I’m not patient by nature.  Are you?

My 3 sibs are much older and I was basically raised an only child.  I didn’t have to wait my turn or share much.  Yeah, you could say I was a bit pampered.  Don’t hate me.

My lack of patience is the reason the Lord gave me three kids in three years.  He said, “You… will… learn.”

Painfully-bad-impetuous decisions have also taught me to wait for God’s lead.  When I try to rush ahead, it’s chaos.  When I quiet my heart/mind and listen for his quiet words, life has more harmony.

That’s not to say life is easy.

I’ve been praying for direction for this ministry.  Is it really a ‘ministry?’  I’ve thought of it as just trying to help a defeated, disheartened friend understand how to find joy in sexual intimacy because it’s part of God’s design for marriage.  Because, at one time, I was that wife.

There’s been a stirring in my heart. He is preparing the path for something.  I’m working very hard at maintaining my pace and listening for Him.  I don’t want to have to undo bad decisions by not waiting.

…and then the phone rang.  It was God calling through a friend.  She’s been praying about attending a Speaker’s/Writer’s conference and God whispered she should invite me along.

I used to brush these kinds of things off.  Oh, isn’t that nice?  She thinks God told her to call me.

But, I came to the realization not long ago.  WHO AM I TO LIMIT GOD?  Why am I suspicious when I am smacked in the face with an answer to prayer?  Oh Jesus, help my unbelief!

When the suspicion of my flesh wanes, my spirit gets excited!!  God just revealed another snippet of the quest in discovering how I can serve Him better.

God doesn’t reveal the entire trip at once.  He only reveals your journey fragment by fragment.  The impatient have a hard time not being shown the entire span at once.  But, God doesn’t allow us to have a google earth perspective for our benefit.  I think if we saw its entirety of what He calls us to do, our fear would cripple us.

He did this with my marriage reclamation, too.  He sent a resource, thought, verse, or a hard, but gentle word.  I had to digest it and be molded.  Then, when he felt I was ready, he sent the next piece.

Am I worthy to be called by God to do anything?  No.  I am on my knees in humility, for, who am I?

But, I have confidence when I think in terms of, “How will Father God help me impart Christ’s hope?”  His hope transformed me in my time of desperation.

2 Corinthians 1:4, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

Please, God, use the pain and anguish of our marriage’s civil war and make it matter!  Show me what’s next.

The friend on the phone was inviting me to attend Proverbs31 ministry’s SheSpeaks Conference in Charlotte, NC.  Mr. Muscle didn’t even hesitate when I asked what he thought about registering.  “Of course, you should attend,” he said.

I had no idea what I was getting into.  All I knew is that God prompted a phone call and I answered.  (Jolene at The Alabaster Jar talked about answering that call in her blog today, too!)

Are you like me?  Do you struggle not to rush ahead of God?  How do you cope with waiting for His whisper and direction?  Have you seen Him work like this in your marriage or ministry?

God revealed the most amazing thing this past weekend in Charlotte.  Christian women are ready to start the conversation about sexual intimacy!!  I’ll tell you more….See Christian Sex: Grassroots Paradigm Shift.