Little Life Lessons Learned

Today, I attended a day long conference at CZW in Wiesbaden Germany. This church is working with me on the process of our visa to stay and plant a church here that would focus on the english speaking community here. This includes the over 18000 military and civilians working at USAG Wiesbaden. Also open to anyone that speaks english.

While here, I was provided a translator for the sessions as they were all done in Deutsch. During the course of the time, Pastor Andreas shared that we are to "dream big and start small!" This hit me really deep in my heart and mind.

As we are here, we have what we have been dreaming about starting to happen. We also know that there is a strong possibility that God may refocus the vision and dreams we have. Recognizing this, we know that we are to follow His leading.

This past week, we have encountered various difficulties, frustrations and set backs. In them, we were given the opportunity to rejoice or respond extremely frustrated. In many of them, we choose to rejoice and know that they were allowed for us to draw closer to Him and His vision and plan.

Now, I would love to say that I responded to all of them that way and yet, I didn't. In my humanity and self, I let one of the situations knock me low and cause me to really begin to say, "Why is this happening?" "What good is going to come from this?"

I know, sad that I went there and yet, I did. There is where I realized God knows all things and can do anything.

At lunch here at the conference, I sat alone in a room full of believing germans and felt alone. A man name Gragor sat down and asked me to slide next to him. I did and we introduced each other. My deutsch is very limited and yet, his english was very good.

He asked me, "When did you meet my Jesus?" I told him my story and then he shared his story. WOW! What a time of fellowship and lunch!

The lesson learned...stop, wait, listen and rely on His timing!

The Waiting Room

Have you ever thought to yourself, "Why does it always seem that the time in the waiting room is so long?"

I know that through the years I have definitely thought that. From doctors offices to repair centers, the wait seems like forever. The wait often taking longer than the appointment and yet, there is a definite lesson for us to learn from the waiting room.

Not only is there time to reflect, there is also time to see others. We can watch others as they wait. Some are anxious about the news they will hear. They are anxious about the unknown. They are frustrated with the process of paperwork. Their children are moving and busy and often this causes them and others to be stressed.

For whatever reason you are anxious there in the waiting room one thing is for sure...time goes slow.

When that happens, we tend to become very frustrated and also often times we get impatient and expect others to respond quicker and to our wants. When they don't, we snap and respond without care for them all to often.

Instead of doing that, next time you are in the waiting room count the blessing you have and know about. Thank the Lord for the opportunity to pray for those that are in the waiting room and may not know how to have peace that goes beyond all understanding. God promises that!

For the last 17 months, Julie and I have been in the waiting room and we have spent this time prepping, praying, preparing and planning. We have found ourselves anxious and stressed but when we stop and refocus, we begin to count our blessings in the waiting room.

God is faithful and is also in the business of assisting us while we wait in the waiting room. When we see Him move, lead and guide, the waiting room is not such a bad place to be.