Monday, January 10, 2011

#122 - Tardiness Delays HIS Best

Hello! Welcome back! I'll tell you what, it is good to be home and beginning to get back into a routine! The Holidays are packed with fun & family, but it is equally exciting to get back and be progressing towards the goals, directions and assignments from God. Amen?!


Well... Tyler and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary on Thursday, January 6th. Over our Holiday traveling tour, we were blessed to be able to spend 5 days at a Ski Resort in Northern Michigan while the boy enjoyed time with grandma & grandpa & his cousins. What a fun time! He even ate snow and made a snow angel up in Indiana! I'll share some pictures with you at the end! :)


Let's get started! If you want to be updated on the reading schedule, click on the link above to see our schedule. :)
Proverbs 10:17 - He who heeds instruction and correction is [not only himself] in the way of life [but also] is a way of life for others. And he who neglects or refuses reproof [not only himself] goes astray [but also] causes to err and is a path toward ruin for others.
Proverbs 31:25 - Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it]! 
As many of you know, for the last several months I have been working on writing my first book. I kind of piddled around writing it sporadically early in the year, but would go sometimes a month between entries. At the beginning of September, as I was in my quiet time with the Lord, He gave me specific instructions about completing it, how to do it, and when to have it done. It was quite interesting, but wonderful because He broke it down into attainable objectives. One hour of writing, first thing when I got up only four days per week. That's not so hard, is it? Well... great! I had the daily action plan. Then, comes the completion date. The Holy Spirit had directed it to be done by December 31st. Cool! So, as I entered into December, I realized, "Wow! I really am almost done with this book! God really did know that this would be a realistic goal when following the daily action plan that He instructed me to have." 


Well... let me just fast forward a bit. December 31st came and went, the book, not completed. Almost completed, but not completed. I probably only had 2-3 hours of writing left to complete. And... on December 29th, while on our ski trip, was a day that we chose to be a relaxing day. No skiing, just enjoying each other, swimming in the outdoor pool, relaxing in the outdoor hot-tub, going to the water park on site of the resort, having a nice dinner, taking a nap... just doing things that seemed relaxing. That, would have been the perfect day to complete my book. And... I could have! So... yesterday, I was driving home from church (the boys stayed home), and I literally got an OPEN rebuke as I was praying and talking to the Holy Spirit. WHOA! It is not often that this happens so blatantly. This is what the Holy Spirit told me, "You delay my blessing because you are late. I told you to finish the book by 12/31/10. It's 9 days late. Tardiness delays my best." 


Whoa! Right? That was like getting a spanking as an adult. He was right though. He did tell me and I did not complete it on HIS time table. If you know me that well... you would also know that 'in the past' one of the areas in my life that I REALLY need to improve on is being ON TIME! I remember exactly when the bad habit of being late started. I was in High School. Cheerleading practice. I hated waiting for the cheerleaders who were late in order for us to be able to start practice. I felt like I was wasting time. Not that it was right, but then I decided, 'I will just be the last one here then, then I will not have to wait.' OK... put your stones down... I'm not saying that was right thinking, but that is what I began to do. I was then, the last person at practice. The beginning of a bad habit that I am working on breaking. 


"You delay my blessing because you are late." Think about that! How many times do we pray and ask God to do this or that. Or we ask for a material blessing, a financial blessing. And how often is it that the blessing takes a LONG time to manifest, NOT because of GOD, but because WE have not done our part. Proverbs 10:17 - He who heeds instruction and correction is [not only himself] in the way of life [but also] is a way of life for others. On the way home from church yesterday, I most definitely took correction. I had to ask forgiveness for not being on time. Then I read this verse. In heeding, accepting, receiving correction I am a WAY of life for me & my family, but ALSO a way of life for others! How so? How could I be a WAY of life? Well, a few that I can think of are.... financially. My writing and future books will provide income for my family, a livelihood. It will provide a WAY of life for others? In encouragement, instruction, salvation, as an example to follow in serving the Lord. This specific book is entitled, "Fairytales Do Come True." This can and will specifically be a WAY of life for those who are single and seeking to date in the proper way, the Biblical way. It will hopefully help young woman (and men) who decide to save themselves for marriage, for their spouse. It will add ammunition to save the virginity of many young people. 


I worked on the book yesterday and I finished it this morning. 69,622 words. It is now completed. The process of editing will now begin. AND I will give a copy to my discerning friend Stephanie who will begin the process with me. 


What else? It's interesting because this morning the Holy Spirit told me WHY I needed to have the book done. He said with all the snow here in Columbia, everything shuts down, people don't go out and drive, everything is canceled. He said that she would have time to get a lot of reading done today and tomorrow. But PRAISE GOD for Grace & Favor. He said, "But it is OK. Yes, I will even make your mistakes to prosper. But moving forward, be obedient even to the details. I tell you these things for a reason!"


Praise God!


So today... I encourage you.... what was the last thing the Holy Spirit told you to do? Have you been obedient to completing it? Do you know WHAT the time schedule is? When are you supposed to have it done? HE IS WAITING TO BLESS YOU! Do not delay HIS blessing by being late! Tardiness delays HIS best... complete what He instructed you to do. Speed up the blessings He has waiting for you! Complete what He has instructed!
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My little SNOW ANGEL! :) 

We stopped off at the World HeadQuarters of our business.
Here are the Multi-Billionaire private holders of the family owned company.

View of the slopes from our suite at Boyne Mountain.
A ZipLine Adventure for ME! 
Me -ZipLining Upside-down! 

2 comments:

jburton said...

WoW!

John said...

Congratulations Amy on finishing your first books first draft. Katie and I have you and Tyler in our thoughts and prayers often.

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