Delays-Disappointments-Detours

/ Gail Johnson / 2 Comments

Gail Johnson www.centerofhiswheel.com

Dreams

Dreams are such fragile little things. We hold them close to our hearts daring to believe that one day our dreams will come true.

Dreams ignite hope. Hope gives us the courage to look to the future. Dreams help us to plan. Our lives are built on plans. We begin life by imagining the next adventure. Education. Driving. Jobs. Marriage. Children. Retirement. Heaven.

But then, things change. Sickness. Heartache. Job loss. Waiting. Detours. Delays. Disappointment. The loss of a dream often brings discouragement and hopelessness.

Delays-Disappointments-Detours

Physically there was no way Sarah could become pregnant.

No hope

Moses spent forty years in the desert before leading his people out of Egypt.

Delay

Joshua and Caleb, still carrying the dust of Canaan, watched as their dreams fell to the ground. Although faithful, they were sentenced to forty years in the wilderness.

Disappointment

Martha ran to Jesus and said, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”

Loss of hope

Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrew, born of the tribe of Benjamin thought he had it going on until Jesus gained his attention on the road to Damascus.

Change of plans

But…

Don’t you love that word? I do when it pertains to the things of God, the author of our hopes and dreams. As the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2), He is well able to keep His promises. And in the end, He alone will get the glory.

God is not behind schedule, and we are not late for the appointment. He knows exactly what He is doing. And in His time, everything will fall into place. All we have to do is surrender our dreams to Him, move when He speaks, and trust His heart.

Deliverance

Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Genesis 18:14

Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. Genesis 4:12

Doubtless ye (the doubters) shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. Numbers 14:30

Thy brother shall rise again. John 11:23

But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. Acts 9:15

So, why the wait? Only God can answer that question. But one thing is certain. A circuitous journey prepares us for the destination. While passing through the valley or hiking over the mountain, let’s dig a well and claim the ground! Learn of Him, and collect every nugget along the way

Easy? Not by a long shot. Read the red. He promised troubles and trials,  heartaches and afflictions. Yet, He also promised to never leave us.

Decision

Delays, disappointments, and detours are nothing in His hands. God’s not behind. You’re not late. Trust His heart. He knows what is best.

 

Refining Fire ~ Tracie Peterson

/ Gail Johnson

Book Blurb

Purchase Link

Twenty-two-year-old Militine Scott is in training at the Madison Bridal School in Seattle, yet she has no intention of pursuing marriage. What respectable man would have her? But she has found the school provides the perfect opportunity to keep her unsavory past hidden.

Thane Patton, though fun-loving and fiercely loyal to his friends, hides a dark secret, as well. He finds himself drawn to Militine, sensing that she harbors a haunting pain similar to his own.

Will they allow God to make something new and beautiful from the debris of their past?

My Review

This book reads like a mini-series. The second in the series, Refining Fire, is Militine Scott’s story or so you think when reading the first chapter. However, Abrianna Cunningham is the engine that moves the story along. Nothing wrong with that, if you are aware of it at the beginning of the series. Personally, I like the fact there are multiple POVs. I enjoyed learning about everyone at once. And the conversations? Wow. True to the character and filled with scripture. Often, I laughed out loud as I envisioned the actions of the character.

The heart of Refining Fire is the residents of the Madison Bridal School in Seattle Washington during the late 1800s. The owners, Miss Selma, Miss Miriam, and Miss Poisie instruct young ladies in the art of homemaking. Unfortunately, Militine Scott has no desire to become a wife. A runaway, Militine is hiding from an abusive father. She doesn’t trust anyone, including God. Then, Thane Patton asks to court her. A flame of hope kindles and Militine must choose between her past and Thane. Can she find the courage to trust God with her future?

Militine’s friend, Abrianna Cunningham has no time for romance either. Her days are spent taking care of the homeless. If she had a mantra it would be, faith without works is dead. The problem? Her idea of “works” usually gets everyone in trouble!

As Militine, Thane, Abrianna, and Wade go about their daily lives helping others, we watch relationships change as they discover their love for each other.

Ms. Peterson packs her story with historical facts of the Seattle fire. She addresses the subjects of feeding the hungry, women in leadership, human trafficking, abusive authority within the church, forgiveness, healing from past wounds, and finding the will of God for one’s life.

Although I would have liked a little more from Thane and Militine, I loved this book.

If you are a fan of Anne of Green Gables, Cranford, or Lark Rise to Candleford, you will enjoy reading this series.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.