Hurry Up and Wait!!

     When you finally make a decision to change or do something new, timing is everything. Even if it took years to finally take the first step, once a decision has been made we feel we must move quickly as if we are trying to make up for lost time. We have our own ideas of how things should happen and how long it should take, and when life misses our deadlines or falls short of our expectations, we get impatient and non complacent. A big transition or life choice is new and exciting and at the time we are motivated to make change happen. We are all in and nothing can stop us. That is until we hit the slightest road block or resistance. What then?
     We did it! We took the first step and sent in our paperwork to become licensed foster parents. I mailed the large manilla envelope on a Monday. In my mind I calculated how long it would take to reach it's destination and added a few days to get into the right hands. I was expecting a call or an email by the next week, but that didn't happen. It was three weeks before I heard anything and then I got a call. They wanted to set up our discovery home visit. Finally we were moving. We set up our visit for two weeks from that day. (Let's be honest here. I needed a little time to get things organized. I needed to deep clean, you know the places that you never show anyone. The hidden places where you put everything that doesn't have a place.) I wanted things to be perfect. At least as perfect and clean as it can be while having six people living in your house. For the next two weeks, I cleaned out closets, threw things away and organized the things we needed to keep. We moved furniture and rearranged bedrooms. We made plans. 
     The discovery visit came and went. We filled out more papers, answered a lot of questions, walked through our home and even got fingerprinted. I thought it went well. We were more informed and still going forward with this. We were excited and still very motivated, but now had more to think about. Things were going great. Once again I thought we would hear about the next step within the next week or so, but it was three weeks before we received an email with information we had been waiting for. It was time to get registered for our 10 weeks of training classes. The email came on December 22nd and as I read through it, my heart was undeniably disappointed. I was hoping to start classes in January and that wasn't an option. Instead, the first class available to us didn't start until March and the days of those classes would not work for our family.
     I admit I was frustrated at the long wait to begin what God had called us to.   You see I had planned it all out and now things were not moving at my desired pace. The need is great and here I am waiting months for my classes to begin. If I am completely honest I starting thinking about the changes that should be made in the system. (Like I have a clue how to do this.) This is when God once again dropped something into my heart . . . you need to wait! I need more time to get you ready. I need to clean you out and organize some things in your life. I need to reach the places of your life that you never show anyone. I need to deep clean those hidden places. I need to rearrange your priorities, thoughts and attitudes. I have plans!!
     And He does. He has plans and they are not mine. I do not always understand them but I do trust them. He knows who needs our family and He knows who needs our love. He knows what we can handle and His timing is perfect! So in the middle of your big changes or transitions, trust Him. He knows what He is doing. Maybe He still needs to work on you. Maybe it is just not the right time, or maybe He is telling you to simply wait.

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"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. 
In all your ways submit to Him and he will make your paths straight.
​Proverbs 3:5-6

​Being confident of this that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
​Philippians 1:6