Prepare the Way

Hello World-Changers!

I've been thinking a lot about 'preparation' lately. I watched an awesome sermon by Steve Harvey that sort of sparked a 'new thing' in my spirit. He talked about preparing your life for what you're asking God for. Well, I've had to prepare for lots of things, but I guess the biggest thing I've had to prepare for has been our children being born.

When I was pregnant with my kids there always came a 'nesting' close to the end of the pregnancy. This is an overwhelming need to organize, clean, wash, bleach, get the room ready, etc. And the closer it gets to the arrival, the more excited you get!

We prepared our minds, our finances, our lives, and a room. When we were 'expecting' Mason, we cleaned out a room that was once used for storage and here, we gave him his own place in our home.

We talked about this baby before he was born. I thought of all the things he might like. I thought about his future, his wife, his kids, etc. We talked about how excited we were! We found out that he was a boy and we were so happy because we had our girl and now, a boy!

What I'm finding now to be more important than the physical preparation for a baby is the atmosphere in which the baby would be born into. When we think of a birth, we get excited! We love the thought of a tiny little human entering the world. We even send out birth announcements to people we barely know!

But can you imagine a baby being born into a negative atmosphere? Where the mother may not have even been excited at all ... maybe in fear that something might be wrong with her baby ... Or maybe parents that don't even want their child. Or just negative people surrounding the baby that just make the environment a negative place ...

Studies have been done on this matter and psychologists have found that this 'atmosphere' plays a huge role in the development of the child. Sometimes even causing the baby to not bond with its own mother.

Well, I think this is the very same thing we might experience with God's plan for our lives. You see, I'm aware of a plan God is putting together for my family. It's a plan for ministry. But the more God reveals to us, the more I become ... skeptical or fearful . I find myself letting others speak negativity into God's plan for OUR life. I find myself waiting for what I KNOW to be true before I get excited.

Instead of walking by faith, I've been walking by SIGHT. (sigh ... thanks AGAIN to my pastor)

Instead of 'preparing' for what God has for me, I've been waiting to see the bigger picture ... waiting for the baby to be born to count all the fingers and toes ...before I get excited. I haven't given God 'room' for what He's about to do in my life. I haven't prepared and carried on as if I was 'expecting'... anything.

I hope you learn right along with me ... that we've got to get excited and believe for it BEFORE it comes! We need to be EXPECTING and making room and PREPARING in our lives for what God has for us. We need to speak life into, around, on top and bottom of the dream, the gift, the future, He holds for us. We need to prepare a joyful, exciting, positive-speaking atmosphere for God's plan to be birthed in.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

This scripture says that 'HE KNOWS'. We do not have to know ... we just have to BELIEVE.

Get Ready, Get Ready!