WHY WAITING MATTERS... PLUS, A GIVEAWAY!

Because we’re friends 🤗 I’m just going to confess up front that “waiting” is not my strong suit. Patience is not my proficiency. Delay is not my darling. But I think for all of us, the past couple of years has been a tough season of waiting. Waiting for change, for health, for travel, for normality, and the like. And while we may be tempted to throw our hands in the air in utter frustration, perhaps we would benefit more from gently cupping those hands and holding onto the “waiting” with utmost care—like we would a fragile bird’s egg. That “incubation period” of the prolonged pause is precious, full of promise, a time to learn and grow and allow God to work. And this is why waiting matters…

“I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait.” C.S. Lewis

Oh, but it’s hard, Mr. Lewis. Waiting on a job, a diagnosis, a relationship, a decision, especially when it’s out of our control… most of us are used to instant answers in our instant world. We struggle with silence and pace as we pause. But rather than filling our every second with busyness or work or entertainment as we wait, what if we see it as a time to embrace the present rather than longing for the future.

What if we wait well?

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5

Waiting on God is part of the trusting process. Waiting is trusting Him with the mammoth issues consuming our lives as well as the daily minutiae. We are told in His Word that He fights for us, that He is always working even when we can’t see the fruits of His labor with our own eyes in our own timeline. He’s weaving strands of our lives together in order to make something beautiful. Something worthwhile. Something good.

And having an eternal perspective helps us remember nothing is wasted..

Including time spent waiting.

You see, waiting isn’t about us being frozen in time, marking mundane moments in a state of apathy. Waiting is active. It’s trusting, doing, enjoying, dwelling, learning, cultivating, delighting… and as Romans 8 says in The Message, “We are enlarged in the waiting.”

“The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord’s people have always been a waiting people.” Charles Spurgeon

Could it be that “waiting” is a precious, fragile, beautiful gift?

I’m a work in progress and likely will continue to struggle in this area of my life, but knowing the waiting time matters, that I can trust and learn and grow in this season, fills my heart with hope!

Talk to any aspiring or published author, and they’ll tell you ALL about the waiting! Our work seems like an unending stream of being patient as we send our words out to agents, editors, and publishers. I could tell you of one book that I waited six years to have published. Or that I am currently waiting (oh-so patiently!) on several more to join my family of book-babies.

But today, I’m celebrating The Orphan Beach’s second book birthday. She was a COVID baby and has issues galore, but I am giving away a personalized, signed paperback copy in honor of all those waiting for something life-changing to happen—like the protagonist in this story:

“Life is spiraling out of control for pediatric nurse, Juliet Farr. Heart-broken, grief-stricken, and experiencing a crisis of faith—now she is the prime target for a crazed killer. When her ex-boyfriend, detective Max Bennett, returns to work the case in the Oregon Coast, he knows sharing the truth behind their break-up will destroy any possibility of a second chance together.

A manuscript, a maniac, and a mother’s love propel Juliet’s flight to a beach in Mexico as she desperately pursues hope and healing. Will she ever find freedom from the ache of abandonment? And when a troubled soul chooses Juliet as his perfect victim, can Max prove his love for her by risking his own life? Or will Orphan Beach be the end of their story?”

I hope you feel encouraged to wait well, friend. Know that you are seen, heard, and loved by One whose timing is always perfect…

“Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for he will never disappoint you!” Psalm 27:14

And don’t forget to leave a comment ⬇ to be entered into the giveaway— I’ll notify the winner on February 28 (just to make you wait for a little while!) 😉

Until next time,

P.S. If you love book giveaways, are you subscribed to my monthly newsletter? In “Laura’s Letters”, I give away a wonderful paperback book EVERY SINGLE MONTH! Sign up HERE!