In
her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a
vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and
remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give
him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on
his head.” I Samuel 1:10-11
Do you ever have days where you
feel like Hannah—praying God would remember you in your misery? Then waiting…and
waiting…and waiting for an answer.
You might even wonder—Does God
hear me? Is He ever going to fix my situation?
Just as God came through for
Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19-20), He will come through for you. His timing is perfect.
Corrie Ten Boom once told a story about asking her father questions that weren’t appropriate for her to know the
answers at her age. Her father replied with a question of his own: “When do I
give you your train ticket?” She said, “Right before the conductor asks for it.”
Her father, in his wisdom, said something like, “Then trust me to give you
knowledge when the time is right.”
Our heavenly Father is similar in
that we think we have the answers to our problems and in our prayers often include
those answers. We’re mystified when the answer doesn’t come in the way or
timing we expect. We grow impatient during trials and maybe even start
despairing, when all we have to do is trust God to get it right!
Yet
the Lord longs to be gracious to you: therefore he will rise up to show you
compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
Isaiah 30:18
My latest book, While I'm Waiting, delves into waiting
on God to answer prayers. This book originated from some of my blog devotions
over the past few years, put together for the first time in a collection. This
31-day devotional will inspire the reader to wait on God patiently and
reverently to answer prayers according to His perfect timing. I share some of
my struggles, hopefully in a relatable way, to encourage and bring hope even in
the most difficult circumstances. The devotions show that it is possible to
walk through the valley and not despair while praising God and choosing
contentment during trials. As Jim Elliot once said, “God always gives His best to
those who leave the choice with Him.”
While I’m
Waiting Kindle version is
available on Amazon for 99 cents. A print version will be available in a few weeks.
Click
HERE to purchase.
Endorsements for While I’m Waiting
“Hope. It’s a foundation of our
faith, but a difficult concept to live out. Author Laura Hodges Poole
understands that, and this devotional gives us the roadmap for the path from
despair to hope. She writes from the perspective of someone who has traveled
that road. Her honesty and humility draws us in, while her wisdom shows us how
living in hope truly is possible. This book will have a coveted place on my
bedside table and will be a resource that I return to again and again.”
~Edie Melson, Co-director of the
Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and author of Prayers
for My Soldier
“Author Laura Hodges Poole knows
first-hand about the power of love and the gift of faith. With every
inspirational word, she generously shares her innermost self. Laura openly
writes about her personal trials and tribulations…the grief of losing her dear
sister to suicide and the deep abiding love she has for family and friends. No
matter the circumstance, Laura manages to draw from a well of love and hope.
She eloquently expresses the depth of her faith and her very intimate
relationship with God. Laura has “died to self” and trusts in our heavenly
Father to guide her every step of the way. While
I’m Waiting gives witness to Laura’s commitment to our loving Creator and
her heartwarming devotion to Him.”
~Dolores Ayotte, inspirational
author of Up The Down Ladder: Simple Ideas to Overcome Depression and
book reviewer
