A Precious Harvest

I have been working with one of my client's going on three years now. We've had our ups and downs but at the end of the day I would say I would say that this little one has a special place in my heart. Sometimes I'll tell people that this girl is my best friend. It seemed that when I felt like the whole world was against me, Little Miss would know it and give me the smile or hug I would need. We developed a bond over the years.

It hasn't been all sunshine and roses though. As I was thinking of what to write on my blog, for some reason I kept being reminded of two words that, when spoken to Little Miss, would make her holler at me something fierce. These two words are: WAIT and LISTEN.

Little Miss doesn't like those words. Sometimes those words would bring her to tears. I don't think we, as a whole, like those words either. This is what the Lord tells us to do but I think we often give the same response as Little Miss does: scream our pretty/handsome little heads off. Sometimes we verbalize our frustrations but often I believe, we are screaming on the inside and trying to keep our cool on the outside. But God hears both the inside and outside screams, so we just to vocalize them like Little Miss and allow the Lord to gently quiet our hearts and trust Him more.

I thought about these words more as we looked at the book of James on Thursday night at a youth ministry I volunteer at. James 5: 7-12 talks about patience and waiting. It talks about how a farmer needs to be patient and wait for the crops to grow. A farmer can't harvest before it is time: He will end up with a lousy bunch of crops which won't be worth much and will be lacking. But if a farmer is patient, then he will have a "precious harvest." Also, the bible study leader that night touched on "establishing your heart." He gave the example of a tree with deep roots, which is compared to a person who knows God and His great love, seeks to know Him more, and who practices waiting and listening to Him. This person will be able to perservere in times of trouble and will be able to stand strong because they know who Christ is and know who they are in Christ.

Okay...so wouldn't you know that in Kenya, I have been given two names from different tribes that have been really special to me. The one I adore is: Nekesa, which means Harvester. I believe that the Lord is telling me to be the patient farmer who will have a "precious harvest" when the time is right. The second name is Moraa (More-uh), which means a tree on a hill that provides shade. I believe the Lord is telling me to dig my roots deep into the soil..to get to know Him better...to trust Him more...to listen more...and that when the time is right He will use me to be a refuge..a covering..for those who need it.

Sorry Jesus for hollering at you when you told me to WAIT and LISTEN! I have been like Little Miss so many times. Thank you for teaching me through these precious little ones and making things connect to teach me and grow me.