Diary of a Book Nerd: The Rain and Harvest

As I walked through my home praying for my family and thanking God for keeping us as we slept and slumbered, I was in my own little world, no thoughts of my ever-growing to do list or what's for dinner or what am I going to wear-it was just me and the Lord! THEN, it occurred to me that it was raining-a pounding rain. I was so engulfed in the moment with God that I didn't take the time to realize that the sun was not out and the birds were not chirping. The minute I realized that the rain was pouring, I opened the bedroom and dining room windows. I listened as I felt the cool breeze & I thanked God for the rain as I know He sends the rain to multiply the harvest.

I immediately envisioned the garden that the camp students at my church were "tending" to this Summer. The Director over the Summer Camp and members of our partner church, tilled the ground and planted a garden in early May. By the time the camp began in early June, the garden needed tending to; someone would have to pick the green beans, tomatoes, squash and cucumbers. And the perfect candidates are....Well it rained a couple of weekends ago & on the following Monday, the Harvest was ready for the picking. There was an abundance of cucumbers, squash, cherry tomatoes and green tomatoes. Boy, oh boy did the kids have a good time picking the veggies. The awe in their eyes was truly a site for mothers everywhere to see. It was their very own sense of accomplishment. Each individual student had a certain excitement about "the garden" and the veggies they'd picked.  

Then the thought became personal as I envisioned my own dreams and goals and what God is doing to, thru, and for me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought back to the Beth Moore study, Breaking Free and the chains of bondage, and then I went back to Priscilla Shirer's study, Discerning the Voice of God and the quiet still voice. And I came a little more recent-as recent as Tuesday when one of my online Bible Study friends confirmed what God has been saying to me-in that quiet still voice & the bondage I am holding myself in by not obeying the quiet still voice. Well if that wasn't enough, the same day, different group-online book club-another woman confirmed the same thing that was confirmed earlier in the day. Talk about a shouting in my spirit & the flow of more tears.

In my life, in this season, the storms have passed and the rain has ceased. I am by no means saying that there won't be anymore storms or the rain won't ever come again. I am simply stating that I am in the midst of a Harvest-the Harvest of God's Blessings. The Harvest of Answered Prayers. Now, these prayers may be prayers from the valley experience in my life, but nonetheless, they are answered prayers. The Harvest of Obedience to God's Word, Will and Way. The Harvest of God's Calling to Greater. I am presently working full time in the ministry-which has been an experience that only God will allow me to partake in and then call me to something bigger, better, yes! Greater! For years, I have said, "This job is only temporary, I am simply passing thru, my next job is going to be my own business. I've spent my entire adult life making companies rich while I am the one looked over and left out." A couple of years ago, I began working on my business-however, I didn't have a support system-and then I (yes, there's an 'and then') went thru the valley-Wait, I made the valley my home. I heard it, plain as day,  "This is not where I have led you and this not where you will remain". Complacency and Surrender! Complacency in the situation & admitting the fact caused me to surrender. Asking God to show me, order my steps, guard my tongue, humble my heart and open my eyes. AND (no, there's no 'and then') He did. But I had to go thru the valley experience (not live in like I did-but go thru), to be able to hear Him in the Calling to Greater and to be able to put one step in front of the other and follow in Obedience.

He brought me to a business, my business, Kelly L. Virtual Office Solutions. He has equipped me with the skills, talents, and ability; He has provided me with a location; He has heard my cry, moan, and pout about my current situation-now it is up to me to make it happen. The Harvest of God's Calling to Greater-it all started right here. In order to reap the benefits of this Harvest, I must heed to the Harvest of Obedience to God's Word, Will, and Way. The confirmations on Tuesday were no coincidence-they were God speaking thru the women to me! Just like the children at the Summer Camp, my face was flushed with awe as I read the confirmations and as they resonated in my soul. Then my make up, eyeshadow, mascara, and eyeliner became one big mural on the canvas of my face as the tears flooded and the sobs turned to praise.

In your life there is a Harvest of Answered Prayers, what have you sought God for in your valley experience and realized later that He answered? If you are out of your valley experience, that alone is an answered prayer. There is also the Harvest of Obedience to God's Word, Will and Way. Are you willing to walk in in His obedience? Are you ready to reap the benefits of His obedience? And of course, the Harvest of God's Calling to Greater. Do you know what your calling to greater is? The job you're not pleased with? The house you've outgrown? The city with no job opportunities? To return to school?

Are you ready for the Harvest?