.
I will refuse to look at 
     anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all who deal crookedly;
     I will have nothing to do with them.
I will reject perverse ideas
     and stay away from every evil. 
I will not tolerate people who slander their
     neighbors. 
I will not endure conceit and pride.

I will search for faithful people
     to be my companions.
Only those who are above reproach 
     will be allowed to serve me. 
I will not allow deceivers to serve in my 
     house,
     and liars will not stay in my presence.
My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked
     and free the city of the Lord from their
     grip.