Yet Expect

If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently. ~ Romans 8:24-25 NLT

“Haven’t Met You Yet” by Michael Bublé was popular when I was pregnant with Savannah. Brad claimed it as his “Daddy-Daughter” song because she was already wrapping him around her little finger and he hadn’t met her, yet. Yet marks a spot in time and says, “Up to this point, I haven’t experienced it, but I fully expect that it will happen.”

At some point in life, we all had hopes and dreams. Since most of us aren’t living those dreams, something must have happened along the way. When hope is deferred—due to continuous disappointments—the heart becomes sick, but when the door opens enough that you can see and feel breakthrough, you feel alive and passionate again, (Proverbs 13:12). Anything worth having—and the things you appreciate the most—are the things you achieve through perseverance, prayer, and faith. There are many things I’ve had to wait for and many more that I’m still waiting for God to fulfill.

Waiting can be so hard, because while we’re trying to stand firm, the enemy is daily trying to beat us down so we’ll give up and not do the things God has prepared in advance for us. But we are encouraged to be strong, not grow weary, and not give up, because when we persevere we will see the reward at the proper time, (2 Chronicles 15:7; Galatians 6:9).

©Heather Potts 2016

Racing Stripes, part 2

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. ~ Isaiah 40:31 NLT

Racing Stripes not only help the driver, but they also help the fans to identify each race car.  Your identity is everything: “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed,” (Proverbs 29:18 MSG).  When you don’t know your identity—your specific purpose—you may fall into the trap of trying to pursue someone else’s because it looks easier, better, more fun, etc.  But this only leads to frustration, failure, pain, and wasted time and energy.

Having your identity intact—knowing who you are and your purpose—is like having wings which allow you to not just run, but soar over the finish line and beyond!  Knowing what you are running toward, the reasons why you’re enduring the temporary pain pushes you to go the distance when you’ve got burning pain in your legs, helps you to forge ahead when your whole body wants to quit, and encourages you to keep going when everything is fighting against you.

You are adopted as a son or a daughter of the King.  You have been robed in Righteousness.  You are redeemed, called by name, and you are God’s (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5; Ps 45:9; Isaiah 61:10, 43:1).

Ask your Father to paint you in His racing stripes—His intended purpose for your life.  Soak in His love and enjoy being His: His son, His daughter.

©Heather Potts 2016

Run w Perseverance

You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD will name. ~ Isaiah 62:2 NKJV

I’ve always hated running.

Last September, however, a friend suggested running as a great way to improve my overall mental, emotional, and physical health.  Though I protested, she told me to do it anyway.  A few days later, after running 2 blocks, I felt like I was going to die! 

On October 10, while attending the Daughters of the King conference, Jennifer Nock, referencing Isaiah 62:2, shared how God changed Sarai and Abram to Sarah and Abraham in order to replace the works of their hands with His power to fulfill His promised purpose. That night, God promised to call me by my new name.

By late October, I was running ¾ mile and got talked into running in the Jingle 5K, beginning my official training on October 24.  But on the 26^th, everything was working against me: both girls were throwing tantrums, I couldn’t find clean running clothes, and I felt like I had a UTI.  Finally, I said, “I’m going anyway!” I found clothes that would do, put the girls in the double stroller, drank plenty of water and away I went.  Near the end of my run, I heard Holy Spirit say I am “one who perseveres.”  He called me by my new name! He called me by His promised purpose for me!  But I wanted to know more, so I asked Him to reveal scripture that went with my new name. He led me to Hebrews 12:1-2, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.”

God has a promised purpose for each of us. In this new year, let's be determined to never stop running after God and He’ll never stop amazing us!

©Heather Potts 2016

God of the Impossible

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping… ~ Romans 4:18

When do we need hope?  We need it when the fulfilment of a promise isn’t done instantaneously.  We live in a world where meals are cooked within minutes and whole conversations happen within the exchange of just a few text messages.  When we are told to believe, to have faith, to wait and hope for the answer, that doesn’t seem to compute with us.  But waiting is a good discipline to have. 

I remember when Brad and I were learning about the value of budgeting our money and understanding the difference between “needs” and “wants.”  One couple sat us down and said that they needed new sod for their lawn.  They explained that until they could afford to pay cash—they didn’t use credit cards to purchase anything—they were just going to save up for it.  At the time, they tried to convey that we’d appreciate our purchase more when we’d denied ourselves the instant buy and saved up the money to make the purchase.  Honestly, we didn’t believe them until we tried it.  Over time, we began to see not only  how satisfying it was to actually be able to “afford” to pay our bills through proper budgeting/spending habits, but we were able to pay off our debts as well.

Abraham’s promise, however, took several decades to come to pass.  And that’s why this scripture says that even when there was no reason to hope, he kept hoping.  We are hoping for God to do many things in our lives.  But without God, it is impossible for anyone of them to come to pass in our lives.  What are you hoping will come true?  What things has God promised you that are impossible without hope in the One who made the promise?  Spend some time with God today and tell Him how much you need Him and that you trust Him to fulfill His promises, even if they don’t come as instantly as your Happy Meal.

Father God, thank you that all things are possible with you.  Lord, I pray that we would look to you for our answers, our needs, and our desires.  Lord, there are things that we know You have promised to us, and in our waiting, the enemy fights hard to get us to doubt and quit.  I pray that we would be bold and remember that You are the same God who raised Christ from the dead and called things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17)!  Thank you, Father, for being as bold in our lives and calling out promises to be fulfilled from merely dreams and desires.  Father, give us that same bold attitude today and always.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” ~ Matthew 19:26

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ~ Hebrews 10:23