As published in the West End Chronicle - Easter 2006

During my short Christian walk I have often said that if I could by God anything it would be a really good watch. I’d get him a Rolex or a Cartier’; something really worthy of God but nonetheless it would be a watch. I have often looked up and asked Him if He could just let me know that even though our time is not His time could He please just let me know that He at least understands what dealing with our time is like for us?  I just KNOW the Lord has to have a sense of humor to put up with me.  

One time while I was pitching a spiritual fit about the wait I had to endure for a prayer answer I had one of those “heavy reavy’s” I keep telling you guys about.

BANG! It hit me…I hadn’t gotten the answer to my prayer yet because my heart wasn’t ready! WOW! What a simpleton I had been. God was right! (‘magine that!) He showed me past prayers and answers and how had He answered a moment sooner, I wouldn’t have appreciated the blessing and more importantly; I wouldn’t have completed the lesson that was involved in the wait.  Each and every time I have had to wait on God for an answer, I have learned something incredible that has helped me help myself and more importantly; it has helped me help others.  He had a plan the whole time but in my humanness I only saw what the benefits of the answer itself would be. The lesson that came with the wait was the bonus part of the answer and lines up with Him always giving us abundantly more than what we ask for. Now how incredible is that?

In my flesh I was frustrated and sometimes even angry that God would allow me to hurt or suffer after all the good stuff I was trying to do (I know…big bite of humble pie was needed here). All the work I wanted to do and He was making me wait.  I don’t think wait was the word He was using but rather “teaching” or maybe even “preparing” but I was not just waiting. From the beginning I learned that God doesn’t waste time…His or ours. He uses every second to prepare us for what He is going to do. We all know that prayer and praise and even sorrow and suffering bring us closer to Him. When we are close to Him we can learn from Him exactly what it is HE needs us to know to serve Him. THEN, when He blesses us with the answer we can better appreciate it. We are also able to nurture and maintain it instead of receiving and moving on to the next request. I do believe that with every blessing we receive there is a use for it in the work we do for Him. Whether it be a testimony of the answer itself or some other function. His blessings are always useful to His plan. 

Back in November I got really disgusted with the way I looked. I decided I was going to do something about it but knew how weak I was when it came to this particular area. So I prayed for God’s help. Now, I won’t lie to you. I wanted to lose 80lbs and be in a size five in two weeks flat. HEY! God can do anything right? Puhleeeze. Nothing like asking amiss. Instead God sent a friend along with the weight loss patch and I tried it. Within weeks I started seeing results and for the first time in a LONG time, I was sticking to it.  Every time I felt weak or like going backwards I prayed; “Lord, please take my desire for chicken wings and French fries out of my taste buds”, don’t laugh…it worked. To date I have lost almost 60 lbs. So how did that help anyone else? Well, my friends started seeing results too and THEY tried it. It’s working for them also. One by one we’re getting PHYSICALLY healthy and at the same time spiritually healthy. I wanted to look really good for the summer but still a little gun-shy about going to a gym I asked the Lord to help. Enter the Divine sense of humor… The Lord sent a used Bow-Flex across our paths. 

“Your kidding me right?” I looked up to heaven and said.

Mike took our new exercise machine home and assembled it and even went out and bought me an “Ab Cruncher”, key word being “cruncher” and I am proud to say that I can squeeze four crunches at a time out now.  Needless to say, I kept staring this Bow-Flex down just biding my time before I began my work out regime. Mike jumped right in with both feet (Be sure to tell him how big his muscles are looking hehehe). Now you think a tread mill makes a good clothes hanger? YOU gotta see the bow-Flex in action! You hang your clothes on those little bow things and pull the handles really hard and whoosh! Air dried in no time at all!

Be careful what you ask for because you might just get it. Along with the Bow-Flex came a poster of a workout that if done three times each week for twenty minutes I will look like Marilyn Monroe in no time flat. The Lord answered my prayer with a sprinkling of humor but a way to do it. I just can’t wait to see Him in Heaven and enjoy that glorious sense of humor.

So in closing, let me just remind you that just because your waiting doesn’t mean God isn’t listening or that He isn’t going to respond. The wait is not in vain and He wants to teach you something that will help you and others enjoy and benefit from the blessing He IS going to give you whether it is what you asked for or better it will be nothing short of incredible when you get it and while you wait you can defeat the enemy at his own game by looking up and asking The Lord to teach you and prepare you for what He is about to do… the wait isn’t so bad when you endure it with His lesson.  Until next time… simply believe!