Why is it taking so long to see your dream come true?

6 / 21 / 167 / 20 / 16

I have a dream to write a book. For several years, I have been praying and working towards this goal, but sometimes it’s hard to determine if I am any closer to seeing this happen. I often wonder if it’s even worth pursuing.

I pray and wait. Pray and wait.

Why is it taking so long?

When will I ever see my dream come to fruition?

I was pondering these questions recently while visiting the zoo. Before entering an indoor exhibit, I had to walk a pathway lined with tall, green bamboo on both sides. It made me feel as if I was in another place far from the city that surrounds the zoo. The bamboo trees were tall and reminded me of the beanstalk that Jack climbed in the story Jack and the Beanstalk. I wished I could climb to the top of one and see my future – as if that were possible.

There was something about the bamboo trees that intrigued me. I did some research and found some amazing things. The Chinese Bamboo grows throughout Asia and is the largest member of the grass family.

This tree is pretty amazing because it is very strong. In fact it is stronger than brick or concrete. Because of this amazing strength, it can hold large amounts of weight. In China, footbridges and homes are built from the Chinese Bamboo.

The usefulness of the Bamboo doesn’t stop there. It can also be used for cooking, clothing, musical instruments and writing tools. It is even used as a medicine to treat minor skin conditions.

Here is where we get to the good part. This versatile tree that stands tall and strong and can be turned into just about anything, starts as a tiny, delicate seed. It cannot care for itself, must be tended too daily and needs water, sunlight and a lot of time.

The farmer who plants this tree must be very patient because this little seed will not show any signs of life for five years. That’s right. Five years. But when the first signs of life do emerge from beneath the ground, it grows fast and furious. Within four months the tree will be at its full height of 90 feet.

[biblegateway passage=”Colossians 2:7″ display=”Colossians 2:7″] (NIV)

Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation of your life.
So why does it take so long for it to grow? It’s actually preparing for its entrance into the world.

The seed knows its job is to grow strong and tall so it prepares by focusing on its roots first. The seed takes those first few years growing roots deep into the earth. Without this stability and foundation, it cannot grow into the tree it is supposed to be.

Farmers know that if they continue watering their seed, it will grow in time. The same can be said for our own bamboo dream.

Before we can accomplish our goals, we must water our seeds in faith and let God prepare our roots.

With our perseverance in faith, we will one day see signs of life coming up through the ground. Books are written, marriages mended and the battle with weight is won.

What is your bamboo tree? Go ahead – water it today.

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3 reasons God asks you to wait

10 / 12 / 1510 / 29 / 15

The man in the car beside me honked his horn and raised his hands in frustration. It was rush hour on a Tuesday afternoon. We were both in the middle of four lanes merging into two.

He was clearly upset that traffic was not moving fast. There was not a thing he could do about it, but he continued to honk his horn and raise his arms in disgust.

I find myself in a position like this man. I have a dream. I have planned, set goals and created a map to reach my dream. I am ready to move forward, but God is asking me to wait.

Waiting is hard, especially when God asks us too. From standing in line at the grocery store to waiting for a future spouse, we participate in the not so pleasant game of waiting.

David knew what it was like to wait. He was in a holding pattern for many years after being anointed the future king of Israel. He had the good fortune to work in the king’s court as a musician that allowed him to observe and learn from the king.

Don’t settle for half a tree

12 / 10 / 149 / 14 / 15

The day after Thanksgiving, my husband had to work. I decided to surprise him by assembling and decorating the Christmas tree.

My sister helped me drag the tree from the attic; we put it together, fussed over the lights and made sure the branches were evenly spread out. My mom put the decorations on while my cat watched in awe of this new thing taking space in our living room.

After the tree was done, we sat back and waited for my husband to come home. I imagined him walking in the door with a big smile on his face, exclaiming what a great job we had done. That’s not what happened. Instead, he tilted his head and proclaimed, “Half of the tree is missing.”

The smile on my face faded as I looked at him. Was he serious? Did we just spend two hours decorating half of a tree? As I stood there speechless, he went to the attic and came back holding the bottom part of the tree in his arms. Yes the bottom – not the middle or top – the bottom.