Wealth Building 101: What to do while you wait

Seems like I have been doing lots of waiting lately. Waiting for the recession economy to improve, waiting for the drought to break, waiting for temps to get below 100, waiting for my goats to get pregnant, waiting for my leg to heal after getting kicked by a horse. God is teaching me what to do while I wait.

But to those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

In the past I tended to decide what I wanted to do and would dive right in without asking for any guidance. The result was many stalled or complicated projects that often cost way more than anticipated. The last few years my budget has been tighter and my energy lower. I have found myself seeking God’s timing and blessing for my projects and the results have been nothing short of amazing.

At the beginning of 2011 I had many projects in mind but I did not expect them to be completed this year. I resigned myself to paying down debt and starting back on projects next year. I focused instead on giving appreciation for all my completed projects and current blessings. I kept going with my business marketing even as sales seemed to slow. The recession economy also slowed my vet practice so I had more free time to reflect and visualize for the future.

Interesting thing happened once I got out of the way. God started working on my projects and arranging one miracle after another for them to be accomplished easily and with minimum expense. It was like I was just along for the ride.

Here is what God has done for me this year:

Patio completed with free flagstones
Fence around 10 acres with half cost and labor from my neighbor
Panels for fence around my yard delivered for a great price
Down cedar stacked at a discounted price
A new shelter for the horses
Hot wire around my front pasture

Other gifts:

Neighbor’s goat to milk since mine did not get pregnant
Perfect healing from my kick injury
Healing of a foundered horse in my care who should not have survived
A fun new pony to enjoy

It was like God had all these gifts saved up and he was just waiting for me to stop pushing to get my way. I had to run out of my own resources before I considered depending on his. How sad but once again God used my struggles to teach me a huge lesson.

Here is what I have learned to do while I wait on God:

Show appreciation and count my blessings
Keep working even when business slows
Journal and reflect on previous actions
Focus on a positive vision for the future.
Trust God for timing and anointing

Now waiting is becoming a peaceful and useful pass time. I may not be soaring like an eagle but I am sure less weary. Madalyn

Photo Credit: Flickr via creative commons