In this blog: Hurry Up & Wait!
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Have you ever been in a hurry to get somewhere and you end up having to wait. Hurry up to wait. Is your life in a seemingly never ending transition? Do you ever feel like all you do is wait, kind of like the picture shown here? Maybe you feel like your life got put on hold and someone forgot to tell you? When what you're waiting on doesn't seem to come in your timetable, where does that leave you? Frustrated, hopeless, depressed, bored? And if so, what can you do about it?
Waiting on God seems to be the only thing I am doing these days. The biggest thing I'm waiting on is my healing. If healing doesn't come, then it seems like my life might as well be over. I don't mean that as poor me. It's just that not having good health has limited me in so many ways. It keeps me from who and what God has made me to be (so, I think). It keeps me from doing most things I enjoy. If you've known me for any length of time, you know I love to entertain, be hospitable, pray for people, minister to those in hospitals, give of my time, talent, treasure and touch or wherever and whatever God would have me do. Before my health crash 4 years ago, my nickname used to be the energizer bunny on steroids. I miss those days, bad!! And if I cared about titles, well, I miss that fun title!
Lately, I've been frustrated, bored, depressed, angry and quite hopeless. I've lost the joy and a reason to even want to go on. I feel stuck...sinking in quick sand... and honestly probably not to much fun to be around. I'm sorry!
Today, I started a new book by Jeff Goins, The In-Between, Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing. I highly recommend it for anyone in transition or if you feel like you've been waiting on something for sometime. The entire book seems like God's audible voice to me and I can't quote everything I'm reading but there are a few good points that have really jumped out at me and what God is speaking to me on waiting!
1. "Waiting forces us to rely on patience and faith to fill the gap between where we are and where we want to be".
God is showing me that this waiting season is to build my faith, to build my trust in who He is and not in my abilities. It's forcing me to be absolutely dependent on Him and I'm learning that I cannot hurry God. No matter how much I plead, pray, cry or beg. It's teaching me patience for sure. I like many others want things sooner vs later. I've heard that you can't hurry God for my entire faith walk, but until you actually go through the lesson, you don't quite get it...or at least I didn't. Patience & Faith are not idle...they are intentional, pro-active activities. We must be deliberate in our pursuit of patience and faith. I have fallen down. I've had a failure of faith. I let my health issues dominate my thoughts and actions.... and steer me off course... and keep me from truly believing and trusting (faith) that God will see me through. I'm reminded of the story in Matthew 8 - Jesus tells His disciples to cross over to the other side of the lake..... let's read this.....
Matthew 8:18-27 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
A couple points God is speaking through this story is He told His disciples to get in the boat and go to the other side. When the storms came, the disciples became afraid and thought they would drown. Jesus, said You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Did Jesus say, get in the boat and you might drown? Did He say, cross over the lake but I won't be with you? Did He say, let's go to the other side but we may not make it? NO. He said get in the boat, cross to the other side. That means Jesus knew they would make it safely to the other side.
The Lord has been clear... I will heal you Michele. Many times He has given me Psalm 27:13-14 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. He tells me all the time He will see me through. Do not be afraid. So why is this so hard? The answer is I didn't know there would be so many storms. The storms are fierce, vicious and ongoing. I didn't realize my health would get to life-threatening? I know His Word says He won't leave or forsake me, but sometimes He's quiet and I become afraid? He has been speaking to me through Luke 8:50 Don't be afraid, only believe! The good news is though it seems my faith is often failing, the truth is that my faith is being strengthened and roots are going deep during this long season of waiting. (Faith will rise as we wait upon the Lord).
2. "I'm the one who chooses to be restless".
Ouch! God always seems to point out the word "choice". Everything in life is a choice, isn't it. We can choose to be restless, impatient, frustrated, depressed, hopeless or we can choose to slow down, smell the coffee, enjoy the beauty of each day and be joyful. So today, I thanked God for the time I can spend with my dogs, something little but so much delight to love on them and feel their unconditional love back. I used to jokingly pray that God would let me stay home so I could care for my dogs. Until today, I didn't realize He actually answered that prayer.....just a little differently than I had expected.
A friend of mine out of the blue Facebook'd me and reminded me of how important laughter and fun is and the benefits for healing. I can't tell you when the last time I really laughed, like a good ole belly laugh! I use to laugh and be a crack up all the time. I miss those days! So... I'm going to encourage you to please help me put laughter and fun back in my life. Please!!!
3. "We were made to wait, to long for things unseen. This is the place from which dreams and desires come".
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for
and assurance about what we do not see.
While we wait, we dream, we long for the promises God speaks to us! Waiting builds excitement. The longer the wait, the greater the anticipation.
When God gives you a vision, a dream, a desire to do something in and through our lives.... He doesn't just hand it over to you. He takes you through an intense training program so that we are prepared and capable of handling it with humility, grace and love. It has been my prayer since I first got saved, that God would never promote me until He thought I was ready. I never want to be a disgrace to Him. I never want to have people stumble or turn away from the Lord because of me. So, if my waiting season is for this reason alone, I am thankful.
I'll end with a story. Back in the late 1990's... a couple friend of ours and us were taking a trip to Kauai (would love to go back there). Me, being such the planner, found out that we needed to plan any events or activities we wanted to do way in advance or we just wouldn't be able to do them. Our friends, were the spontaneous type. So...to make the point of this story.... I told them I would "plan" to be spontaneous! I had to create the mindset that I was still "planning". So I planned to be spontaneous. We didn't get to do everything, but it wasn't the end of the world and we had a great time.
So today, I am going to plan to be deliberate and intentional to enjoy the wait (the best I can). If God wants me to just rest and relax, than I need to be ok with that. Finally, I am going to be ok with slowing down and doing little. (hopefully not for much longer, ha) He's told me He will give me the energy and motivation for those things He wants me to do.....and if there is no energy, then it's not His will. Seems simple enough!
I end with a quote by Charles Spurgeon....
“Stand still” – keep the posture
of an upright man, ready for action,
expecting further orders,
cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice;
and it will not be long ere
God shall say to you,
as distinctly as Moses said
it to the people of Israel, “Go forward.”
Those who do not hope cannot
wait; but if we hope for that we see not,
then do we with patience wait for
it.
If the Lord Jehovah makes us
wait, let us do so with our whole hearts;
for blessed are all they that
wait for Him. He is worth waiting for.
The waiting itself is beneficial
to us: it tries faith, exercises patience,
trains submission, and
endears the blessing when it comes.
The Lord’s people have
always been a waiting people.
HELP!!!!
MY PHONE CRASHED & I LOST ALL MY PHONE CONTACTS. Would you please please email me your contact information! Pretty please!!
About us:
Ministry -
Ken and I love to pray for folks who need a touch from the Lord - with words of encouragement, words of knowledge and a healing touch. If you are someone in need, please let us know. We also have a passion to activate and influence believers to walk in radical obedience to a fun and wonderful God! There is just nothing like it!
If you are interested in Ken and I coming to minister to you, your small group or church, or go on a "treasurehunt" with us, please give us a call or email. We would be delighted to!
Prayer requests:
Please continue to pray for Michele's improvement in health, especially mental & physical energy. She is boldy declaring God's Truth and know that He will bring her into complete healing in her body.
Pray that we hear God's voice clearly on a few major decisions we are making in the next week.
Pray for clarity and timing on a few mission trips we are being led to. (Health has to improve)
God is our Jehovah-Jireh... and He has called us to a journey of faith for provision, in this season. It is truly by your faithfulness and obedience to the Holy Spirit's prompting that our needs are being met. Thank YOU. Please pray for us as it is a difficult walk - teaching us a much deeper trust.
Business -
Our LLC is official - Want InSight Chaplain Services. God has brought us a business coach to help us and we are excited to see how that goes. We still have many things that need to be done, logo design, website, etc.... waiting on God to provide the resources and further direction.
In the meantime, would you please help us? Do you know of an employer who often experiences high absenteeism due to the employees having personal issues? Or maybe has little employee engagement due to struggles on or off the job? We can help with that.
We are looking for companies who truly care about their employees and want to offer a business enrichment program that can increase productivity, improve employee and employer morale and provide a safe and emotionally health work environment. If you know of someone who may be interested, would you be willing to give us an introduction? We are determined and blessed to have this opportunity to create a cultural change in the workplace!
If you have been blessed by this ministry or feel led to support what we are doing financially, below are a few options. Your generosity and your prayer support is greatly appreciated and needed as we continue to walk in faith and God's calling.
"When you see a need try to meet it. Indifference makes an excuse, but love finds a way." Joyce Meyer
God Bless YOU -
Ken & Michele Cole
http://www.wantinsight.com
michele@wantinsight.com, ken@wantinsight.com
1. https://www.hhmin.org/make_donation_projects.php, select Ministry Projects, then use drop down box Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight?
2. Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.
2. Or you can donate through my medical account, select Medical Projects, then Michele Cole.
(any donations made through HH is anonymous..so if you want us to know, please let us know).
3. You can donate through our Donor Fund at National Christian Foundation:
3. You can donate through our Donor Fund at National Christian Foundation:
UPCOMING EVENTS:
If you are interested in attending, please email me at michele@wantinsight.com. Space is limited.
August 23rd & 26th - Joni Ames - will be returning. We are in process of getting her schedule completed here. If you are interested in hosting her or coming to one of her meetings, please let me know.
September 25 - Bob Sorge - will be coming again! We are always so blessed by the timely teaching the Lord gives him to share with us. He of course will have his books, cds and dvds available!
October 8 - Danny Daniels - will be coming! Danny Daniels is an internationally known songwriter, worship leader & educator. Over the last thirty years he has had over 100 songs published & recorded by Maranatha! Music, Vineyard Music, Sony Music, TIME/LIFE and many more. He most recently contributed a song to Jeremy Camp's Billboard #2 Top Contemporary Christian album, "Carried Me: The Worship Project".
October 19 - Mark & Debbie Hendrickson - Dwelling Place Ministries is returning. Their worship and prophetic ministry permeates God's love! Author of Supernatural Provision
November 8- Joey & Destiny Letourneau, M.A.R.K. 10:14 Family/Heavenly Hope Ministries - And his new book will be available!
April 10, 2014 - Tom Stamman - Impact International Ministries - Teaching & Prophetic
This guy is hilarious but yet delivers a powerful message from the Lord. He has a strong prophetic gifting and will minister to many! www.tomstamman.com. You won't want to miss!
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