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| Worth the Wait by Laura Jackson |
Philippians 4:11b (ESV) “I
have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”
BEING CONTENT
Whatever situation????
When I decided to become a
librarian after years of teaching middle school, I was told to take an
elementary school position to gain some experience. So, I did.
And while I loved the kids
and my co-workers, it was the worst job/boss I’ve ever had. I don’t want to
give specifics online, but it was an emotionally abusive place.
Every morning, I prayed to
get through the day with a smile and a positive attitude. Throughout the day, I
would turn to Him for strength and courage.
And most days, I can
honestly say I was happy and upbeat through Christ and His joy.
But, I often wondered how
long I would be there—what lesson did I need to learn and could I learn it
quickly? And then God opened doors, and I moved to a new school in a new
district. It was heaven. A great school, the best boss/principal I could
imagine, great kids, involved parents, and close to home.
What more could I want?
Yet, I found myself unhappy
the last few months.
How could I be unhappy at
a place so wonderful when I managed to be upbeat and happy at the worst job
environment I could imagine? How could I be content in a hard place and
restless in a good place?
Because once I moved to a
pleasant place, I wasn’t seeking Him for my joy. Instead, I got it from work. I
didn’t turn to Him throughout the day to sustain me. Instead, I enjoyed my
“easy” situation.
And while the ease of life
was nice for a while, it didn’t last. Nothing does outside of God. Ignoring my
constant need for Him left me empty even in a great situation.
I’ve been repenting for
that. Asking God for to forgive me for not remembering that I need Him in every
situation. When things are going well, we often forget our desperate need for a
relationship with Jesus.
Rich or poor, I need Him.
Lonely or surrounded by
love, I want Him.
Happy or Sad, I love Him.
He’s the one constant and
the only one in whom we can be
content, no matter the situation.
ABOUT LAURA JACKSON:
Laura Jackson loves
books---reading and writing them. A life-long reader, Laura studied English in
college and taught 7th grade language arts before earning her Master's
degree and becoming a school librarian. Now, she spends her days sharing
great books with kids and her evenings writing books about teenage
girls discovering God and His plan for their lives.
Worth the Wait:
Lansing has a picture-perfect life with a close-knit family and the perfect boyfriend. But her world is suddenly knocked off center when her drool-worthy boyfriend cheats, and her always-has-it-together mother is diagnosed with cancer. Ellie doesn't get it. She always does the right thing - doesn't God owe her a happy life? Through her heartache, Ellie learns that sometimes what seems like the end is really just the beginning and that what God has for us is always worth the wait.
WHERE YOU CAN PURCHASE WORTH THE WAIT:
HOW TO CONNECT WITH LAURA JACKSON:
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