Monday, October 23, 2006

Wait for it…

Patience - the ability to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset, or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties.

I think the next three months are truly a gift from God.
You know what the next three months are?

Month # 1 – Waiting
Month # 2 – More Waiting
Month # 3 – Yet even MORE Waiting

I am waiting to attend a conference at the South American Missionary Society’s headquarters in Pennsylvania in January.
(I know…Pennsylvania in January…yikes)
Basically, at this conference it will become very clear whether or not this will be an avenue for me to get back to Cochabamba. It will be a time for training, education and just plain learning if this sending agency is the right fit for me. I pray daily that God will open the doors He needs to open and close the doors He needs to close and the doors to SAMS just seem to be wide open at the moment.

If all goes well in January I could begin a stretch of months that could prepare me to return to Cochabamba next summer. I feel so much peace about moving there it’s scary. Kinda like that feeling you get when you know you are forgetting something really huge but you can’t quite put your finger on it?

BUT the conference is 79 days away. 79 days of praying and resting in God. 79 days of God working on me.

Problem:
Waiting is not exactly a strength of our culture. I want this taken care of now! I don’t want to be patient…I mean let’s do this. C’mon God, let’s figure out exactly what I am going to do when I get to Bolivia so I can begin to raise some funds! Time is a wastin…

“What was that? The less time I have to raise money the more I have to trust You? Oh…”

Well it’s no doubt that these next three months will be a great lesson in continuing to trust Him…and a reminder that I don’t think God needs to plan everything out in Microsoft Outlook like I do (He probably doesn’t even have to use those meeting reminder thingys). He is simply teaching me patience…that whole “being able to endure waiting without being annoyed thing.”

I pray God uses these next three months to bring wisdom and council into my life that can help confirm His call on my life and help confirm that I am going in the right direction.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” – Psalm 37:7

Ok. I'll take "patience" for $200 Alex...

2 comments:

WT said...

Amen, bro. We all need more of that - I know I do.

I think GNR said it best in the ballad, Patience:
"...little patience, mm yeah, ooh yeah,
Need a little patience, yeah
Just a little patience, yeah".

neffbot said...

I know "SAMS" is the acronym for the sending group you are looking into... but it reminded me of one of the Onion's horoscopes:

Pisces February 19 - March 20

Despite its many promotional offers and money-saving bargains, part of you just doesn't want to belong to any Sam's Club that would have you as a member.