Wait upon the Lord be strong and take heart

The verse I have chosen to share to day is found in Psalms 27:14 . The Psalms are very meaningful since they are songs turned to poems in the Bible. They are all praises or prayers to God. God Inhabits his praise so therefore he is glorified through the Psalms.
I love Gods sense of humor. I know God gave me kids in order to show me how he loved me. Tonight he chose to use my sweet daughter Gracelyn. You see my daughter got this doll for Christmas three yrs. ago. She calls it an American doll, even though it really was a my twin doll that I had made to look just like her. But, after about two months she lost it by leaving it in a basket at a department store.
Ever since then she has missed that doll, cried over that doll and also prayed to miraculously find this doll. She saves clothes I find that were hers at a younger age and says "I am saving this for my American doll!". She asked Santa last year for another doll. But with no prevail Santa did not deliver the doll. But my daughter did not give up on her doll. Well recently I ordered one of these dolls one night while she was asleep, and tonight the doll arrived in a huge box. Soon after I ordered this doll she said, "I feel like Gods telling me I'm gonna get my American doll." I put the box away and Gracelyn never saw the doll. Just before bed time she came to me crying "Mama, I want my American doll". I said Why now?? She said, "I've waited for a long time and I don't think I'm going to get her". I asked her if she was giving up or she was going to keep believing. With tears in her eyes she said "I still believe, I won't give up."
As I dried and brushed her hair I thought about the doll only 100 ft. away in the closet, and I began to think of how much I wanted to bring the doll out and give it to her. How she had waited so very long and really she did deserve it. How she by faith had prepared for the doll, by saving clothes for a yr. or two now. She has been so patient and excited about this doll.
Then I began to think, Isn't that how God feels with us. When we are unjustly persecuted for whatever reason, and we cry out to him because we are hurt or because we begin to doubt a promise God has made because it's not our time. God has our blessing in his hand, and loving us so much he sent his son to die for us. I can imagine even God wanting to make our dreams come true, mend our relationship, or immediately change our circumstance. But he doesn't. Why?? because he's God. He knows more. He knows the right timing and what we need to learn along the way and I honestly believe he wants to spend that waiting time with us. After all we were created for his enjoyment, to commune with him and have a relationship with him. Does that mean I will wait forever as many of my friends and family will tell you. No!! And neither will my daughter. I will give her doll to her for her Birthday, when the time is right and her face will shine, and all her friends will be there to see, and then I hope she smiles at me. throws her arms around me hugs me tight and screams "Thank you mom!!" and she will show it to her friends and hopefully she will share the doll with them and they can all go home to their parents and scream"I want what Gracie has." For those of you who have children who are friends with mine , I'll share my doll secrets. J/k
Anyways I know all of this may sound silly or even a bit selfish or proud on my part maybe even a little jealous,but actually its very biblical. You see just as i am waiting on the right time to give Gracie her doll, God is waiting on the right time to fulfill his plan in my life, just as I want my daughters face to shine, God wants mine to shine because of believing in his promise and putting my faith in him. God wants people to see him in me, just as I want all her friends to be there God wants every one to see what he's done. Yes, God is a little jealous he wants to receive all the glory for the things he does. Just as I want to see my daughter's smile, God wants me to smile and give him total thanks for the victory he's already won. I want my daughter to throw her arms around me and scream thank you!! God wants me to throw my arms around him confirming I know he's the one and give him praise for what he's done, and last but not least I want my daughter to show and share her doll with her friends so they may go home to beg for a couple years for a doll too j/k. God wants me to share what he's done for me, so that others may believe and desire his will for their life too.
Yes tonight I could've gone to the closet and taken the doll out and watched the tears leave and a smile appear on my daughters face but Hey!! the glory comes from waiting, so I didn't!!
If you are waiting on God or in a hard spot as I find myself in, just know Your doll is in God's closet and your Birthday is around the corner.

Psalms 130:5
I wait upon the Lord. My soul waits and in His word I put my hope.

"In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to his plan who works out everything in comformity with the purpose of his will"

This verse comes from Ephesians 1:11. I chose to share it with you because this is what God has made real to me in my life. I would like to share with you bits and pieces of my life so you can understand the dark tunnel in which I feel I have been led, And why I believe God is my light.
First, let me explain why it is so dark right now. I was scheduled to be married on March 17th to the man , I honestly feel God has said will be my husband. Russell and I have known each other since we were 11. We have three beautiful children together. We both love the outdoors, spending time with our children,cooking out, fishing, camping, and good family fun. We have practically grown up together and we've experienced every stage of life with each other. If you added up the years we've known each other, we have known each other 17 yrs. That's a long time. It hasn't been easy but God has granted us his mercy and grace to keep going with out giving up.
In this 17 years God has given me the strength to stand beside this man through approx five rehabs, countless sentences in jail , drug and alcohol addiction and many adversaries,including three canceled weddings. I don't want to be negative, but I don't want to sugar coat what is not sweet. There have been moments when I questioned God for allowing this pain in my life. One thing he has always shown me is with every adversary my love only grew stronger. When this is the opposite of what the world teaches, the opposite of what our human heart desires. I was raised in church. I was raised to love everyone, but to keep away from trouble. But for some God forbidden reason I was drawn to Russell. I loved him!! I knew it!
Thats just like Gods love for us. He loves the unlovely. He loves the unlovable. He loves those that persecuted him, He loves us all even with our short-comings. I started to find comfort in the fact that "God gave me this love for Russell" and it must be for a reason, maybe to fulfill his purpose in my life. And just maybe he wanted me to experience first hand the sacrificial love of Christ. I knew I would experience some pain, but as long as God chose to leave this love in my heart I agreed not to fight it.
I realized it is actually a privilege to have a problem in life which, forces you to walk hand in hand with Jesus, to lean on his side, and experience true love in his power. As children of God we share in his sufferings so that we also may share in his Glory!!

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness"

The verse I chose to start my blog with is found in 2nd Corinthians 12:9. Not only does this verse have everything to do with my whole life,but I am feeling very weak right now as I know nothing about what I am doing. I have never set up a page like this before in my life. However, I feel God has given me a life to share. I had planned on keeping a journal, but after exploring other blog spots I decided it would be neat to keep a blog to share with close friends and family. If you happen to stumble across my spot and I don't know you consider it a "God Thing"!!
Today I am drawing a line, making a mark in the sand of my life. This is a beginning of something new for me. Since I was seventeen, I have known God has a ministry out here for me, for Him. Many ideas and opportunity's have come and gone throughout my life. No mistake they were from Him, but I was not ready. Yesterday, God showed me during my quiet time that he was going to prepare me and make my time if I would be willing to begin. As I got up I uttered to the Lord "Today, my Ministry will Begin." Why today??? I began to ask, Is this the day I got pregnant with one of my children, or the day I was baptized, the day I met Russell, what is today??? God.
God said, "What's the date??" The date is 10-11-07, tomorrow is 10-12- 07. This day,10-12-07, 24 yrs ago I made the best decision of my life, to follow Christ and accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior, at the ripe age of four. As I tried to process all of this information, I knew I must begin. So join me on the rest of my journey through this tunnell, I'll try to catch you up on what you've missed. It's a dark place in here , but thats when "Gods light" shines the brightest. And remember He always leaves enough light to make the next step.