Graceful Women: Waiting
I'm excited to start this new series today, my friends!
If you've followed me for a while now, you'll recall that I began a special project about a year and a half ago: Graceful Magazine; a dream (since girlhood) in my heart -- to create, edit, and publish a magazine for women, to inspire them to live abundantly in grace. I announced the project and it was met with so much excitement and encouragement from you ladies, and some of the best, brightest, most incredible women I know created wonderful content for the magazine. And I began working to put it all together. I received so many emails of submissions. The magazine's heart was beautiful and full of inspiration and art, of all kinds. And yet, because of the season I found myself in -- new and beautiful mamahood, as well as journeying knee-deep through some personal struggles with anxiety and some postpartum physical and emotional issues, I knew it was right and best for me to set the magazine aside and focus fully on my sweet baby and husband, and getting healthy, as well as some other responsibilities. Knowing my heart and calling, acknowledging my season, staying in my lane... it was right to set it aside, despite some disappointment (from myself and others) as I set it aside. Hopefully, some day, Graceful Magazine will come to fruition (in print or online) but until that day comes, my heart is moved to start this series that reflects and is an "heart" of Graceful, a piece online that will shed light and breathe life into the lives of you ladies and give a platform and voice to you wise, wonderful women as we share all kinds of creativity, stories, brokenness, redemption, and lots of topics.
My hope is that this weekly (and depending on scheduling, sometimes bi-weekly) series will hold richness, and be a life-giving place that breeds wholeness, healing, community, honest sharing, vulnerable story telling, and joy to bloom and blossom here in this little space. I will be posting some of the content I'd gathered for Issue One, starting with this wonderful piece from a precious longtime "blog friend" of mine, Nadine!
I will be taking submissions for content soon so keep an eye open for information on that, I would love to feature your beautiful hearts!
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By Nadine Schroeder
The scriptures are filled with people who were given a word by God. Usually the word included them putting their faith in what God was telling them to do and living it out without knowing specific details. Like a watchman waiting for the morning (Psalm 130:6), keeping their eyes on the horizon for the promise, trusting that at the right time God would bring to fruition what He had said He would do, they would faithfully stay in the spot He had told them to stand.
What word has God spoken over you? Where has God told you to stand until it comes to fruition?
Noah has one of those stories: he was told a word, did what God said, and then waited patiently on the Lord. See Genesis 6-9 for the whole story.
After the forty-day flood, Noah did not immediately seek to leave the boat. He and his people (and all the animals) sat on the boat for another 150 days, waiting for the waters to subside. 190 days after hopping on the boat, Noah opened a window to check if it was time to leave. He sent out a raven (it came back), and then the next day he sent out a dove (it came back), and then he waited. Seven days later, he sent the dove out again and when she came back with an olive leaf proving that the waters had subsided. Noah then waited another seven days, sent the dove out again and she didn’t come back.
Let’s latch onto that glorious detail: After peace had been brought to him, Noah waited even longer. He waited not simply for the rain to stop, the boat to settle, or the waters to subside. He waited even longer. The dove and the olive leaf are both symbol of peaces. The dove brought a sign of peace to Noah and then eventually flew away and did not return, showing Noah that peace was available away from the boat. Finally, the promise of safety had come to fruition.
God had told Noah specifically that there would be rain for 40 days. Noah didn’t know the specifics of the 150 plus days. He knew that God would protect his family and all the animals but he did not know when things would come to pass.
Noah waited upon the Lord until it was the right time. But how did he know? He knew because he was a righteous man who walked with God (Genesis 6:9). Noah constantly communicated with God, so it is of no surprise that he knew when to leave the boat.
We see this in the life of Christ as well. Jesus knew what to do and when to do it because He was in constant communication with His Father.
Friends. We can know what to do and when to do it not because we are super smart or extra spiritual, but because we have a God whose word is true. Jesus has given us access to God.
Even if we do not know the times and places in which God will do things, we hope in the unseen, with a hope that will one day find its factuality in the Lord when we meet Him.
What are you waiting on? What has God has spoken to you? Have you lost the faith because the timeline you expected is looking different? Today, ask the Lord for fresh belief in the fact that no word that He has said will ever fail (Luke 1).
Ask the Lord for a sign of peace at the proper time; I believe God will speak to you. Be strong and take courage. Wait for the Lord!
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About the Writer:
Nadine Schroeder studies English Literature in Montreal, Canada. Passionate about the freedom Jesus offers, she loves to look gals in the eye and remind them of who God has called them to be. She has written for Off The Page, iBelieve, She Reads Truth, and Focus Famille. You can follow her @nadinewouldsay and read her personal writing at nadinewouldsay.com.
