I've spent the last few days with hundreds of authors, book editors, agents, and bookstore owners. I'm sure I'm leaving out one or twelve other titles from the book industry, but you get my point… right?
I met incredible fiction writer.
Spent some time with an amazing singer songwriter/ author/ speaker (this girl does it ALL! )
Laughed with a National Sales director (for a publishing house).
Had dinner with a publicist who could easily be my next best friend.
Joked, chatted and giggled with a New York Times Bestseller.
I could see my What's Next in all of them.
I wanted to write songs, sell books, handle promotions, and pen the next New York Times bestseller.
But that's not my What's Next.
What is my What's Next? I'm not sure, but God knows.
Will I write another book? I hope so. Will I do more comedy? I hope so.
My natural inclination is to run to the What's Next. It's to pick out what I WANT and make it happen. I like to KNOW where I'm going, but when I KNOW I just move, I don't pray.
This place of not knowing is a HUGE blessing. I'm standing here looking at all the options. People are telling me to go this way or head that way.
But I'm waiting on God. I need Him to open the door to What's Next. I need Him to light the path and I can walk forward.
I've run ahead of the What's Next. I didn't wait on God to light my way. After all, my path made sense. It was logical. I understood the way, at least I thought I did. I ran into the dark. I fell. It hurt. And I don't want to do that again.
These days I'm waiting. Not so patiently, but I'm waiting. And I'm hanging on to Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
God will show me What's Next in His time. For now, I'm walking in today — and today I know I LOVE Jesus and want so much to do His will. And that's all I need to know …. today.
Oh. my. Mary, were you listening into my prayer this morning? This sounds like what poured forth as I rushed through chores to get to the next thing… My heart knows that your words express how I run ahead in life things and don’t pray. But I’ve stopped too this summer. It’s not so easy to stay and watch with expectation; I’m glad for a sister-in-waiting.
Let’s walk this NEXT thing out together! Love you sister!!
Right there with you, Mary. Thanks for the encouragement!
Sweet girl! Hold on… God has this!
I’m smelling what you are stepping in…as we say in Georgia. I know that ‘waitin’ feeling.
We are sisters in the waiting!! But God is good!
I soooooo am right with you right now! I am in the waiting period!
We need to have a waiting PARTY!!!
You cannot imagine how much I can identify with this post…packing to move, not packing to move, packing to move, not packing to move. Back into waiting mode….Lord, can we just have a firm answer and GO with it????? LOL!
Mary, this is a beautiful post! The promise. The excitement that comes from following His will…I can so feel it in your words. I can’t wait to see where He takes you…and hopefully a bunch of us traveling with you in some sort of vehicle as that sounds like crazy fun. I imagine it as a She Speaks On the Road!
Thanks for sharing this post last week on Teagan’s Travels Destination: Inspiration. The linky party is up for this week and I hope you’ll link up again…and try to win Liz Curtis Higgs’ new book while you are at it!
Blessings, Michelle Axton Kelly
http://teaganstravels.blogspot.com/2012/07/giveaway-destination-inspiration-linky.html