by Jennifer DePriest
Several years ago I read a story of a girl who bought a tie and prayed over it daily until God sent “the one” into her life. It took 7 years, but she prayed daily for her future helpmate’s walk with God, his health, family and a whole host of things. I was so inspired by this story, I went out and bought my own tie. Though my life had been far from a fairy tale so far, I still believed that God could be the author of a happy ending. I was putting my heart’s desire in His hands, making sure that I didn’t get ahead of Him.
What I have realized in the middle of this “stay at home” order is I had pushed the tie aside. I let my dream take the back burner in life. Or maybe, with time, I had given up. Or maybe I had to get in my boat and leave the past behind so I could see the tie on a different shore. Maybe now is the time to unpack the fabric for my prayer quilt and get to sewing. If I am praying for who God has for me, then maybe God has been waiting for me to wake up. Maybe He hasn’t been the one asleep in the boat, maybe it was me. Maybe it’s time for me to not just “expect miracles,” but to expect Him to honor the promises He laid on my heart.
I think in this time of waiting, He has wanted me to realize He only wants the best for me. Yes, a mustard seed tie tack can do the trick, but He doesn’t want to send me just any old dude on a white horse, He wants to send me a knight. He wants all of us to know we are worthy of being treated with love and respected, wrapped in the arms of kindness and compassion. But. But. He first wants me to be able to dance in His presence, free from the weight of the world. Free to become who He intended me to be, so I, too, can bring my best into someone else’s life.
We all have a story. We all have some sort of loss or heartache that we have had to walk through. We all have to decide for ourselves when it’s time to board our little boat and sail into the unknown. We can either let that scare us, or we can let it revive our childlike faith. I can either dust off my tie and consider this time of waiting a blessing, or I can give up and toss the tie in the Goodwill bin. If you have read any of my work though, you know my glass stays half full. I don’t think God forgot me, I think in the waiting …
~ He is just painting an even more beautiful happily ever after than this hopeless romantic could ever dream of writing.
~ He wants me to learn to dance again with Him first. He wants me to clear out the clutter so I can hear Him when He speaks.
~ He has me buy the fabric, but He knows it isn’t time to sew and pray for someone else.
~ He knows I need to first learn to embrace being alone with Him.
~ He knows it will take a ride in a little boat to bring hope back into my heart.
As I hear the doves coo outside, I am reminded of the symbolism of the dove, and I smile, knowing, that somewhere, some day, I will have a beautiful tie and story to share with “the one” I am meant to sail into the sunset with.
XO,
Jen
To learn more about Jennifer DePriest, visit her blog at CuriosityCottage.org. She welcomes email at CuriosityCottage@yahoo.com.