The inner voice calling inside is destiny waiting for you. 

When, not if, it will.

There comes a time when we are destined to do something OR receive something. Then there are other times when we take things into our own hands. Does this sound familiar? I remember in the past when I wished I had something, not realizing that I had to PREPARE and continually plant my seed. Thank God, I didn’t receive it when I wanted it. I would NOT have been prepared and I guarantee I would have messed it up somehow, or at least struggled A LOT. So having a vision for something is one thing, acting on it is another. Let’s be honest, God is NOT a genie in a bottle. Yes, He’s all powerful, all knowing, but we must also do our part. It keeps us from being lazy, complacent, spoiled, and proud. 

We sow what we reap. 

So what does that mean? Get ready. After all, how can you expect to be blessed if you don’t put your hands to something? Or how can we help someone else or leave a legacy for ourselves and our grandchildren if we don’t have anything to show for it? Think of a farmer. God provides the seed. But if the farmer doesn’t plant the seed and cultivate the earth, how can he expect fruition? God provides the sunlight and water, but the farmer still must do his part. And that same farmer can produce different kinds of fruit. 

Don’t be caught by surprise. 

Take practical steps towards your goals. What is your low hanging fruit? What can you do right now to make things better in your life? Studies have shown that even cleaning a room or one section of your home can improve your mood. A cluttered home can increase anxiety. So how can you create room for an overflow of goodness? Create a solid plan, step by step, and start moving towards it. With that in mind, what’s in your hand? Start there and allow God to bless you. It may not be in your timing, or when you want it, but the blessing will come if you believe and have faith, working towards your goals. 

Steady wins the race, then catapults.

Steady is not stressed, rushed, or condemned. This is part of the reason I named my website Barefoot and Steady, because when I’m in God’s presence, meditating on His Word, in prayer and spending time with Him, I’m like a little child. I’m humble, I’m not stressed, worried, anxious, or afraid. I’m calm, relaxed, happy, and secure in His presence. I’m barefoot and steady. 

Think about the beach or a day at the pool or just walking up a beautiful path that you know, outside in nature. If you close your eyes and picture that place right now, what would it sound like, smell like, look like, or feel like? Have you picked up a seashell and held it up to your ear? What does that sound like? Doesn’t it sound like the ocean inside? I think about beautiful sunsets, sea breeze, and the water hitting my feet as I stand at the shore and admire God’s creation. We can’t measure the ocean, the grains of sand on the beach, and much less count the stars in the sky, but we can admire all of these things in childlike wonder. 

God spoke creation into existence. (Genesis 1) He created mankind on the sixth day, and on the seventh day He rested, which is symbolic to Jesus Christ resting in the tomb on the seventh day as well. We are called to still honor that Sabbath Day of rest today. We work hard, and then rest, and even take a prolonged rest sometimes. And so, I’m steady when I’m spending time with Him. “For in Him we live and we move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

In that steadiness I’m also preparing for my dreams with eager expectation. When something works out beautifully, I know it’s a confirmation from God. When I don’t feel any life in something I’m working towards, I either adjust or change course all together. That tells me I need to pay more attention or it’s not for me, or it’s not for me at that time. When I’m working towards something every day and I see momentum, that motivates me to keep going. Think of it as a slingshot, the pulling is the preparation, and God adjusts the course along the way, pointing you in the right direction, if you allow Him to bless you, and He gives you the driving force for the impact. The part that we sometimes miss is that God is so great that He also gave us free will. So do your part, trust, and believe, seek Him wholeheartedly, and He will meet you along the way. Just as He was the driving force behind David’s slingshot when he defeated Goliath. God made a shepherd boy COURAGEOUS and much more. (1 Samuel 17) And Jesus was born from that very same family line. (Matthew 1) And Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) That Scripture is exclusive to Jesus Christ out of all the I AM statements in the Book of John. So, the next time you quote this verse, make sure you say it in its entirety. In the meantime, prepare, believe, have faith, and keep moving forward. Be prepared to be made new.