Note from Erin: Rachel Hamilton is dear friend of mine. I've gotten to know her through the magic of the internet. Although she lives in New Zealand and I live in South Carolina, we've become friends. She has a kind heart and a beautiful spirit that uplifts and encourages people. I've asked her to write today's blog, and I know you will be blessed.
By Rachel Hamilton
I had my life worked out. I knew where I was going. But what I didn't know was God was planning something completely different for me, something life changing and bigger than I could have imagined.
At fifteen-years old, I knew what I wanted to do in life. I wanted to be a paramedic and save lives. As I started training for it, suddenly God shut the door. Dream after dream was crushed, and time after time the answer was “No.”
I couldn't understand it. If God loved me, why did everything I try crumble? Why did He say no so much to me when everyone around me got a yes? Did He hate me? Was I a problem and too much to handle, so He gave up on me?
From an early age I had wanted to do something with my life, but my life was a mess no matter how much I tried to change it. One day, out of nowhere, God laid it on my heart to start an online ministry to encourage people to wait on God. Since God had put me in a training program for years to learn to wait on Him, I knew what people were going through when their plans changed and they were forced to wait. Amazingly, people started responding to what I had to say, and slowly, God revealed to me what His plan for my life was, and it was not what I would have ever thought.
But I am slow, slow to understand what is often right in front of me. I was still blind to the calling God had for me. So He touched the very thing that was a pride issue for me – my strength and health. God stopped me in my tracks and made me listen. He took me to a place where He took everything away and He asked me, “Will you still praise Me if I never choose to bless you? Is it more important for you to make something of yourself, or will you obey Me even if that means not being able to do anything?”
I had my life worked out. I knew where I was going. But what I didn't know was God was planning something completely different for me, something life changing and bigger than I could have imagined.
At fifteen-years old, I knew what I wanted to do in life. I wanted to be a paramedic and save lives. As I started training for it, suddenly God shut the door. Dream after dream was crushed, and time after time the answer was “No.”
I couldn't understand it. If God loved me, why did everything I try crumble? Why did He say no so much to me when everyone around me got a yes? Did He hate me? Was I a problem and too much to handle, so He gave up on me?
From an early age I had wanted to do something with my life, but my life was a mess no matter how much I tried to change it. One day, out of nowhere, God laid it on my heart to start an online ministry to encourage people to wait on God. Since God had put me in a training program for years to learn to wait on Him, I knew what people were going through when their plans changed and they were forced to wait. Amazingly, people started responding to what I had to say, and slowly, God revealed to me what His plan for my life was, and it was not what I would have ever thought.
But I am slow, slow to understand what is often right in front of me. I was still blind to the calling God had for me. So He touched the very thing that was a pride issue for me – my strength and health. God stopped me in my tracks and made me listen. He took me to a place where He took everything away and He asked me, “Will you still praise Me if I never choose to bless you? Is it more important for you to make something of yourself, or will you obey Me even if that means not being able to do anything?”
This was a huge wakeup call to me, and one of the hardest lessons I had to learn, that obedience is better than sacrifice. It wasn't a fun or enjoyable lesson, but it was the very thing that made me wake up and see that when God says to trust Him, He means trusting Him with everything, not just the things I want to give Him.
The beautiful thing about God is that He does want to bless us more than we can imagine. Once I laid down my idol of selfish ambition (not that my dream was a bad one but the mindset behind it was), God opened amazing doors to fulfill His plan for my life. I never would have imagined that He would call me to become an author, nor could I have foreseen that He would give me the huge privilege of speaking into the lives of thousands of people every day. God is continuing to bless me and show me unconditional faithfulness, even when I am not faithful to Him. I am still sick, I still have bad days, and I still sometimes forget His promises and try doing my own thing, but He shows me every day the beauty of being in His will, and there is no place I would rather be. Sometimes we have to be broken so God can use us in a bigger way than if we had never suffered. God may take us through hard times, but He will always bring beauty from ashes. He dreams big, amazing, and wonderful dreams for us, but first He may ask us to lay down our dreams so we are ready to experience His.
© December 4, 2013
The beautiful thing about God is that He does want to bless us more than we can imagine. Once I laid down my idol of selfish ambition (not that my dream was a bad one but the mindset behind it was), God opened amazing doors to fulfill His plan for my life. I never would have imagined that He would call me to become an author, nor could I have foreseen that He would give me the huge privilege of speaking into the lives of thousands of people every day. God is continuing to bless me and show me unconditional faithfulness, even when I am not faithful to Him. I am still sick, I still have bad days, and I still sometimes forget His promises and try doing my own thing, but He shows me every day the beauty of being in His will, and there is no place I would rather be. Sometimes we have to be broken so God can use us in a bigger way than if we had never suffered. God may take us through hard times, but He will always bring beauty from ashes. He dreams big, amazing, and wonderful dreams for us, but first He may ask us to lay down our dreams so we are ready to experience His.
© December 4, 2013
About the Author
Rachel Hamilton is the founder of It's Worth the Wait – Becoming God's Men and Women in Waiting ministry, an online ministry to encourage those who are waiting on God for His best. She is also the author of Hidden Struggles: Purity, God, Guys and Life, a book for young women that addresses the areas of purity, waiting, modesty, relationships, God, and life. Rachel lives in New Zealand.
Rachel Hamilton is the founder of It's Worth the Wait – Becoming God's Men and Women in Waiting ministry, an online ministry to encourage those who are waiting on God for His best. She is also the author of Hidden Struggles: Purity, God, Guys and Life, a book for young women that addresses the areas of purity, waiting, modesty, relationships, God, and life. Rachel lives in New Zealand.
Important Links
- Buy the book. http://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Struggles-Purity-Guys- Life/dp/1490806466/
- Ministry page https://www.facebook.com/Godswomaninwaiting
- Author page https://www.facebook.com/rachelhamiltonnz
- Twitter https://twitter.com/Rachyham *If you enjoyed today's blog, show your support and buy Rachel's book.
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