Is it Your Time?

One of my favorite Scriptures is Habakkuk 2:2-3, which says, "Write the vision and engrave it plainly upon tablets, so that everyone who passes may read as he hastens by. For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait for it, because, for it will surely come; it will not be behind on its appointed day."

I have been dreaming of singing (and writing) professionally for many, many years...and yes, I have written it on paper and posted it on my wall at times! I've spent a large portion of my life with these gifts stirring up my heart. All my life, every time I attend a concert, I want to be up on the stage singing my heart out...not sitting in the audience. I leave every single show with a restlessness in my heart. An unfulfilled desire.

For the past couple of years, the Lord has been leading me on what I consider a pretty wild ride with my music. I probably haven't seen anything just yet, though.

This year, though, it seems He is opening some even larger doors - the kind that I thought I would only dream of (from a distance) in my lifetime. Now, I am approaching some of those doors and I am "tripping out" emotionally (inside) over what this all means. I'm so grateful that Jesus is a wonderful counselor (Isaiah 9:6) so I can discuss all these thoughts, feelings, and anxieties in depth with Him.

What it boils down to is that I feel incredibly undeserving of living out my dreams. Because of His light shining in and on my life, I can see how jacked up and cracked up I really am and how desperately I need His grace throughout each and every day. And so, I find myself questioning why I would even have the slightest opportunity to live out my dreams. The fulfillment of dreams is only for perfect people who have it all together, right?!?!?

On my walk today, I felt Him speak to my spirit. He said, "Angi, you're a work-in-progress. You always will be. If I wait another year (or longer) to open these doors for you, you will still be a work-in-progress, just with different issues and struggles then. Likewise, if I had created these opportunities for you a year ago (or earlier than that), you were still imperfect and undeserving at that time for other reasons. It is not about you; it is about My grace and My timing."

Wow. That amazing grace thing is really difficult to comprehend. He also reminded me today of Isaiah 64:6, which says that even our righteous acts are like filthy rags in His eyes. So, even if I "thought" I was deserving and had it together, I would still be terribly wrong.

I'm learning to not only be excited about the new doors He opens, but to go through them while I leave the results in His hands. It's not easy, but that's because I'm nothing more than a work-in-progress.

Is it your time to make a major move toward your destiny? In the words of Nike, just do it!!

Double for your Trouble

Walking is one of my favorite physical activities. I have a route in my neighborhood I've been taking for about four years. With this weekend's milder weather, I was able to get outside again after several months spent (inside) on the treadmill at the office.

As many of you know, I collect aluminum cans. At this point, any money earned from the collection of these cans is to go to Joyce Meyer Ministries, per direct instructions I got from God one day a few months ago. But it's deeper than that; the Lord has taught or reminded me of so many spiritual principles through the simple act of picking up other people's soda, juice, and beer cans. (Proof that He exists even in the simple things!)

Today, I found about ten cans on my route. It was windy out there, though, and a powerful gust came after me, flipped my bag out of my hand and caused most of the cans to fall out of the bag. Two of them were quickly blown away by the gust, so fast that I could not walk briskly enough to catch them. They were out of my sight in no time flat.

I was frustrated because I know - from a spiritual standpoint - that each can I collect represents a life that the Lord desires to recycle. But the harsh reality of this incident was that I will sometimes miss opportunities with people or let them slip out of my hands. In this case, it wasn't my fault; the wind carried them away.

I immediately began to believe that God would allow me to find two more on the way back home. Much to my amazement, I found four. He then reminded me of Isaiah 61:7, which says, "Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours." When you belong to the Lord Jesus, and you have suffered, He will give you double for your trouble. I lost two cans, but He returned four to me. Wow.

I don't know what you're going through today, but we all suffer in different ways and in different phases of our lives. I'm grateful to the Lord for using the recycling experience He's blessed me with to share this Word from Him!!

Jesus rocks!!

Taking a time-out

Hi everyone!

Well, I certainly intended to blog on a regular basis months ago, but life has a way of keeping us busy.

I finished the book in December and submitted it to a publishing contest. I will know the results of that contest on March 31. I can't wait!

As soon as I completed the book, the Lord launched us into major overtime at the office, so I have been working lots of extra hours since the first of the year.

The Lord is also beginning to open some very large doors in 2012: the types of opportunities I have only dreamed of. I am excited, and will keep you posted as these events take place. Sort of keeping a lid on it for now.

I hope all is well with each of you and I will begin writing on a regular basis again if/when time allows me to do it....

And don't forget.....Jesus rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!