Waiting is hard...

Psalm 130:5-6a
"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord." (ESV)

One simple sentence with so much packed into it!

Waiting is so hard- waiting for the first day of school, a birthday, a package, waiting for a spouse to come into your life, waiting to see Jesus, etc. Regardless of who you are- waiting is hard.  To wait involves patience- and the not knowing.  I think that's the hardest thing for me- the not knowing- when will it end?  When will my prayer be answered?  And yet, through it all- I find HOPE.  Hope that He is truth, that his word, his promises will not return void, that I can trust and rest- dependent on Him.

Three times in the verse waiting is mentioned.  I have always been told if something is repeated three times it's extremely important and I need to take notice.  It doesn't mean it's going to be easy but it does mean that "something" will happen during the waiting and at the end of the waiting.

So, even though it's hard- still I wait...in hopeful expectation.

Blank Slate

I have been back to work for a week now, and today (Tuesday) was the first day for students (however, mine actually start on Wednesday).  This year promises to be challenging, stressful, fun, exciting, interesting, crazy, and so much more but the biggest thing that I have focused on this past week?  This year is a blank slate- we start fresh with new students and new mindsets.  The challenge is to remember that every DAY is a blank slate.  It's like that in my spiritual life also- there are days that are challenging, stressful, fun, etc.  There are obstacles in the way- there always will be but the Word says it all in Lamentations 3:

"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." Lamentations 3:21-25 (ESV)

I have decided that this passage is my theme verse for this school year.  To remember that his mercies are new every morning, that HE is my portion, and above all- where my hope should be.  My prayer is that this verse becomes ingrained in my heart and therefore in my life and my mind as well.  That I live this verse "out loud" on a daily basis- that I live it from "the inside out".