Forty years is a long time to wait to get married. It impresses and perplexes me that God would make a "Faith-Hall-of-Famer" wait that long for companionship and family building. I've read the book of Genesis many times and Isaac's age at marriage never stuck out to me until this time.

In popular culture today, it is a focal point of complaint that women are always waiting for their covenant relationship — but as I was reading today's verse, God humbled me and informed me that while women wait for their desire for a husband to be fulfilled, men of God are waiting, too!

As I read through Genesis, I saw that Abraham had to wait a hundred years for Isaac to be born. Then Isaac had to wait forty years for Rebekah, and twenty years after that for a set of twins: Esau and Jacob. Esau had to wait forty years to marry, while Jacob had to work and wait seven years to marry Rachel and Leah, due to local customs and a little bit of trickery on the part of his father-in-law.

It doesn't just stop at marriage when it comes to waiting on God's timing. The Hebrews had to wait four hundred years for freedom from slavery in Egypt. Millions of people had to wait hundreds or thousands of years for Jesus, the Messiah, to be born.

From these testimonies, we see that waiting is instilled in God's plan for all of us as believers. It strengthens our faith and tests our doubts so that we may grow to be more like Jesus.

Even if you are not waiting for marriage or to start a family, you can feel like you are waiting for God to tend to your medical diagnosis, your rowdy teenager, your overbearing boss, or even that red light on your way home from work.

So, the next time you have to wait for anyone or anything, remember that you are not the only one whom God makes to wait on Him and His promises. He makes us all wait from one year to forty years to a thousand years. That should give us comfort, because it is from waiting that His promises are best fulfilled. As Jesus has proven, God always keeps His promises, no matter how we act while we are waiting.

Prayer: Omnipresent God, please still our hearts while we wait for You to act in our lives. Give us Your work to do and Your people with whom to fellowship while we wait. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

I am learning French, but I am a new beginner! I really wanted to plan a trip to Paris, France, that July to practice my French, but there were two problems. My cousin's wedding in Florida was June 9th, and God had been wrestling with me about paying off my student loans and car payment more quickly.

I had not yet interviewed for a new position in Jackson, and I had only about $2,000 to my name. I had a choice to make; go deeper in debt and go on vacations to Florida and Paris, or attend to the debt and not go anywhere. I chose the debt.

In December 2023 at my new job teaching adults, I had another opportunity to decide between Paris or debt. As I was scrolling the flights, Jesus gave me another idea. Maybe I could go to another country that spoke French but was less expensive than France, which would allow me to pay my debt.

On a Google search, I found Quebec, Canada, at a fraction of the price. The accommodations, flight, bus pass, and cellphone plan were cheaper than even a one-way ticket to Paris. God had a better plan! I thanked Him for this suggestion, even though it was not my original choice and a part of me still longs for Paris.

To soothe and reassure me, God gave me signs confirming the trip. When I was out of town, the license plate of the car beside which I parked was from Quebec, and it was the only parking spot left! When my colleagues and I had to move for an office renovation, there was a sticker with a red maple leaf and a "Made in Canada" note behind the books that I had never seen all the months that I had I worked there! And the maple syrup that I bought was "Amber Grade", and my name is Amber.

Despite my reservations, Quebec surprised me and exceeded all my expectations. France is still culturally iconic, but now when I think of French, I think of Quebec. God knew that it would suit me just fine. I am thankful that God has given me reassurance, not just by these tailor-made signs, but by His Word.

Proverbs 16:9 – People may make plans in their minds, but the Lord decides what they will do. (NCV)

In obedience to Jesus, what plans are you struggling to change because you aren't yet sure that He has something better? He had better plans for me, and the plans that He has for you are better than even you can think of!

Prayer: God, thank You for making better plans. Help us to follow them willingly and obediently because You know what is better for us. Amen.