waiting

The Lord IS in Charge – BE STILL and WAIT

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You could say that it is HARD to wait on the Lord – and at the same time keep doing what you are doing and looking for direction and checking back in.

But the Lord is 100% consistently here in our lives and we need to trust Him more.

Thus could be said for job searching – yeah – tough in terms of waiting – and waiting – and yet not being idle. One has to search – these things rarely drop from the sky.

I found that I was in one possibility for a moment and then it was made clear to me that THAT particular situation (not necessarily the role but well other things) – that THAT was not where the Lord wanted me and I could see that as a “save” – not that it was offered to me – but whatever, LOL…

Also in job searching – there has to be a hunger and direction put into my life – and the Lord has given me the blessing of interest in interesting things. And then there will be the fear of failure that will wage in – of no wages – so those of us STILL in a denial (easier to explain to people) and/or in TRUSTING THE LORD (actually harder to explain to people) – well we have to WAIT on the Lord either way.

This devotion below from Bob is perfectly timed (once again the Holy Spirit is so active and timely) – I checked in last night with God again, while scanning family history stuff and doing a very interesting home project) and just said “Lord, AM I ALLOWED TO HAVE THIS PEACE?” – then this devotion (below) popped up this morning – such timing… Keep doing day by day what the Lord has you doing.

Yeah – I question sometimes – am I being distracted or uber focused on important things? I was finishing up my scanning of this branch of the family correspondence from 1900’s – 1960 – taking like three afternoons/evenings of scanning and then some – including making 2 “xerox” copies for easy reading – and contemplating “is this for me?” – “is this for them?” Whom am I doing this for? – and yet it seems perfect the treasured job given to me – both as an activity to keep me busy as I await the BIG trip this summer in less than 2 weeks – also to finish up before I do VBS’s – and as a scanned/printed resource for the future – including that I can’t wait to meet these lovely people in Heaven one day. I realize that everyone I am reading about – would be deceased by now – and yet they come alive in letters. [and the practicality of paper is true – these letters survived over 100 years but computer scans may not unless saved in an accessible way.]

Well – job search – life search – just paying the bills – so much to consider – but God? GOD IS – not just God is convenient to touch base with – but GOD IS GOD – and God knows we need Him.

Here is Bob’s devotion – on WAITING on the Lord…

(and don’t worry – I have more letters to send you pics of in future emails)

Amen and thanks for the pep talk Lord!

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Daily Devotional

The Daily Dose Be Still and Wait 7/01/2026 Good Morning – Are you being still before the Lord and waiting on God?

Psalm 37:7  “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
 
This fast paced world certainly doesn’t make it easy to be a patient person, as we often expect God to work in our fast and furious time tables. God’s timing is always different than ours and we often find ourselves in need of patience. Our lack of patience forces some bad solutions that often lead to even more problems. We need to learn as David finally did, “I waited patiently on the Lord, and He turned to me, and He heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1 And while waiting is very tough at times, the end result is quite awesome. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12
 
The scriptures use the image of a farmer waiting for seed, soil, sun and rain to do its work. The field must be plowed, the seed sown, the land fertilized, the crops watered, the soil weeded, the crop tendered and then he has periods of waiting in between, as the crop comes to it’s full fruition. It is the same with each of us! “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.” James 5:7

As I often say, we need to develop God speed. Pray for the patience that allows us to trust God’s timing, which is always perfect for us. “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” Psalm 18:30 “And finally, Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.” Romans 12:12

Lord please draw us closer to You and help us to wait on what You have for us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen
Have another powerful and prosperous day of waiting patiently as you love and serve others in the workplace and at home. “Take up your sword!” Ephesians 6:17
Bob Bennett
Real Men Ministries   “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” — Philippians 2:3 Copyright © 2026 Real Men Ministries. All rights reserved.

Poem of Ponder and Pause, “Oh What a View”

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Yesterday was a good day to walk – and it was a good day for me to let God slow me down.

I got so excited about going somewhere – had even packed my car the night before – like my zeal was ahead of myself – and that is the danger zone for being crushed when plans side step or slowdown.

Gratefully I pulled myself into right mindset and accepted the slowdown and instead redirected my flow into new places to go… I still got to work and when I buckled down into my work, I felt so much better.

And so what I am excited about and which is even coming to fruition is an opportunity for which now I have much to do – and instead of being mad that I was not on MY SCHEDULE – I was able to go instead to a coffee house to read and organize myself and my readings – took my lunch and everything as I had packed it – and just appreciated that sometimes you are WAITING for Him to open the door opening that He needs you to go in – and if you go too fast or too soon you might hit the glass door – you can see it – see the next step or place because the door is glass – but you have to WAIT until the Lord opens it – His timing not ours…

And while we wait – God is growing our faith – He is not holding us back but giving us time to view – and with this we will look back at this time and know that “we grew” spiritually and emotionally and in peace and grace…

And so part of my afternoon was walking and seeing a water creek by my house which I barely barely go see – it is right here and yet I don’t think I have walked here (5 minutes) in a year. Hmmm…

So I wrote this pondering poem there, not in pain but in pause – and in thankfulness…

“Oh What a View”

When I worked my worry waned.

Made some moves and my moodiness mellowed.

And my wits, I regained.

Stretched my legs and eased my strain.

Talked to God and God already knew, how to change my attitude from “I’m blue” to “Oh thank YOU Lord, because of You, I grew.”

I stopped my whine and I found out I was fine.

I slowed my go and caught up with my flow.

I WATCHED.

I Wondered.

I Wiggled and Wriggled.

I Whistled and Whispered.

God gazed at me and gave golden views, He remains my life glue. 

God gave me a moment to see – to get me through. 

God gobbled up the glum and made life joyfully more plum.

That’s from an unspoken conversation with God, or at least some…

And with that, I knew I grew.

Oh what a view…

Amen

What is it that we are waiting for? To Recognize God’s Plan

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My first summer job, maybe I was thirteen I don’t know,  it was a strange one… Strange but not hard but not one I would choose again for that age. My neighbors paid me while they went to work, just to be in their house certain days to just be present with their mom who was pretty much bedridden and non-communicative. She honestly was barely breathing, and I don’t know if maybe she came to on occasion, I don’t know if she ate, but not when I was there. It was eerie to sit in the house and no one had a cell phone for activity those days, did have the landline and they would call once or twice or so. It was just waiting… waiting…

This is what I feel like, in a small part, now, waiting on my cat to pass away at some point because she has gone down hill so much. Waiting… But are we doing enough? Are we doing too much? What are we waiting for?

Our cat is not waiting to be held, she hated that. Not waiting on food – scoffs at it after a little uptick which is now gone. Waiting? Or is the Lord waiting? Maybe the Lord is waiting for us to come to terms – or at least acknowledge that we do – and/or is the Lord taking His time for His natural course of things – likely – and we wait…

I’m sure we often are waiting for the LORD as if we’re waiting for Him to act, as if He isn’t. And yet, He IS active, all the time. The Lord is involved in everything. Whether you believe He started the process or He tweaks the system all the time, here on earth and in the heavens, it’s still waiting on our part. I know He is involved in minute details – at least tasked His angels to minister – and I know that the angels ministering to my cat have been very active over these years. The angels surely are not waiting around – neither should we be… 

I don’t remember how long that summer I was working – weeks? couple or more?  I remember being bored but I also remember worrying if she was still breathing, and I would spy closer, check movement, never touched her. It was just plain eerie. Maybe I watched a little TV, maybe I did puzzles or crosswords… I just remember watching the clock. I don’t know why I couldn’t just come in once an hour, instead I sat in a strange house and waited.

Today there is much to do without sitting – there is internet, streaming, and oh yeah cleaning the house – I even went outside and mowed the grass over a course of an afternoon – lots of breaks. I even did a crossword puzzle – big one at moderate skill level – almost finished it!

What I do know – is that waiting is an opportunity. Life is a puzzle but we are NOT required to figure it all out. Just keep playing along…

Jeremiah lamented words of sorrow of the times but acknowledged the goodness of God. Maybe in life we are just waiting until we recognize even trials as good.

We are waiting to recognize God’s Plan.

God is waiting for us to see that too…

AMEN 

From Jeremiah’s Lamentations 3 NIV: I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord”.

Numbering Our Days

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“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – That is a great reminder of scripture, Psalm 90, which urges us to learn and watch the Lord put us into focusing upon the importance of life, of listening to the Lord’s Will for us. Number our days and be productive, yes. Number our days and pay attention, 100%. AND numbering our days gives us something to do while we are waiting – YES. Number our days and keep moving through them making the most of every opportunity.

I have often said that Jesus gives us pause where the devil gives up panic. We have an agenda and if disrupted, many might curse the Lord – but it is our worldliness which is a curse – and we must apply trust – we also must remember when we DO see something that the Lord has led us too – like people and events – to give Him the Glory.

Yesterday I was tired of hearing the wind howling, as it had been for 2 whole days – silly thing to be upset about – but the noise was bothering me – I just wanted the quiet and the change. Whom am I to be annoyed by the wind – that is not my call – there are much worse things in the world. the wind is done now. I also was debating yesterday – was I OK to drive – now that my back is subsiding in pain (still with ice and ibuprofen) – I was – and I both MUST appreciate when I was told and made to BE STILL and now when I am able to move, MOVE.  My craving for chicken made me move – and when I got to the store I met an old friend who was now working there. Cool Lord!  I was looking at the pile of dishes and of laundry and then when I was able to do them – I thanked the Lord.  Just the other day – my bad back made me alter plans and I was able to accept some big balloons for a neighbor who had not yet gotten home from shopping for a party. Interesting timing. And of course my biggest squeal to be sitting quietly and all of a sudden I got the call to go see that wienermobile – wow!  Do number my moments Lord and let me know that I am paying attention to the right things. One more crucial moment on friday (before my back went out), I was telling my friends about something I had done, helping people, and my friend said (with others listening) – “wow, you are definitely going to heaven”  – and I was able to correct gently and excitedly that I was giving a sermon about that exact thing – that it is not our good works that bring us to Heaven – because with man it is impossible – but with Jesus – with God – it is POSSIBLE!  and this was a teaching to three listeners, cool. AH – see trusting the Lord to put us in the right place and right time. He does.

Lord, teach me to number my days and find those ways to glorify and teach about YOU! 

Amen

Psalm 90:1-12

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death – they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.

We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Our Jesus Calling devotional book for today is so fitting – as God is – Written by Sarah Young for March 12th  – written as if Jesus is speaking this: “Waiting, trusting, and hoping are intricately connected, like golden strands interwoven to form a strong chain. Trusting is the central strand, because it is the response from My children that I desire the most. Waiting and hoping embellish the central strand and strengthen the chain that connects you to Me. Waiting for Me to work, with your eyes on Me, to evidence that you really do trust Me. If you mouth the words, “I trust You” while anxiously trying to make things go your way, your words ring hollow. Hoping is future-directed, connecting you to your inheritance in heaven. However, the benefits of hope fall fully on you in the present. Because you are Mine, you don’t just pass time in your waiting. You can wait expectantly, in hopeful trust. Keep your “antennae” out to pick up even the faintest glimmer of My Presence.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:1 ESV 

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14 ESV