Waiting with Hope

Waiting With Hope

About a month ago, God gave me a Christmas miracle a bit early. 

At around 10:00 a.m. on a Monday, God told me it was coming, but I didn’t have the faith to believe it.  I paused at my computer, shook it off as a crazy thought, and went back to work.  (By now, you would think I have learned to recognize and believe the voice of the Holy Spirit!)  At 3:00 p.m. that day, the miracle appeared suddenly. 

No one was more shocked than me, even though I was the one who had prayed for this turn of events for years.  And it made me realize that even though I had prayed fervently, I wasn’t waiting for it to happen.  I prayed with duty. I prayed through tears. I prayed because that is all I knew to do. But I hadn’t prayed with hope that it could happen suddenly, just like so many other miracles in Scripture.

And I have realized over the last month that I wasn’t waiting with hope.  My faith did not match my prayers.  This year, maybe more than ever, there are many things we wait for in our lives.  For Second Mothers, this is particularly true.  We pray for children to thrive, to have revelation, to turn to God, to make good decisions, to have successful relationships, for their goals and dreams to come true.  But are we waiting in hope that these miracles could just suddenly be given as gifts one day?

God wants us to wait with hope.  Our hope is a sign of our faith.  If we pray but don’t really wait in hope for the God of miracles to answer our prayers, we aren’t waiting in faith.  We are showing the Father our doubt.  Maybe this has not been your situation, but I must confess, it has been mine. 

And so now I have a fresh hope for all those things for which I wait.  I have to have faith.  I have to believe.  I have to have hope that God will match my faith with his faithfulness.  He is not just there at the beginning and the end, He is the God of the middle and He can suddenly do the miraculous.

This Christmas, we wait for so many things.  We wait for health, for peace, for the joy of being with each other.  Today as you are are spending all your time trying to figure out how to make Christmas magical, wrapping presents and making lists, don’t forget to wait with hope. 

Wait in hope for the best Christmas ever. 
Wait in hope for those family members to finally get along. 
Wait in hope for that moment of appreciation from a distant child.
Wait in hope for that sincere hug.
Wait in hope for the true miracle of Christ to descend in your home. 
Wait in hope for the real hope of Christmas.
He is coming.

(This song has been my worship for the last month…maybe it will encourage you also.  He is still there in your “middle”.)

Jodi

Jodi

Jodi and her husband Jerry have nine children, six through adoption. Their experience includes both domestic and international adoption, and they are passionate advocates for adoption of older children. Jodi and her daughter Agnes Tucker are the authors of Fasten Your Sweet Belt: 10 Things You Need to Know About Older Child Adoption. They speak widely on the subject and advocate for children worldwide. More about Jodi can be found at jodijacksontucker.com

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