The Weight of Waiting

In many ways, we live in a society of instant gratification. We can use drive-throughs for food, banking, and med pickup. Even groceries can be called in and ready for us when we arrive.

I don’t know about you, but I’m thankful for cell phone instant communication, even if it takes 40 texts to cover a conversation that might have taken five minutes by phone. Of course, that’s if we didn’t have to wait for a return call after leaving a voicemail.

The weight of waiting affects us all. For me, waiting for a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment plan seemed pretty weighty. I had a year of treatments, and, thanks to God, they worked!

Twice I was a caregiver. Two and a half years for dad, and two years for my husband. Days dragged by for all of us. My waiting weight was lifted daily by Lamentations 3:22-24. Fresh NEW Godly mercies, what could be better?

I study the Book of Psalms quite often. Today, in Psalm 40, David poured out his heart to God from a miry pit of despair. Oozing mud bogs you down. 

David declared that God lifted him out of his emotional pit, steadied him, and gave him a new song (v. 1-3). We know it’s usually happy people that sing. I remember when I first got engaged and we were driving from California to Arizona to tell my family. While driving, my fiancé burst out in song about us, and it made me happy to know he was happy.

There is joy in trusting in the Lord and in doing His will (v. 4, 8). David declared this to be true because of God’s mercy shown by His unfailing love and faithfulness (v. 10-11).

God is as available to us as He was to David. The LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations (Psalm 100:5 BSB).

Like David, let’s trust in God and pour out our hearts to Him. With renewed hope, don’t be surprised to feel some relief from the weight of waiting.

*All Scriptures from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible (BSB), Published by Bible Hub, Pittsburg, PA, USA, Copyright 2022; Used by permission.

Pixabay Photo: Business Man, Men's Suit; gy geralt/GerdAltmann

  

God Answers Prayer

I grew up hearing about answers to prayer. Childhood prayers were unsatisfactory as I grew older, so I learned to pray from my heart. Later on, I also learned to turn scriptures into prayers, which to me was very satisfying.

I just completed a three-day writer's conference. One of our applied learning sessions included five prompts, or sentence starters, which we could use to create a short article. I thought I'd share mine with you:

     My wedding was a special day in my life. I remember it with joy because God answered my prayers for a Christian husband - - - someone who didn't just talk the talk, but walked the walk. God gave us fifty-two years together.
     Fifty of them were full of precious memories, even though our dreams of having a family never came true. The last two years were full of God's new mercies every morning as I became my husband's full-time caregiver.
     Besides physical challenges, he had Aphasia for the last six months. Since actor Bruce Willis has this condition, people are learning more about it. It is not caused by a stroke, but you cannot talk. We became adept at Yes/No questions and answers.
     I'm grateful to God for my Christian husband who walked the walk to the end of his life, even though he couldn't talk. The Bible says to "not be anxious about anything," but to pray about every situation. (Philippians 4:6 NIV) As a caregiver, I did this multiple times a day. 

      If you've ever wondered, does God answer prayer? My answer is yes, He does. This is just one example out of many in my life.

Prayer is talking to God. Be encouraged by these words of David, a man after God's own heart: The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalms 34:18 NIV)

An Everyday Promise

Life! What’s age got to do with it? Some people say, “Nothing.” Others say, “Everything.”

I tend to hang around the first group. Why? Because they’re the people who still want to engage with life---reading, thinking, questioning, being friendly, active, and outgoing.

In my mid-fifties, I was invited to head up a ministry for seniors aged sixty and up. At first, I felt very inadequate, but I found them to be very supportive

We enjoyed Sunday Bible class together, a once-a-month potluck with special entertainment, and outings now and then.   

These seniors were wonderful mentors. The majority were glad to have a group for their age, and new friendships were formed. But it wasn’t hard to understand those who said, “People aren’t friendly.” They were the ones who rarely came to the potlucks, and their response to Bible class was to come late and leave early.

The Bible is so true when it says if you want friends, you must show yourself friendly (Proverbs 18:24). Following that advice, I have made a very good friend this past year just by inviting her to lunch after weeks of noticing her sitting alone in church while I sat alone, too.

Perhaps I value friendship now because for 4 ½ years personal contacts were diminished. As a caregiver for my father, then my husband, I was rarely able to leave home, but the telephone was a refreshing option.

As life continues, I’ve been surprised at the number of friends who have called me because they are now caregivers. One of the ways I encourage them is to share some verses that kept me going.  

Every morning when I first awakened, I would say, “Thank you, Lord, for this new day and your new mercies. I’m counting on them” (Lamentations 3:22-25 (NIV). Take time to read it for yourself.

Those verses are still my everyday promise. That’s why I say, “Life! What’s age got to do with it?” 

Yes, I’m older, but I’m still me, and with God’s help I intend to keep on truckin’!

The Old and New

It finally arrived . . . the first day of the NEW year! I enjoyed a quiet day at home, receiving and sending greetings to friends and family, along with a little TV time.

When a friend mentioned watching the Rose Parade, I was shocked to realize I totally forgot to plan ahead for it this year! I’ve watched the Rose Parade in person or on TV every year since college. But I had a lovely relaxing day and my new year got off to a good start.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a diary as I moved a pile of books. I had written daily notes while caregiving for my husband, but after he died, I let them go. I've only been doing it again for a short while.

This morning I reached for my diary first, even before breakfast, and wrote SNOW DAY. I enjoy waking up and looking out my window. I saw snow, but it was a beautiful bright sunny day, so I hoped the snow would simply melt off my car like it had earlier this week.

My diary has one page per day, with a scripture verse at the bottom. Today’s verse was a pleasant surprise!

The faithful love of the LORD never ends.

His mercies never cease.

Great is His faithfulness;

His mercies begin afresh each morning. . .

The LORD is good to those who depend on Him,

To those who search for Him.

Lamentations 3:22, 23, 25 (NLT)

I read it again, then again. LOVE, MERCIES, FAITHFULNESS, GOODNESS . . . ancient words of hope from the Old Testament. What could be better for a Happy NEW Year?

The thing is, I had already found these blessings to be true daily.

As my husband’s caregiver, I would wake up, look out the window to greet the day, and say, “Thank you, Lord. I know Your mercies are new every morning, so I’m counting on Your help again today.”

Our Father in heaven is the one Who said, “Pray about everything.” From experience I can tell you, He’ll respond to you if you do.