(This is an unscripted devotional sharing the story of a 7 year miracle in the making.)

Story of the Prodigal – Luke 15: 11-24

Waited for 4 years – began to run out of hope – tried in desperation to do it my way – to regain control – to force, manipulate

Story of Waiting – John 5: 2-9

38 years, but he still showed up there. He still had someone carry him there that day to await for the healing that still hadn’t come.

God asked me for 30 years. Would I still trust him if it took 30 years for my daughter to come home? Would I choose joy over misery while waiting for 30 years?

The moment I intentionally chose joy even if it took 30 years, I was given the gift of PEACE. Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

Although God asked me for 30 years, HE DID IT IN SEVEN!!!!!!!

The wedding – the party – the perfect peace!

Here’s what I have learned:

• 1. In the wait, you have a choice – choose faith and joy. Misery does not honor God.
Psalm 42:11, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God!”

• 2. There’s power in your thoughts. KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS FIXED ON GOD and HIS PROMISES.
Again, Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

• 3. You can’t always make it better, but you can make it worse – DON’T MAKE IT WORSE.

• 4. Do everything in LOVE. If you can’t do it in love, don’t do it.

• 5. Stop trying to save them from their testimony. Let God do his work in their lives.

• 6. God is faithful beyond measure and his promises will stand through it all.
(God had made promises to the Israelites of a future home of bountiful provision and blessings. A land he would make their own after hundreds of years of slavery in Egypt. Although the Israelites got lost along the way, wandered and wavered, God brought them to the land he promised.

Joshua 21:43-45, “So the Lord gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies. NOT A SINGLE ONE OF ALL THE GOOD PROMISES THE LORD HAD GIVEN TO THE FAMILY OF ISRAEL WAS LEFT UNFULFILLED; EVERYTHING HE HAD SPOKE CAME TRUE.”

• 7. Drop your expectations of perfection and trust God’s eternal plan.
Every single thing I “wished” wouldn’t happen actually happened and then God used it all for good.

I wished there wouldn’t be drugs or addiction involved. Then there was. God worked with that.
I wished there wouldn’t be a baby. Then there was. God worked with that.
I wished it wouldn’t get worse before it got better. Then it got worse. God worked with that.

If you’re so busy with expectations of what you think it’s supposed to look like, you may miss the full blessing of God’s best plans.

Proverbs 19:21, “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”

Isaiah 55:8 the Lord says, “My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”
JUST TRUST HIM – HIS PLAN – HIS TIMING – HIS WAYS!

You know what I realize now … God wasn’t just working on my daughter, HE WAS WORKING ON ME! I had so much to learn and so far to grow. I can honestly say today I’m better because of the long hard wait. I know how to pray. I know how to trust. I know how to seek. I know how to love. I know how to wait. I know how to live in peace. I know how to choose joy.

If God pulled off a 7 year miracle for my family, he can pull off a 7 year miracle for your family! If I could find peace and joy in the wait, my friend, so can you! If God can receive glory in my story, then he can receive glory in your story.

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