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Step to My Task

Has God ever put something in your heart to do?

Knowing the task, were you stuck in a holding pattern for whatever reason?

I had the task of starting this blog that seemed so overwhelming. I wasn’t sure what to do and how to do it. My concentrated focus on starting this did not result in the first step of getting the website up. While I had plenty of ideas, technology was a sticking point that left me in a holding pattern for six months. I prayed for help and instruction. He heard me. Looking back, His word, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Psalm 32:8 was working for my good. God sent help in the form of two friends. One woman (KP), who had similar interests in starting her own blog was always ready to discuss, research, and analyze with me. KP was so encouraging that I was prompted to write posts for the blog before the website materialized. Our conversations finally resulted in a meeting to get our blogs started, but then I stopped. After one step forward of obtaining a domain name, I was stuck again.

Periodically, blogging would resurface as a conversation with KP for the next four months. I was so weighed down and intimidated by the technology of it that ten months passed. At that juncture, the site was just a domain name and some posts stored in a folder on my computer. The sense of urgency grew as more time passed. Shopping at the grocery store one afternoon, I bumped into the other friend (AQ) I am convinced God sent. After a few minutes of catching up with her about her new online business, I shared with her about my blog. She just came out and said, “You will have it done by April first”.

At that moment, AQ’s declaration gave me the confidence to take the next step. His word again, You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways. Job 22:28 working on my behalf. April first was three weeks away. I felt confident enough to take a deep breath, take another step and figure this out. After six hours of viewing instructional videos, my blog was finally up. Not perfect, but up almost a week before the declared date of April first. I was grateful to her for declaring on my behalf for the successful completion of this task and encouraging my step forward.

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A Reminder to Speak Love

Today my company sent out an email featuring all the employee work anniversaries for the month. My name was listed along with my start date. It is bittersweet. As I am thankful to continue to work and have a job, I also remember my mother who passed away on my first day of work. Both of my parents are deceased now, and they are a reminder to say I love you to all I hold dear still living.

Before my father passed away, I missed the opportunity to tell him I loved him. One fall weekend, my father called. I did not answer the call and thought I would call him later, I have time. A couple of days later, I was at work when I got the call that he had passed. Not only did I grieve his passing, I grieved my failure of not telling him I loved him when the opportunity was there. I had time, but my father didn’t.

Ten years later, my mother was in hospice. She was not cognizant, but I made it a priority to tell her I loved her before she passed. I called because I lived far away, and asked the nurse to put the phone to her ear as she was transitioning. I told her, “Mommy, I love you”. My sister, who was in her room at the time would later reveal that my mother responded to my words.

After my father, I don’t ever want to miss an opportunity to tell my family and friends that I love them. The regret I felt, due to my failure to act in my father’s final days was the last lesson he taught me. So today, on the anniversary of my mother passing, I am lovingly reminded to say I love you.