I’ve waited for a lot of things in my life (both the big things and the mundane, everyday things), but I wouldn’t say that it is something I am good at.
But, I’m learning to appreciate the waiting.
It has been almost two weeks since I left home for the World Race. And those two weeks have consisted of a lot of waiting. Waiting for shuttles. Waiting for airplanes. Waiting for buses. Waiting for meals (typically lunch is at 2pm, and dinner is between 8 and 10pm here in India). Waiting for wifi. Waiting for more details. And, not a lot of control.
As someone who likes to control their schedule, to craft an itinerary for the day, letting go of control hasn’t been easy. But, I’m learning to appreciate the simplicity. And, I’m learning to be present in the waiting.
Today was my team’s official first day of ministry, with the holiday weekend now behind us [Tuesday was India’s Independence Day], yet for me and three of my team members, today consisted of more waiting.**
As part of our ministry, four of the thirteen of us stay back each day to help cook and clean at the house that we are staying at. While I could choose to be disappointed that I had to stay back and wait another day, I’ve been trying to soak in the lyrics of a song that I’ve heard a lot over the past few months:
Slow down. Take time. Breathe in. He said He’ll reveal what’s to come. The thoughts in His mind, always higher than mine. He’ll reveal what’s to come.
Take courage my heart. Stay steadfast my soul. He is in the waiting.
Hold on to your hope as your triumph unfolds. He is never failing.
Sing praise my soul. Find strength in joy. Let His words lead you on. Do not forget His great faithfulness. He’ll finish all He’s begun.
And You who holds the stars, who calls them each by name, will surly keep Your promise to me: that I will rise in Your victory.
– “Take Courage” by Bethel
God is faithful and as Paul reminds us in his letter to the Philippians, “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” (Phil. 1:6)
I don’t want to squander the time He has given me here on the Race as I wait for the next thing. My goal this month is to learn to use my waiting time well, because God is in the waiting.
Besides, waiting isn’t that bad when you get to have dance parties with a six year old, pet the neighbor puppy, and have your hair played with. And, cleaning bathrooms and prepping food is ministry, too.
Note: At our current ministry location, wifi is hard to find. We are working hard to make sure our blogs keep updated, but if you don’t hear from me much this month, it is because wifi has been scarce.
Also, at the request of the ministry (for their safety), I won’t be sharing locations, names, or identifying details of their work on public forums. Feel free to contact me for more details about our ministry, and I’d love to respond when I get the chance (aka wifi).
**This post was written on Wednesday, August 16
