Wait Trials

Romans 4:20 ...yet with the respect to the promise of God, he (Abraham) did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God. 



I work with special needs, high school age kiddos.  A very challenging job requiring a lot of patience and understanding, one needs love and hope as well. The hope is not so much for a "cure," but more in the idea that we all can attain a better understanding of how to help one another get to a goal, no matter how ridiculous or trivial it may seem to the "normal" world.

This week, I was instructed in my relationship with one kiddo in particular to implement a "wait trial."

This intervention involves data gathering during implementation of an exercise. I chart success and failures. The goal: to encourage the student to learn to wait for a perceived reward, an award he will get, because he waited. It involves a timer (on my phone) and the reward--one single M&M at a time, for ten tries. The waiting time will increase day to day, trial to trail, week by week. The goal for success is 80%.

For someone on the autism spectrum, the need for sensory stimulation is immediate and can result in some difficult behavior if not satisfied.

Yes, a bigger goal in mind concerning another complicated behavior warrants the baby steps taken with this beginning wait trial. After the statistics calculate out and success is apparent, we'll try the waiting and reward system for other behaviors.

It's so hard to wait for things, right?

We pray. We pace, We pray again. We go ahead of God. We get frustrated. We may exhibit behaviors not so appropriate for a "faithful follower."

What if God gave us a "wait trial?"

I think He does. The rewards are all the little blessings we receive in the waiting. Some are tangible, some are in His Word. Some are in the very thing we are waiting for, sparks of hope, good data to remind us that God is listening and that His timing is perfect.

Is our goal only at 80% of the time, maybe, I will be faithful? I will wait?

God loves when we give our all, yet He knows we are incapable of 100%. That's why Jesus came, to give us the grace when waiting seems impossible.

In our own waiting trial, we grow, we gain strength for the next possible bigger waiting trial ahead.

God's therapy for our hearts and minds may seem ridiculous for those who do not understand the goodness of the Lord, His perfect will. Patience, endurance, seeking the right way instead of the popular way, worship and fellowship in Him are all things that encourage us in our own "wait trials."

The only difference? God's wait trials, in our daily walk with Him,  do not keep track of those times we are not successful. Christ died on the Cross for all our checked boxes of failures. He wiped any data sheet we may think He keeps, clean, like we never messed up!

Lord, I am thinking about the things I am waiting for. I know you give me many "wait trials" in order to get to the bigger goal. Thank you for all the sweet blessings, the little rewards for my faithfulness in the waiting. (Is any reward from God little?) Sharing these amazing and sometimes supernatural messages comes natural to me, Lord. Thank You for allowing me this gift. Sometimes, though, in my stubbornness and impatience, I  have to wait longer. Lord, I know Your grace. You always say "try again, something awesome awaits--keep at it, keep pressing on, trust Me." Your answers and orchestrations of my desires are worth the wait. Thank You for loving us so much that You teach us to wait on You, so that we can see and share Your glory. Help me Lord in my own wavering days, honor me in my successes if it be Your will,  Amen.

Share Your M&Ms. I like the green ones. ☺

Help Wanted, Help Received, Every Day

Psalm 121:1-2 "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

It is almost here! We're on the final approach. Crossing the "t"s and dotting the "i"s,  having conversations, testing, cleaning up, stopping and starting, scheduling, seeing this doc and that P.A., this nurse and that other doc. Questions asked and answered and papers documented, going over the dos and don'ts before, preparing and...PRAYING! 





This date of his full knee-replacement is just around the corner. God, our Helper, knows the plan, and guides us to continue in the everyday while we wait and move forward. He showed us the way while some major things were dealt with. In the waiting, the right doctor came back from a leave of absence, and the date given? Just a few days into summer break, when school is out and I am home. God orchestrated all this. In our waiting and obedience, He lined up the ducks all in a row and they are moving swiftly now up a stream of anticipation of healing and hope. 

Where does our help come from? My help comes from the Lord. Your Will, not mine, for Your glory. 

~~~

A wonderful conference came together with volunteers and church staff support. I doubted my abilities, but never God's. I gave it to Him, dedicating the day to my mentor and dear friend and prayed for our purpose. Placing the day at His feet, my eyes gazed upon the beauty of my garden and knew from seeds planted and deep roots, My Helper never fails me. He knows my weaknesses and in them He is glorified. 

Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord. You are a Mighty God!

A gathering family, ready to celebrate and regroup--love one another, but news breaks--a difficult situation. Not the expected, yet even in the next few hours, God's indwelling Spirit gives grace, spoken in gentle words and support, unity and hope. Yes, the processing happens but God, already at work, places the right people before and after reassuring in the pain and confusion. He rises above and His magnificence shines and we KNOW because He does a mighty work in us everyday! A vacancy appears and only One can best fill it. The Spirit lifts eyes and hearts and hears the prayers. In this Lord, You will be glorified. In this, we thank You. 

Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord. Great and gracious are You, Lord. 

Lord, everyday our own little world brings challenges. Everyday, I look to You, to trust that You are much bigger, omniscient and omnipresent just for me and my circumstances.   Every day Lord, growing closer to You sometimes comes in waiting. Everyday Lord, I need a Helper. Everyday Lord, Your promises guide every step in the waiting, revealed in the doing and glorified in the giving over. You Lord, are the Maker of Heaven and Earth! You know the future and in that I lift my eyes, trust You and keep praying for Your wisdom and strength. I am living in a broken world...I am broken, yet You see me blessed as I strive and call on Your Name, hire You as my Helper, wait on Your answers, feel Your Winds of direction and encourage others waiting and hoping as I am, together, believing that You make all things good in Your perfect timing. Thank You Lord for being our Helper, then and now and always. Amen. 

                          

Praise You in the Storm

Casting Crowns 

No Longer

II Corinthians 5: 15 "...and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose again on their behalf." 

We sort of went the wrong way home from Chino Hills tonight, a little longer loop around the city. 

"That's OK, my husband says. We'll drive by the church and say hi!" 

It's Friday night. No one is there. 

We skirt around Peyton from Chino Hills Pkwy. and the property is dark. 

But Ted doesn't miss the opportunity. 





"Hi CVCC. See you on Sunday!"

I just smile and feel the blessing for a time existed when seeing or even stepping inside the church only happened for him on Easter and Christmas, maybe an Awana event. 

No longer.  






I liked reading poetry, great multi-chaptered novels and dabbled in my own rhymes, my own stories. I always took great notes. I kept a journal now and then.  Sometimes, my words spoke back to me and I felt God. 

No one will get this stuff. It's too personal. Maybe I'm just a crazy dreamer. 

"That's OK, the Lord says. Trust me and I'll do wonders."

I type out a few things, create a blog or two and I hit send. I enter a room in a library with other "aspiring writers" opening journals and sharing. I witness an amazing  community with other  "crazy dreamers" and God sits right in the center. 

I just smile and feel a blessing for a time existed when my heart felt heavy and my words messy, tripping along a very uncertain path. 

No longer.  

NO LONGER!   

Thank you Lord for Your Resurrection and mine.  You are NO LONGER dead, but alive in me and through me. Never did You hold anything from me. Your sovereign plan allowed for times when I waited, I prayed, to find hope, and began to trust--a process of story, building up a faith and long-lasting joy in the outcome. No longer do I wonder if You are active in my life for You show Yourself everyday. Thank You, that I know that all things work together for Your glory. You Lord,  turn those "how much longer God?" moments into praises of glory, no longer doubting in Your plan. Help me to keep at it, no longer drifting as if unanchored. Show me everyday the way to press into Your plan in every thought and deed. Amen.  


Reflection for your journal: What is your "no longer?" praise to the Lord.  

Comments and sharing is encouraged.  Thank you.