Psalm 20:4May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
When I read this verse, I thought to myself, this is the ultimate blessing anyone could bestow upon another! What could be better than God, who knows our needs and desires before we can ask or even know them ourselves, giving us the very things in life that make our hearts rejoice and the works of our hands bear fruit for His kingdom? Frankly, nothing. The problem for us arise when our plans and dreams are not synched with His.
I knew from an early age that I had a talent for writing. Throughout my adult life, I repeatedly felt the urge to write something, anything, but with raising a family, much of this as a single mother, and working to put food on the table and pay the rent, there wasn't the luxury of time. I kept journals and dabbled with poetry, but writing a novel? Well, that would happen one day . . .
That day finally arrived. It was the summer of 2007; the concept of a novel which had been stewing in my mind for years suddenly demanded to come to fruition. I knew this was God's calling me to use this talent with which He had blessed me. I sat down at the computer, fully trusting that He would allow the words to flow.
He did. As I was teaching at the time, it took three summers to complete; three glorious summers when God, through His Holy Spirit, sat right there beside me. I could feel His presence. I marveled at the thoughts and words placed on the pages that I could never have conceived of on my own. I was at peace. And, I had every confidence in the quality of my work.
One year and fifteen rejections later, I felt confused, deflated, discouraged. Lord, I did what You wanted me to do. You helped me all along the way! Why this? Why now? He didn't answer right away, yet I did feel a calm within; I knew He heard my plea.
I decided to start a blog, writing about anything and everything of interest to me, but I found I wasn't being as consistent as I should be to build a reader platform. I needed more purpose, more reasons, more of an audience. Then, one evening while sitting out on our deck, the Lord spoke to me. His voice was as clearly audible as if He were standing, in person, right in front of me.
"Write a daily devotional."
The rest, as they say, is history. I began the very next day and have never looked back. You are reading my words here today because the Lord filled the desire of my heart.
How has God filled the desires of your heart?
Let us pray together: Before we ask you to fulfill our heart's desire and help our plans succeed, Father, make us ever mindful that the first desire of our hearts should be to have You come live there, in us and with us for all eternity. Amen.
Readings
Psalms 20, 21:1-7 (8-14) or 110:1-5 (6-7), 116, 117
2 Kings 25:8-12, 22-26
1 Corinthians 15:12-29
Matthew 11:7-15
Excellent post, Martha. The words sometime just flow more out of the fingertips than the intellect. That is when I truly believe we are in synch with God's will, when He uses us as His tool, in this case as His writing instrument. Very aptly expressed. I expect that today's entry just flowed from your fingers.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hank! Believe me, I really appreciate it when the words come easy; and, more often than not, they do! I know I have been blessed by our most awesome God.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you, my friend!
I also wanna write a book but for now i'm content with my blog....as always...XOXOXOXO
ReplyDeleteI'm proud of you for sticking with it. Keep working on that book too! Many of the best faced much rejection before success.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Bonnie and Rachel!
ReplyDelete@Bonnie - I think you will have enough material at some point from your blog to make it happen!
@Rachel - Thank you for the encouraging words! Yes, I will stick with it; success will come in God's time.
Blessings to you both!
I too had a desire to write for a long time...which is being fulfilled now. I am happy doing this.
ReplyDeleteNice post again.Thanks.
"May he give you the desire of your heart"...? I have been saved 30 years now, and can tell you, that God never give you "desire of YOUR heart" ! But he can give you what HE think is good for you. - You can have many desires in your heart which he never gives you, because these desires is not HIS WILL ... Therefore is this bible word very wrong written ! He gives you only what is HIS will, not yours...and what HE thinks is good for you.
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