Waiting With Jesus

A Christmas For Us, Chronic Illness, Uncategorized

I thought I had learned quite a bit about waiting by now. I’ve shared four different posts here with the word “wait” somehow linked in the title.

God must know that I have a hard time waiting.

 

wait for it patiently 12.2.19

 

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:25

 

One of my favorite movies is “The Lakehouse.” It’s a story about love bound up in time, and a house, and crazy happenings that make no sense in the real world.

Kind of like my own story some days.

In the final chapter of the movie, a note is passed between the two main characters, with a message of these words:

Wait for me; wait with me.

I cried when I saw that message the first time, and I’ve cried every time I’ve re-watched the movie since then.  It is a message that is being spoken to me by my Dear Shepherd, as He calls me to Himself in this journey of Chronic Illness.

Another set of specialists sent me for other rounds of tests recently, only to be told that more waiting is required. The P.O.T.S.-like symptoms (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) of extreme weakness and dizziness have been caused by the same infusion gone-awry that began this downward spiral last March.  He prescribed a high salt/high fluid diet along with the instructions to wait because sometimes it takes a long time for a body to heal.

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I wonder if God’s people felt that same weariness of waiting as the centuries passed with no sight of the promised Messiah’s coming?

I wonder if they began to doubt that their nation would ever find the healing that only a Messiah could bring?

I wonder if the sight of that star shining so brightly over Bethlehem stirred something that had been buried so deeply that they had almost forgotten it was there?

 

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Our Heavenly Father has called each of us to a place of waiting. The reasons and the seasons are different for each of us. But His ultimate purpose is the same that it was for those down-trodden people of Israel hidden away under the power of Roman rule.

He is transforming us into a people who will learn to wait WITH Him, to long for relationship, to seek His face in the middle of the longest nights, and to find a love deeper than we could ever know.

 

As I look to Him in this Season of Advent waiting, I find Him drawing me to look to Him for this season of my body’s waiting also.

 

Have you heard the message of “Wait for me; wait with me” being echoed in your own heart?

 

 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[a] (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23 NIV

 

I would love to pray with you today:

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

We bow before You in reverence as we prepare our hearts for this Season of Advent. We remember the details of the story of how You sent Your only son as a vulnerable son of man to this earth we call home. We ask You to forgive us for the impatience that would rob our souls of the Joy of Your coming. We long to learn to wait WITH You, to see the way that You see, and to embrace Your heart of love in this season of night. Lift up our eyes to see Your star of hope shining over us here. And we will give You our hearts to hold in the wait.

In the name of Your Dear Son, Jesus, we pray,

Amen

 

I pray that you have a peaceful Christmas season with those that you love! I will be taking a blogging break until after the first of the year, but in the meantime, this page will stay open for you to enjoy the gift of this Advent Devotional:

A GIFT FOR YOU

I am so very blessed to offer to you, all my readers, a gift for this coming Christmas Season.  Two years ago, my friend Ifeoma Samuel invited me to join her in writing a special month-long celebration of Christmas Family Devotions. And this year, she has so graciously compiled them into a beautiful book for download. You will find 25 short Devotions that are easy to read with your family during Advent. There are enriching activities that you and your family can join in with, helping to bring the joy and meaning of this Season more clearly into your lives.

HE CAME TO US!

Christmas is God’s gift of grace to us. And I pray that the gift of this e-book would be another way to share in that grace together. I will be offering this book here, available for free download to you my readers during the months of November and December. I am so grateful for each one of you.

 

**DOWNLOAD HERE**

Ebook-3d-Vorlage

 

I am linking with:

#LMMLinkup

#LegacyLinkUp

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published by Bettie G

Jesus follower, Wife, Mom, and Grandma, journeying through chronic illness one day at a time

Published

34 thoughts on “Waiting With Jesus”

    1. Oh, I’m glad to find another heart that loves Lake-House. 🙂 And, yes, He is speaking that word, “with,” to me in so many ways these past few weeks. I want to listen to those new ways also. Blessings to you in this Christmas Season, Dear Mandy.

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      1. I just wrote 7 devotions based on God with us for my denomination. Though never thought about the Wait With Him. Might have to think on this more.
        And yes. I love Lake House. I love time travel movies

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        1. Yes, me too! And because that word “with” has been coming up so often for me, in reading and praying, I have a feeling it may be my #oneword for next year. I will be praying and thining over that this next month too.

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  2. Thank you for sharing , Bettie..
    He is watching everything..No matter how hard the situations is, He is there for you, He is with you…
    Waiting with Jesus 🙂

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  3. I’m so sorry that infusion is still haunting your body, Bettie. 😦 I pray that diet will flush it out of your system! I have never heard of that movie, but the words “Wait for me; wait with me” have struck a deep chord in my heart. I do so long to wait WITH Him. And to know that God is so willing to wait WITH us in the weariness is such a comfort! Waiting WITH us until these achy, unmet longings will one day be fulfilled forever. Thank you for this encouragement. I don’t remember if I ever thanked you, but I do thank you for the free Advent gift. I am being blessed with it. 🙂 I hope you have a time of refreshing and renewal in body and spirit during this Advent season and on your break! Love and blessings of a wonder-filled Christmas!

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    1. Thank you so much for all of your continued prayers, Trudy. They truly have meant so much to me over these long months! Our Lord is such a great good Father, isn’t He? Even though He has promised that He would never forget us, or abandon us, it’s so easy for us to forget. We forget that He is WITH us right here. He has been speaking that word “with” to me so often over these past few weeks, that I am now praying over it and asking Him if it is to be my Oneword for next year. I am so thankful that He is calling us both to a place of refreshing and renewal in body and spirit! And I am so thankful that the Advent gift is a blessing to you, Dear Friend! May the Lord bring you great joy in His Presence this Season. Love and hugs to you! xoxo

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  4. “He is transforming us into a people who will learn to wait WITH Him, to long for relationship, to seek His face in the middle of the longest nights, and to find a love deeper than we could ever know.” You’ve blessed me with those words Bettie, so much! Than you. Have a wonderful Christmas knowing His deep love, bringing peace in your heart and mind.

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    1. Dear Lynn,
      I’m so grateful that the Lord blessed you here. He really is so good to call us to wait with Him. Even when I grow impatient, I’m so glad that He is still so persistent. Thank you for all of your prayers and sweet encouragement. I pray that you will have a wonderful Christmas also! May the Lord shower you with His own dear blessings.

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    1. Dear Jennifer,
      Oh, I am so thankful you were blessed here. And yes, I like the way you wrote that waiting, three times. It can seem so endless from our perspective. But He is there to give us Himself, and His abundant blessings. Thank you so much dear friend. May you be blessed this season too.

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  7. I’ve not seen the movie, but I resonate with these lines you share, Bettie: Wait for me; wait with me. That’s what I need to be reminded of.

    I pray that your blogging break with be a time of rest and rejuvenation. We’ll miss you in this space. Thanks for all the gifts you have given us throughout the year through your writings!

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    1. Thank you so much for your prayers and sweet encouragement, Lisa. They truly mean so much to me. I pray that you will also have a beautiful Christmas with your dear family!

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  8. Dear Bettie, oh what a hard, prolonged wait you have had while seeking to recover a measure of health and strength since the infusion depleted your system so drastically. I marvel at the way you wait, with hope and faith writ large in your heart. God has kept you motivated and inwardly strong. And it inspires me so much as I wait beside you for deeper rest and recovery to come. Such seasons feel interminable, don’t they? But they also hold vast reservoirs of grace, unlimited support, and oceans of compassionate love from our risen Lord.
    Thank you for this beautiful post and lovely prayer. May this break help revive your poor, pain-filled, worn and weary body, and bring you joy as you continue to look for Jesus in life’s bleak and dark places. Although we will miss your wise spiritual perspective here, and your acute, faithful listening ear, they will be treasured all the more on your return. Sending much love, hugs and prayers across the pond as you rest, savour Advent, and enjoy Christmas to come. xoxo

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    1. Dear Joy,
      I am so very thankful for your friendship and encouragement beside me on this journey. Yes, you are so right that these seasons of waiting for recovery can seem so endless. How incredible it is that He meets us with those “vast reservoirs of grace, unlimited support, and oceans of compassionate love from our risen Lord.” He fills up our weak and empty places with Himself. I am so thankful for your prayers, even as I pray for you also, my dear friend. May we both find such pockets of beauty in these overwhelming days. Much Love to you over this Advent Season. And I’m sending hugs and Christmas blessings to you across the sea! xoxo

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  9. Oh Bettie, my heart weeps with you to be asked to wait again. How weary you must be. But for the sweet note from the Lord Jesus to wait for Him, wait with Him. That is such a beautiful message of comfort and love. Thank you for sharing your heart. You are teaching us all how to grow in the grace and love of our Lord in the face of deep suffering. Reminds me of the verse from Philippians 3:10-11 – I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
    You are so precious to His heart, but what a price you have paid. May His gentle love mean more to you. Lifting you in prayer right now. Blessings, love and hugs, Melissa

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    1. Dear Melissa,
      Oh thank you for sharing that Scripture; it is such a beautiful Word from Him. My heart longs to know Him deeper, and He does lead us to participate in His suffering as He also then shows us the power of HIS resurrection. Thank you so much for your prayers, dear friend. I appreciate every one. May you be blessed this Christmas Season. Love and hugs to you too.

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    1. Oh Lisa, I’m so thankful that Jesus met you here. Isn’t it amazing that He is always here WITH us, even in these hard seasons of waiting? Yes, may we both wait WITH Him. Much Love & Prayers Dear Friend.

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  12. You share such beautiful thoughts. I understand the waiting but not for the same reasons as you. Life is a continual journey of waiting because for me it means that I know Jesus will come again and that is worth waiting for.

    Thank you for sharing Amy Grant’s version of Emmanuel. It is one of my favorites. Blessings in this season of Advent as you wait for the arrival of more answers for your chronic illness. Love you, friend!

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    1. Dear Mary,
      Oh, yes, I so long for His returning also! I echo your thoughts that it will be so worth the wait to see HIM! I am so glad that you also love the Amy Grant song; it’s a favorite with such special memories attached for me. I appreciate all of your prayers and encouragement dear friend. I pray that you will be blessed with such a wonderful family time this Christmas!

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    1. Isn’t God so amazing when He confirms His words to us like that! I am so blessed at how He keeps us always looking up to Him. Thank you for your kind thoughts! And I pray that you have a Blessed Christmas also!

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    1. Thank you dear Wendy for your prayers and blessings too! I am so thankful for His presence so sweetly here with us in every moment of waiting. I pray for a Beautiful Christmas for you! Hugs and Love to you!

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  15. Thank you for this post! I also struggle with waiting! The most heartbreaking time of my life was when my step-daughter was so sick. It was such a long period of waiting. God really used that season to cultivate my heart! God is in the waiting! When we are in these seasons God is working diligently on our behalf, we just usually see it in hindsight. Thank you!

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    1. Thank you for visiting here today, and sharing such precious comments! God truly is in the waiting, “working diligently on our behalf.” And you are so right, that so often we don’t realize that until much later. I’m so sorry for the heartbreak that you have gone through, but I am so thankful for God’s cultivating and growing your heart in Him. Truly He is so kind to us! Blessings to you!

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