Learning to Give 100% During Times of Waiting

A few months ago, I felt God nudging me to start a Pinterest page. How do I know it was God? One reason is because I really had no interest. I just didn’t get how it worked … sometimes I’d come across a Pinterest link while searching something on Google but the link would be broken so the quality seemed iffy. And if I needed an image or a recipe, I’d just use Google Images or, well, Google search. But when God nudges, we should obey and so I started my Pinterest journey … and am having so much fun!

I am always floored by the amount of passionate Christian bloggers on Pinterest (and on Instagram, etc). People who live their lives yearning to create content and resources that will inspire, encourage, challenge others to live their lives for God. There can be comparison challenges on social media but I feel far less of it when blogging for God … it’s just all about God. Every word, every image hopefully showcases the glory of God and how he is moving above all. Praise him for showing so many creatives how to evangelize and encourage through social media … I feel blessed and honoured that he asked me to join too, and I pray I can serve him well.

With Pinterest, one of the first to do’s to tackle is setting up and naming boards. If you’re not a Pinterester (like I wasn’t) a board is essentially a themed digital bulletin board. There are a variety of tips out there on how to name your boards. Some people say they should be generically named so people can find you. Others say fun, unique names are better. So I decided to do both. But my favourite boards are the creatively named ones:

• Be Encouraged, Lovely One!

• Trust God, Girl

• Waiting on God

OK maybe the last one isn’t super creative. But these are my favourites I think because I need these reminders most of all.

Starting The Yay Project has been the most creative fun I’ve ever had because I’ve felt God’s leading through it all. There were no lengthy debates on blog / account name (he gave it to me), illustration style (before starting this blog / Instagram account I didn’t draw at all … anything that looks good, I feel is basically all Holy Spirit’s guidance), even the look of this blog (have zero website skills but blessed with a UX designer sister with a beautiful servant heart). It’s been a joy just to take it day by day through prayer. So far blog post topics have been things God’s been teaching me this season. But I also felt God nudging that one day I’d think more about strategy.

On Pinterest I get to see other Christian blogs’ content and there’s an element of considering writing for what readers want. But … I don’t know. There’s nothing wrong with that of course but I’ve been praying about things during my 21 day fast (with my church) and believe God’s encouraging me to let the Holy Spirit lead this year too. To not force posts but write as he leads, when he leads. (This while also giving me big, bold, bigger picture goals.) And I am more than happy to do so. It’s an incredible thought that as we start 2020 - a new year AND a new decade - we can give every day to God and do our best to follow his lead in all areas. Oh what he will do with a life fully yielded to him!

And while I will do my best to be fully yielded, it’s not always easy. Especially in some areas where I’m holding onto promises and waiting for him to move. During prayer time this morning, I was thinking of this and felt Jesus show me an image of him painting at a desk. Some parts of the painting were completed and dried, some parts of the canvas were blank. I watched him painting and noticed the current colour he was using … brown! Not my favourite colour … Then I felt him say:

I’m still painting your masterpiece. Some sections have been completed, others are still being painted, colours are still being mixed … but it’s all a part of my masterpiece. Wait and see.

The truth is that while I’m confident I’m finally walking in my God-given calling, there are still a lot of unknowns ahead. As I was taking the minibus to small group last night, I stared at the beautiful skyscrapers and city lights and remembered my childhood dreams of living in a big city one day. God’s fulfilled this … but why? Why am I still in Hong Kong? Will I be in Hong Kong for much longer? Last year my heart was unexpectedly crushed … when will I have my own family?

In life perhaps there will always be areas where we find it easy to trust God and areas where we find it hard. Life is a journey and God is always leading us one step at a time into his perfect plan. This year I pray that I can live my life for God 100% in all areas … that I’m just as confident in his purpose for The Yay Project as I am in his good plan for my marriage. If God created the colour brown / ‘brown’ moments (waiting moments?) then they are beautiful, God-approved colours / moments too. Let’s keep encouraging one another to boldly declare our faith in God’s goodness in person, on Instagram, on Pinterest … and believe it with all our hearts.

Father God, I thank you for being you. For sending Jesus. For giving us the Holy Spirit. You are worthy to be trusted and even when it’s hard, even when I’m frustrated, help me to quickly come back to you. Lord, life is only worth living for you. Can I say that? The life, hope, satisfaction you bring … help me and the rest of your children to embrace our God-given identities and embody what it’s like to live with 100% faith in the midst of waiting, even if the waiting includes tough struggles and trials. You promise to work everything for our good, you always have a plan, and you are always working. Thank you for always being with us and letting us co-create with you. You give me so much joy and even though sometimes I wish my current waiting season was over I will choose to trust you. You know best and I surrender.