The Next Big Thing [Guest Post by Meghan]

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Meghan from Just as I am has graciously offered to write a little for us today. She’s a young girl with a big heart for Jesus. Listen to some of her story with us…
Why is it, do you think, that we as women are constantly looking around the corner to the Next Big Thing? Maybe for you that’s college, graduation, grad school, your dream job or career, or marriage, or a baby. Too often I’ve caught myself in discontent because while my heart is fervently desiring the Next Big Thing–which, for me, is marriage–I’ve lost sight of the sweetest place to be, and that’s not one particular season of life. It’s God’s will. 
Slight disclaimer: God has given us these beautiful desires & purpose, & nothing about yearning for these Next Big Things are inherently wrong…but without surrendering them to the Lord on a sometimes minutely basis, they can breed discontent.

Go ahead & call me on the carpet about that. How are you doing with your life right now–God’s will, right? Most days, I’m so blessedly busy I’m good with it. Other days–not so great with it. God dropped my part time job in my lap two years ago, & has been cultivating the calling of my heart–historical novelist–for as long as I can remember. I live at home with my wonderful parents & fabulous siblings & am surrounded by a fantastic, varied network of Godly girlfriends, sisters by heart & mentors.

But I still cannot help but wonder. And yes–often fall into those moments of tears, wondering where on earth is my guy right now? And why isn’t he here? I’ve wanted to be a wife & mother since I was a little girl & those desires have only intensified with age. I know they’re from the Lord–it’s just tricky figuring out the balancing act of believing in faith that God will grant me the desires of my heart in the future, & keeping the faith that I am where God wants me right now, in the present.

In this balancing act of faith, we are called to have blind faith for the present & future, which oftentimes catch us unaware & kicks us out of our comfort zones we build for ourselves. I don’t know which aspect of blind faith is more terrifying–when we have to wait, or step out & follow God blindly? Sometimes I fall into a mess of tears, at the very end of myself… God has a purpose for even that. He shows me His power through & in spite of my weaknesses. If I was “Super Woman” & had not one weakness to claim–I wouldn’t need Him, would I? My weaknesses & struggles are used & will be used until I reach eternity to show me how much I need the Lord, & how He always catches me when I fall.

So that’s my story–& I am a firm believer in being a work in progress, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. {Philippians 1:6 NIV} Each of you has a story that is “evolving”; with each sunrise & sunset, your pages keep on turning. Confession time, ladies–I love to flip to the end of a new novel to see how it ends before I get deep into the plot. How often do we wish we could do that with life? Sometimes I want to flip forward a few pages and see where I’ll be a few years down the road. Sometimes you may wish to rip out a page near the beginning and burn it. And some of you may feel as if hardly anything of real importance is written down for you yet, that life may be passing you by.

Take heart, in not our own capabilities, but all God is able to do. All God has done, for you & through you. Roll with the punches, be still, & take confidence in God’s will, being revealed day by day. It will lead not only to your Next Big Thing, but eternity with our Sweet Savior. He is faithful, & good–take heart in all God is, & the promises from His word that exceed even our Next Big Things.

All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are Your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Psalm 139:16-18 NIV