For more than three decades, I have been privileged to speak God’s Word all over this country. Speaking at conferences and churches is something I truly consider an honor. I have met thousands of pastors, leaders, and people of God. Thanks be to God for that privilege!

Some time back, I was speaking at a conference, and a nice basket of goodies was left in my room. Leaders usually put more items in those baskets than I could ever dream of eating. Neither my lips nor my hips could dare to consume that much in a couple of days!

Most often, the baskets and containers holding those goodies are quite nice, so I usually bring the containers home with me. Occasionally the size of the container prohibits that. If it does not fit in my luggage, it will stay behind. Carrying a basket through security is just too inconvenient.

As I looked at the basket in my hotel room, I immediately noticed that it had many flaws in the weaving. Instead of concentrating on what the basket contained, my eyes kept seeing the flaws. Rather than appreciate the goodness inside the container, I could only see its flaws.

How many times have we missed the goodness that God sent our way because we did not like the container? Ouch on me!

First Kings seventeen gives us the story of Elijah in hiding by the Brook Cherith. God has sent him there. At God’s direction, Elijah has prophesied that there would be a famine and drought in the land for the next three years. God then directed Elijah to go and hide in the region of Kerith Ravine, and there God would supply water from the brook and food would fly in on ravens. Elijah had divine supply flying his way!

Imagine if Elijah looked at the ravens who served his food, and Elijah said, “I am not eating that from a dark bird. I want a nice white dove to bring me my food. Better yet, send angels with a platter of food.” Elijah could have missed what God was providing because the vessel was not what he would have chosen.

Here is a truth: God did not tell him to eat the bird. He told him to eat the food that the bird brought. SELAH.

October is pastor appreciation month. Being a pastor is a wonderful calling from God, yet with it comes trying times. Most, I mean ALL, pastors have flaws. Unfortunately, we see the bad examples written in articles or displayed on nightly newscasts. I am talking about those who live immoral lives and often bilk the people for all they can. Those who live this way will be judged by God now or later.

Though high-profile misconduct and toxic leadership can be found, the vast majority of pastors live and minister faithfully while living on modest incomes. The news outlets are not running stories about those pastors!

Pastors are a gift to the body. Often, God is sending us words and blessings through our pastor. It is so easy to get into a pattern of concentrating on the flaws of the pastor and totally miss the content God is bringing.

That day in that hotel room at that conference, God got my attention. “Stop staring at the flaws of the container. Instead, receive the goodness it brings. Appreciate the gifts in the basket.”

“Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.” – Hebrews 13:7 NLT

Just three weeks ago, I reached a milestone in my life. I turned seventy-five years old. That cannot possibly be true! No way this young woman can be seventy-five years old, three quarters of a century. My brain feels young and vibrant, yet as I stare into the mirror, the white-haired woman who earned lots of wrinkles along the way, reveals the truth.

What a privilege it is to be given seventy-five years of life! So many never have that privilege. My son Bryan was only given half of the seventy-five years with which I have been blessed. If you have been given another day, raise those hands to the giver of life and offer thanks to Him.

As I have gotten older, a habit I developed many years ago has helped me tremendously. I lift weights at least three times per week. I never enjoy it – as in NEVER, but I know it keeps my body strong. Many people express hating “leg” day. Not me, I highly dislike arm and upper body day, but strength comes in the “weighting.”  There is not a lot of joy in the “weighting.”  Weight training is part of my life that I dislike but press through anyway.

Wait training is a part of the Christian life. It simply is. We do not have to like it, but we must learn to press through it.

After many decades of walking with God, I have learned a few things about waiting. Here are some of them.

• Trust the word of God and the God of the word. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.” – Psalm 34:17 NKJV. God has as plan even as I wait. When it comes to His people, Jesus is always busy but not necessarily in a hurry.

• Trust in the Lord and not our own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 teaches us to lean on the Lord even when we cannot figure things out. Expect God to answer but be prepared for answers that might be different from what God does.

• Be courageous while waiting. Sometimes while waiting, fear takes over my mind and brings his friends anxiety and fretfulness. As believers let’s stand in courage that God is with us. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 NIV

• Give God time to work. Do not run ahead of Him. “Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!” – Psalm 106:13. I know a woman who by age thirty had not married. She really wanted to be married. She married a man because he proposed, knowing she did not love him. The marriage ended in a lot of bitterness and anger. I could write many paragraphs about situations where I and others simply left the waiting room to work it out without God.  Not wise!

• Remain faithful to God. While discouraged, I have seen too many walk away because things were not working out as they envisioned. God was taking too long or doing it wrong. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23 NKJV

Wait training is not something I enjoy. I want God to move right now. I am three-quarters of a century old, and I have learned that I must focus on God’s trustworthiness, and not on my desired result and timing. I never like waiting, but I can testify it has brought strength to my Christian walk.

“The ability to calm your soul and wait before God is one of the most difficult things in the Christian life. Our old nature is restless…the world around us is frantically in a hurry. But a restless heart usually leads to a reckless life.” – Warren Wiersbe

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope.” – Psalm 130:5 NKJV

Several years ago, our son gave us an Amazon Alexa. Our first thought was what do we do with this thing? Our son proceeded to show us the many uses. Let’s just say many uses do not happen in this home! We use Alexa to turn the living room lights on and off, get the weather report, time the clothes in the dryer, and play worship music. That is about it for us where Alexa is concerned!

Alexa is voice activated, and she will listen to anyone’s voice! Anyone’s voice! If we have a movie playing and one of the characters is named Alexa, our Amazon Alexa will activate every time the character’s name is mentioned. Our grandchildren love to ask her a million questions, and they love to give her math problems. Some of their questions go like this, “Alexa, what is one million times four hundred minus sixty-three plus one hundred thousand?”

Even though I own Alexa, she is persuaded by other voices.

In my daily life, I sometimes feel like Alexa. The world’s voices have grown incredibly loud. There are so many voices trying to tell me what is true and what I should believe. People try to persuade me to stray from Truth. Hundreds of voices on social media, television, and the printed word are all calling out to me. All these voices try to persuade me toward what they call truth.

In our world today, it can be difficult to discern the voice of truth. Some voices are quite persuasive in declaring truth, their truth. With so many voices calling our names, it can be hard to hear the voice of the One who owns us.

Often, the loud voice draws my attention, but the loud voice is not necessarily the right voice. Amid the loudness, I must be still and know He is God. One thing I have learned as I have journeyed with God is that I must be still and listen for His voice. We all need to slow down, sip a cup of something, and sit with God.

Thank God for good friends whose voices encourage us and give us advice. Thank God for the voice of those who teach us His word. Thank God for the melodic voice of worship songs. All these voices are good. Yet, they will never replace hearing the voice of God.

God longs for us to get quiet with Him. He still says, “Be still and know that I am God.” He invites us to step out of the frantic pace of life and its chaos and still ourselves before Him. He invites us to remember Who is in charge. Be still and listen.

“Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. – Psalm 46:10-11 NLT

I often find myself listening to the song “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me.

I can only imagine, What it will be like
When I walk, by your side
I can only imagine what my eyes will see
When your face is before me
I can only imagine, I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory, What will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus, Or in awe of You be still
Will I stand in your presence, Or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, Will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine, I can only imagine.

Several years ago, I went to pick up my grandson from therapy. Joseph’s mom told him that Grammy would be picking him up, and he would be spending the night with Papa and Grammy. Joseph understood that first he had to complete his work, then Grammy would come. Joseph was enthusiastically waiting for the moment I arrived to get him. In fact, he told the therapist several times that Grammy was coming. There was never a doubt in Joseph’s mind that Grammy was coming!

As I entered the therapist’s office, the timing was perfect! Joseph was walking towards the waiting room. A gate separated the hall and the waiting room. As Joseph stepped into the hall and saw my face, his joy was uncontainable. He leaped down the hall. He laughed with glee. His leap of joy was so high, I thought he was going to jump over the gate. When he got to me, he took my hand and said, “I want to go to Grammy’s house.” (Really, it was Papa he could not wait to see.)

Joseph’s work was over, and it was time to go be with the one he loved.

Immediately, and I do mean immediately, I saw picture of what it will be like the day I finish my assignment here on earth. I shall walk down the hallway from earth to heaven. I see myself leaping, laughing, and taking the hand of Jesus, and walking into His house to live forever. I can only imagine!

Child of God, it is so easy to get caught up in the temporal, forgetting that this is not our final home. We will change addresses one day, and it will be our final address! Those who have accepted Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, will live forever with Him in heaven.

I cannot get the visual of my grandson Joseph out of my head, nor do I want to get it out of my head! Will I leap high when I see Jesus? Will I dance and laugh as I see the One I love? Will I break into tears as I see His face, and thank Him for taking a life full of sorrow, and filling it with joy? Will I kneel and wash his feet with tears of gratitude? Will I simply stand in silence as I stand in awe of the Son of God?

I can only imagine!