Henry Heatherington Emerson
“Be strong, let your heart take courage, yes, wait on the Lord.” Psalm 27: 14
Daily duties cry out each Monday morning, as I slip down the stairs, still sleepy and in need of my morning cuppa. Still after all of these years, last nights late night dishes accost me–coffee cups, plates with dried on snacks, all sorts of Sunday evidence that we spend hours together relaxing, eating, laughing and messing–and now it must be dealt with, again.
Then there are the issues of life still there to greet me–the worries, money issues, problems with children, pressures on family and marriage–all still there, piled on when Monday morning comes and has a new week of challenges to greet me. Seems in the midst of all the chores that daily need to be done, there are always those bigger ones also hovering over us. Each of my older children are in a crucial period of waiting on God to move His hand of providence. Car purchases, waiting on marriage, jobs, taxes, bills, futures, as well as the demands of a teen fresh out in the world armed with her driver’s license and looking for places to venture to–and still each day, they live in my home, wanting to eat again, and wanting to wear somewhat clean clothes and still leaving trails of life all around.
When they were little, there were so many issues to worry about–discipline, training, health, education, exhaustion, loneliness…
Waiting, waiting,working, fretting, wondering–what is going to be the end to all of this? These people in my home with various issues, strengths, weaknesses, hopes, dreams and legacies of difficulty and more work?
Waiting on the Lord for answers and for life to change and for help to come has been my most common challenge throughout life–waiting to get married, waiting to get pregnant, waiting to have the baby, waiting for them to sleep through the night, waiting for them to be out of diapers, waiting for them to become more mature and responsible, waiting for them to read, waiting for life to someday be easier, more manageable, waitng for me to be mature some day…
How do we manage to exist through all of the mundane, the fretting, the fears with grace?
Learning to wait is a grace for a woman who fears God. Waiting with a gentle spirit is a miracle–a beauty, an acquired habit that comes with practice and experience. Choosing to take today in its stride–choosing to see the glory of the moment in the midst of frantic children, choosing to look for beauty and the fingerprints of God in the midst of the messes requires a heart decision–Psalm 27 says, “Let your heart take courage–let it–make it, choose to let your heart fill up its boots to the power of God’s abiding grace. Choosing to believe that my prayers have not hit the roof of my home and gone no further, but that God indeed is present.
I love Psalm 103–He is mindful that I am but dust. He knows my limitations. He knows my flawed personality. Yet, He is a Father who has compassion on his children–on me. He does not require my perfection, He requires my heart, my eyes turned toward Him. He is the grace that will make this day possible, this moment livable.
Always, my only hope and my only strength and my only way to cope has been an utter abandonment to God, knowing that if He doesn’t work, if He doesn’t move in the midst of us through His Holy Spirit, if He doesn’t take m paltry fish and loaves and make it into more than it really is, I do not have a hope of making it. I relinquish my desire to control and yield this moment, this day and hope that He will show up.
Feeling overwhelmingly weary, desperate and fearful in life is not a sin. But what we do with the weariness or fear or doubt is when sin becomes a possibility.
“For evil doers will be cut off, but those who wait on the Lord will inherit the land.” Psalm 37: 9
“Those who wait on the Lord will gain new strength, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40: 31
One of the most important ways my children learn faith is to watch me wait, in grace, through all the trials of my life–but to wait–putting a flower in the vase, lighting a candle, surrounding our home with music, life, hope that says, “God will show up. He is with us. He hears us and will answer, and I am going to prepare the day by celebrating life looking to the time we will see and know His presence and faithfulness.
And yet, when I look back, I am amazed at how much I see how faithfully He has worked–to see the miracle of children grown, fine, loving, passionate about ideals–how did it all happen? To see the His hand that seemingly, seamlessly sowed my years together into a grace of a beautiful life of blessing, love and life–how did it all come about? One day at a time as He faithfully, lovingly brought all of my child-heart love and faith into a work of eternity.
Waiting with hope, in courage, patience, in love and humbly–it is the grace of the life of a godly woman that ends in seeing the miraculous hand of God, and she bows before Him, as the child with the basket of fish and says, “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your miracle.”
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I truly do believe the older we get, the more we can look back and see God at work during those times we were waiting (I have done a lot of waiting).
I have been pondering how God gives us the desires of our heart (which I wrote about in the last Sunday Afternoon Tea) and this goes so well with that. We do desire and then we wait and in our human-ness… sometimes imperfectly.
(((HUGS)))
This is exactly what I needed this morning. Thank you!
This ministers to my heart Sally, for though the nest is empty being Mom never stops. I feel the heartaches of my grown children and my grandchildren – know the neediness of aging parents. I, too, look back and see not just the ways He has filled in the places where I have failed miserably with His unending grace. This learning to wait – it comes slowly, but it comes with such peace when I finally learn to simply trust the One who is eminently trustworthy.
Thank you for this. It comes at just the right moment. He is so gracious that way.
Learning to wait is so difficult! Reading this made me realize there is an area of my life I’ve been trying to force into change through my own action – which we all know will fail miserably. Thank you for the reminder to wait, and pray, and wait some more for God will move when He is ready. Living with grace and joy in the waiting – there’s the challenge.
…thank you. just what i needed to hear. seems like we have a dozen plates spinning at least – all up in the air. grateful for your reminders, jynene
I’m so glad I’ve stumbled upon your blog. I can see that it will be a constant reminder to find joy in the station of life I am in. So many of our seasons are similar, and as I continue to step out into areas that are completely foreign to me, it will be calming to hear your voice waiting and trusting in God.
I love the part about taking “my paltry fish and loaves and make it into more than it really is” , that’s what grace is all about. I also love the scripture “in my weakness He is strong” so I get to have more strength then most!
Thank you for this, it has reminded me to count my blessing and appreciated all the God kisses surrounding me, even “work”!
How did you know I needed this today
Thankyou!!! The Lord is faithful once again.
wow. Absolutely and completely what I needed to read today. Thanks! I’m Mom to 21, 19, 16, and 14 year olds, ALL of whom are in big transitions of one kind and another this summer…school changes, college changes, new drivers…all the things you mentioned. They’re great kids in many ways, yet sinners…just like me. Throw in burnout of 10+ years homeschooling, living with the debilitating fatigue of chronic disease in a flare…and that’s where I am just now. I’m so grateful for the wonderful life and family God has blessed me with, but I’m just worn out. It’s been hard to find my normal positive outlook and focus in the past few weeks. Your article today was from the Lord, I am sure….his gentle reminder to wait on Him. Thanks!
I am in a similar situation with my 4 children: 1 college grad working and wishing to be married, 2 in college trying to navigate through academics, working, fears of growing up, future careers and relationships, and finally 1 who will graduate our homeschool next June and looking for a college that is just right.
I have always been a “waiting” kind of person, always looking forward to the next thing. However, I am trying to learn to be a “content in the moment” person who just deals with whatever big thing is going on right now and also enjoys the blessings of this moment too.
Oh merciful heavens, I needed this encouragement today. Battling discouragement … nothing seems to be working … children bickering, poor attitudes, unfocused, resisting wisdom and correction from the Word … and a new baby due in a few weeks. We heard the message yesterday that laying our lives down in humility as a servant without expectation of something in return immediately (or ever) is the life of Christ in us. Be gone, enemy, with your plaguing fears and ‘what ifs’! This I must do … lay my life down, be consistent, firm in Truth but gentle, loving … and wait upon the Lord to do *His* work here. Thanks for your encouragement, Sally. Looking forward to getting a copy of Educating the Wholehearted Child in my hands!! Reading some Charlotte Mason books now that are very encouraging!
Thank you so much for these words of encouragement. This ministered to me so much as I am in the midst of busyness of life with two young girls and a baby boy on the way. I am so grateful for the grace and faithfulness of the Lord. My days are more hurried and chaotic when I try to it all without Him. Thank you for the reminder that we just have to bring it all to Him and watch His wondrous works in our lives!
I am praying for you and your family as He leads you all during this season of life. May He bless each of you abundantly. Thank you for allowing Him to use you all in your ministry. I am so grateful the Lord led me to it. It has filled me up as a mother and helped me to remember to keep my eyes on the Lord. Thank you.
You are exquisite in your wording — drawing me into your life and emotions so deeply and honestly! Thank you for sharing from such richness that we may glean from your storehouse of wisdom. I love and greatly appreciate you, Sally. Thank you!
I’ve learned as our children grew, the issues were bigger. They carried more weight, maybe not for their hearts (getting a valentine from a certain someone can be paramount when you are 12) but as ours grew and they prayed for a child, job, an exam, etc I began to realize this mothering never stops, never let’s up, even when they are no longer under our roofs. Maybe moreso because it’s then we truly see what was true all along, we were never in control, we were never their provider. you so hit it on the head – waiting is hard, waiting with a peaceful heart, trusting that there is Someone there who loves them more than we do (hard to fathom but true), that’s the test. That’s our opportunity for true worship! He will provide what is truly best, and I get yet another lesson in waiting with a quiet heart.
Sally,
I love this!
God is so good to take our imperfect work as mother’s who are looking to Him, and turn it all into beauty…
Thanks so much for this today. After having come home from a homeschool retreat on Sunday (the theme being GRACE), I was actively being graceful, using my *inside* voice and treating each incident with *clam* and *grace*. Then this morning my worlds collided. I have a whiner and a stirrer and never the twain shall meet. Where did *GRACE* disappear to?? Ohhh dear!! Back to the back of the line for me. Eyes on Jesus, armour on, battle ready. Here we go again!!
Bless you Sally, your message inspired me and uplifted me.
this post was such a blessing to me today! I have been feeling discouraged lately wondering why some things in life are not “panning out” yet and getting tired of the waiting…thank you for your encouragement that Im not the only one feeling this way and that I can trust Him because I have seen Him prove Himself to be faithful over and over before. I am growing in my faith during the waiting and I love that it gives my children an opportunity to see how their mom trusts God when life gets hard:)
I am reading ministry of motherhood now with goodmorninggirls and really appreciate all your encouragement…this is the second time your writing blessed me today actually:)
Thank you for your encouragement.
“Loneliness”… it shot out at me… I have 4 children (3 girls and 1 baby boy) all under 9 and the youngest a wee nearly 4month old. A very very busy husband and here I am trying to be the proverb wife, trying to keep the homefires burning and keep it all together. I have never felt so alone in all my life. All my friends work… everyone seems so busy in this life. Any wisdom is appreciated. I have God and that I am so thankful for, I don’t know how I could keep going if it wasn’t for Him. Does anyone else get lonely?
Thank you, Sally! This really speaks to where I am this morning.
God bless you!
I so needed to hear this today! Thank you. I’ve just recently begun reading your blog regularly. So often when I come here, I find what you say resonating and putting into words things that are in my heart that I, myself, have struggled to find words for. Thank you for the refreshing flow of encouragement, insight and wisdom here. God often uses your thoughts to ground me, re-focus my heart and mind on the things I desire to be true of my life and home as I’m in the thick of raising little ones (6yo boy and 2 1/2 yo girl). You are a blessing!