Monday, March 27, 2017

The Waiting Times


In the spring of 2016, a visiting speaker ministered to me. I'd gone up to the altar because I wanted healing for a physical problem I'd had for years. After sharing I'd been losing height steadily, she looked me in the eye and declared, "No more lost inches, in Jesus' name."

As far as I was concerned, the issue was settled. Later, that year a bone density scan showed some improvement. While that might not seem like a big deal, it was to me because it was the first time in 10 years I'd seen any progress.

A couple of months later, a nurse measured my height during a routine doctor visit. She informed me I was 5' 6" tall - a half inch more than my last visit. (Before I started losing height, I was almost 5' 8".) Wow! I'm trusting God for total restoration.

I've been thinking a lot about small successes in my writing. You know, stuff like my first publishing credit (a devotional), my first check, the first 5-Star review on The Moses Conspiracy, which all gave me one of those "made-my-day moments."

Gratitude for each positive step forward keeps me persevering. They're markers on my writing journey, telling me I'm closer to my goal. I'm in another one of those waiting times with my next book. As I look back at what God has done over the past 13 years, my patience is strengthened and rooted in Him.

Writers:  What are some of the things that help you through the waiting times?

Readers:  When it seems like your hopes and dreams are still so far off, how do you stay the course?

Photo Credit:  Jiratchaya Siripoonya

3 comments:

quietspirit said...

Whenever I receive a comment on an entry in my blog, it lifts my spirits. When I receive a five-star rating on my column or a large number of views, I feel better. Because of the narrow niche, I write in, I have not been able to venture very far in getting published.

Linda O'Connell said...

My deep-rooted belief is that what is meant to be will be, and as much as I wish I were in charge, I know I am not, so I turn it over to God. His answers are not always, "Yes." Of course it can be discouraging to receive a rejection and especially not to not receive a response at all from an editor. But I am persistent. Wishing you all the best.

Ruth Schiffmann said...

I'm in a waiting time right now as well, and for some reason it is particularly excruciating. The thing that keeps me going is the fact that I love to write. Even if I never get a book published, I'll continue to write. I can't imagine it any other way. Oh, but I do hope that someday ...