Just getting to the good part

Several years ago, while reading Lauren Hillenbrand's book Unbroken, my husband sat on our porch, hoping to read a few pages while grilling some chicken.  I was busy inside getting together the rest of the meal, not paying attention to how many minutes had passed.  A short time later, Bill walked in the door with a plate of the charred remains of our meal.  He was so engrossed in the powerful story that he was unaware of the smoke billowing from the grill.  A friend of mine read the same book late one night, forcing herself to finally put it down unfinished at 1.30 in the morning.

Oh, just one more page, just one more chapter
                   energizes us.
           We want to know not just what happens next,
                               but what happens on the way.
And with all great stories,
                    both real and imagined,
      the tension builds the most
                  when we are getting to the good part.

Would we be so anxious about what is happening,
        even anxious at all about our own circumstances,
                                if we knew our next chapter?
God reveals,
       unveils,
           prepares,
     and leads page by page,
                     sentence by sentence,
                     word by word,
           sometimes by nudges in the right direction.
What will happen
                    I may not be ready for,
         nor has the narrative yet unfolded.

I thank You for the things
                 I may never understand,
    because there is incredible purpose
                                 embedded in mystery,
a timing,
a strategic positioning,
a great story
          and a bigger vision.

The biggest changes in my life
                       come in daily tweaks,
           just on the side of an ordinary page
                    the most extraordinary days.

Just because an outcome was not my idea
         nor what I prayed for,
it does not mean  that God was not
                     completely victorious in this.
I cannot change the situation,
nor manipulate the results,
       nor even manipulate God,
                 the Author of life,
but You, O LORD,
                 can change me in this.
I pray that You fulfill Your purposes,
     write the story
                even in language I don't yet understand,
  even in deepest mystery,
                            Your ways prevail.
What happens next?
                      God is still there.


My times are in Your hands...

                       Psalm 31. 15

...stewards of the mysteries of God.

                        1 Corinthians 4. 1