“God’s Timing”

“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.”—Ecclesiastes 3:1 

Nike popularized the phrase “Just Do It” when the company adopted it as a motto. Many of us have said those three words a time or twenty when speaking with someone who seemed to procrastinate moving forward on something. When we use the phrase, we’re really saying, “stop making excuses and get busy!”

Procrastination is not a word that people would use to describe me. It’s not even how I would describe myself. Yet, my most recent book project only came about because my hand was “forced.”

For at least a decade, I’d been thinking about putting together a one-year weekly devotional, but I put it off, thinking that I had too many other things on my plate. I wanted this to be a collaborative project, and I wondered how I would gather everyone together for the work. Eventually, I talked myself out of it. Years would pass before I gave it any more serious thought, even though the idea never left my mind.

In 2020, the devotional idea again gained momentum when I aimed to help an organization publish a devotional with its members. Unfortunately, that didn’t pan out for several reasons, but the ball was already rolling, so I began creating the devotional as a Yo Productions project. The end result was a final compilation of works that outweighs my best imaginations.

I now wonder if the delays over the years and with the other organization were simply part of the process that propelled me to complete the project at this appointed time. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us that “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps” (NIV). When I finally began executing the plan for the devotional, things were delayed a year because of situations outside of my control. What I thought was a delay turned out to be “perfect timing!”

I’m sure that many others have such testimonies of things not happening when you wanted them to but happening at the time they were supposed to. Of course, real procrastinators will use God’s timing as an excuse to not do any prep work at all. As I look back on the years that I “put off” this project, I now see how God was preparing me. I wasn’t aware of such at that time, but now it’s plain as day through the connections I’ve made, things I’ve learned, and resources I’ve acquired to put the plan into action. While we can and should plan, we must also submit our plans to His will and give Him ultimate authority to do as He pleases when He pleases. His timing is always best!

Check out Connecting with Christ: 52 Weekly Devotionals to Nurture Spiritual Growth

Beauty in All Creation

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end,” Ecclesiastes 3:11, NKJV.

Ever since I met my husband in 1996, he has shown great care and concern for animals. From the cats his mother used to have, to the three pit bulls we previously owned, to the squirrels he throws peanuts to in the morning, to our current paw child, David’s soft spot for animals has been evident.

He seems to have a soft spot for bugs, too. If he sees a spider (or hears me scream for him because I see one), he’ll do his best to remove it and take it outside to continue its life. I’m not as understanding of bugs inside our dwelling. If I see one outside, I’ll leave it be because that’s its natural habitat. But, if it’s inside of my home and I have to encounter it because David isn’t around, well let’s just say that it’s self-defense in my book.

When it comes to animals, I’m selective. I’m not fond of cats in the lease bit, and the squirrels have only gotten peanuts from me when David forgets and asks me to throw some outside. The one animal I do find myself having a soft spot for are dogs. If you’ve been around me for any length of time in the past few months, then you know this miniature pinscher we call Paco has us wrapped around his paw.

I will spare you the details about how Paco takes up half of our queen-sized bed and literally has us on the edge, or how we travel with a collapsible water bowl and a bottle of water when he’s with us in case he gets thirsty. It’s sickening. I know. Though it seems like David and I have lost our minds when it comes to Paco, I assure you that we have retained some of our sanity. You won’t see us letting Paco “kiss” us in the mouth! Though I’m very much aware that Paco is a four-legged creature, our little dude has been the perfect comforter during this season of grief.

My life literally went to caring for my mom and traveling with Tia for volleyball to having no one to care for and no more volleyball tournaments to attend all within a matter of weeks. It was a jolt to my system, a drastic change from what I’d been doing for the past six years. We got Paco about a month before my mom passed. Perhaps subconsciously, I was preparing myself to still look after another being. Whatever the case, he captured my heart with his little acts of kindness such as the times he’d cuddle up next to me when he observed me crying. To me, it felt like God was giving me a hug through Paco and saying, “I’m here.”

Sometimes I stand outside and watch the squirrels interact (without feeling compelled to give them unsalted peanuts), or I see ants traveling in a line along the sidewalk and I think, “God, You’re awesome.” It’s nothing short of amazing to me that animals communicate with one another and do what they are supposed to do. There’s a purpose for every one of God’s creatures. I may not understand why He saw fit to craft some animals like cats (I’m just saying), but it’s not for me to know. If I look hard enough, I can find beauty in all the work of God’s hands. This isn’t only true for animals, but for people as well.

If you are having a hard time seeing the purpose of an animal or the good in another person, ask God to help you see through His eyes. He made everything, and everything He made is beautiful!