Guest Post: The Unexpected Journey Part 2

Her 13-month-old daughter refused to eat any solid foods and was not growing.

For all moms, this statement takes our breath away.  But this is exactly where Cindy found herself two months ago.  Did you read her story?   Today Cindy is returning to update us on her Unexpected Journey.

To make a long story short, something “clicked” for my baby girl.

Somewhere between writing my last post and her first therapy session, Little H started eating food and drinking milk from a cup.  It wasn’t anything in particular that we did, she just started eating without gagging or throwing up.  Now at 15 months, she eats almost anything for snack and mealtime.

Such a huge answer to prayer.  Yet, I find myself unsure where this leaves me.

I had mentally prepared myself for months and months of struggle.  I envisioned God using Little H’s refusal to eat and the uphill climb we had before us to encourage other moms facing unexpected challenges.  I felt I was part of a club that no one chooses to be in, but through the experience I could find some common ground and encourage others along the way.

While there are still gross motor and speech developmental hurdles ahead, I never expected Little H to progress so quickly.   Don’t get me wrong.  I am not complaining.  This is just not the road I anticipated God had me on.  I thought I had figured out God’s plan.

Isn’t that the way it goes sometimes? Just when I think I’ve got a handle on things, the situation changes.

As I shared in the last post, I felt God telling me to pause and be still through the waiting.  I did my best to prepare my heart, trusting that God was preparing something for me once this passed.

To my surprise, the waiting period was much shorter than I anticipated.

Recently I was given an opportunity to use my gifts in our church for an upcoming event. As only God would do, the gifts I’m being asked to use are some that I have spent a lot of time studying about, praying over, and preparing for in my time of waiting.

There were several times when I wanted to dive in, head first before God gave His “yes.”  Now that God has allowed Little H to develop more quickly than I thought she would, I am ready to give my “best yes” to this event knowing that God prepared me in the waiting.

I don’t know what my future holds, but I know Who holds it.  I know that within churchy circles, that sounds cliché, but it’s true.

My encouragement to you is if you are still waiting, then wait expectantly knowing that God is preparing something for you. It may be something within your wait for you to encourage others or be honest with those around you about your struggle.  He may be preparing you for a specific task when your wait is over.  Trust Him and the future He holds.

In my case, I think God has prepared this event for me to use the things He has taught me in my wait.  But I know He is not finished preparing me for His work.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

–Cindy

Are you in a waiting place?

If you read my Facebook post a few days ago you know I am waiting for clear direction from God.  Many of you commented that you are too!  While the length of waiting will vary, just as Cindy shared, we can wait expectantly.

I love these verses that a friend from Isaiah 40:28-31 (NKJV) shared in the comments of my post.

Have you not known?  Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

 The joy in the journey comes when we learn to blossom no matter where God has us.  And this makes the waiting worthwhile.

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