In the Nick of Time

The Lord guarantees us that He will be with us, will never leave us, and is our ever-present help. So why do we worry that necessary things won’t get done when they need to?

Do you ever feel that way? You’ve got a deadline at work and the pressure is mounting to get it finished, but things aren’t coming together? Or, is your schedule full of important responsibilities with little room to budge?

I came back from Calgary and lined up the next few blog posts and social media stories for the rest of May in order that I could focus more on making all of the products for the Perth Night Market. I only had a couple of weeks left and wanted to create some fresh things for it. Time was slipping away. Suppliers weren’t responding or were not able to do what I requested. I had to keep revising my ideas. I’d forget about things like display staging or when to pick up the tent. I had three of my own lists of responsibilities going and Michael reminded me of others.

I had a moment a week into preparing where I felt like everything I created was like child’s work. Lies filled my mind that it wasn’t good enough quality, no one would like it or buy it. This thought began to crush my heart because I create everything with a deeper desire that whatever I make will bring joy, comfort, encouragement, and a deeper relationship with Jesus. As I sat and asked for the Lord’s help, He assured me with the verse, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) I put on worship music and listened to it as I tried to continue designing the products. A line of a song caught my attention as it proclaimed, “I am with you always,” again. I responded to the Lord, “Okay Yahweh, You are in this. Thank You for helping me. Show me the way.”

There came a point in the last week where I was getting tired and feeling the pressure of time closing in. It was Tuesday morning; Two days before I was about to leave. I went to one of my suppliers to pick up my order, and her staff didn’t seem to know anything about it. I got back in the car and gave myself a moment to pause – then I laughed.

I reminded myself that the Lord most often seems to work in the “eleventh hour.” I was bringing the pressure on myself rather than trusting Him to work it all out. I asked the Lord to show me how to order my to-do list and then started working on them, one at a time.

Miraculously, but not really in God’s terms, everything I needed to purchase and make lined up perfectly. The right people stepped in and volunteered their time, or items, to help me finish creating the products. A friend sewed the table skirt. Another lent me his tent. Another helped pack all of the gift boxes. Michael and I worked long hours to get all of the printed products made. Then, at 8:30pm on Wednesday night, everything was finished.

Michael and I slept well that night and I had a relaxing morning before my parents picked me up to drive to Perth.

The weather had called for 80% chance of rain on the Saturday of the event. I hadn’t travelled in a vehicle that far since last year, and it hadn’t gone well as my post-concussion syndrome symptoms acted up. Though everything was ready for the event, I still had the travel and weather to contend with.

But you know, after watching the Lord perfectly work everything else out before then, I wasn’t worried by this point. Many of you graciously prayed for the requests I posted in our weekly email and on the Hope Through Hard Times’ Facebook group. We laughed and rejoiced Friday night as we watched the weather forecast change from 80% rain to partly sunny skies. I prayed that the humidity would drop as it would greatly affect our journals, verse packs, and books. The humidity then dropped from 96% to 45%.

One of my doctors and my massage therapist told me what to do to help with the car ride. I did really well this time around between the healing that’s taken place in the last year and the methods they taught me.

The Lord showed up in every single one of my requests and did more than I asked.

Katie Hansen’s post, Be Content for He is Always with Me, reminds you that the Lord will, “never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). He is always with you, doing what He desires to help you in your time of need. If you’re walking in a good relationship with Him and seeking His will for you, then you can be assured that He will provide whatever it is you need at the perfectly appointed moment.

Times like these are suited to remind you of your need for dependency on the Lord. This life isn’t to be lived for your own gain. You were created because God desired a relationship with you and wanted to bless you with life on earth to explore His incredible creation and walk hand-in-hand with Him. So, you don’t need to worry. You can ask Him what steps to take and then take them one at a time. You can trust Him to show you the way and provide for your every need to accomplish whatever you two are working on.

Then the best moment happens. Because you’re focused on Him, you’ll get to see all of the special ways He did show up. It’ll lead you to a grateful heart and words of praise.

So, how about you? Is there something that you’ve been worried about? Are you overwhelmed with your to-do list? Or, have you seen the Lord show up in really cool ways to help you through something?

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I’m reminded of the love I have for each one of you and the reason I am doing this. It was exciting to finally be in a setting that I could see people face-to-face and offer the tools we’ve created as an encouragement to others. Your purchase of Sustaining Hope and the other products we offer will help fund the Bible study I’m preparing. Every bit makes a difference in the bigger picture. Thank you.