Hurry Up and Wait

Waiting is a hard game to play. We want everything quick, fast, and in a hurry. I have done my share of waiting in my life. One case in particular was this past Wednesday. My mom had surgery and my dad and I waited for what seemed like an eternity at the hospital. I was frustrated because they were running behind and we waited in the room an hour after we were supposed to be there. It was like we had to hurry to get there on time and then we had to wait on them. While we waited, I began to think. I thought about how everyone in the world has to wait at some point in their life. We wait in waiting rooms at doctors offices, lines at the drive-thru, and many other places. We also wait on people and often become impatient with them. No matter what we are waiting on or in, we are always expecting results. We want to get something out of having to wait; whether its an answer to a question or a bag of food for supper. I began to wonder, why do we always want results. I myself am guilty of this dilemma. However, I am beginning to realize that if I am patient, I will see results. God works in His own perfect timing and if we are patient and quiet, we can hear Him speak. We just have to wait for Him, and when we do, we receive the biggest results we could ever imagine. The Bible says that those that wait on God will prosper in Isaiah 40:31, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." So, as I go through life and I have to wait for many more things, I will remember that waiting can only mean that God has something magnificent in the works!

Who Am I?

Who am I? Sounds like a simple question that should be relatively easy to answer. I guess I should start like this...
                         
I am Ashleigh Morgan Leard, a 16 year old girl from a small town in South Carolina where the most excitement there is all year is a runaway horse in the middle of town. I attend the South Carolina Virtual Charter School, which is an online public school. I have amazing parents who have taught me how to live a meaningful life. I am a conservative Southern Baptist and love God with all my heart, but I also fear His power. I am who I am because of God and I give Him all the glory for that. However, recently, I have found myself questioning who I really am. In the past few months, I have experienced so many dramatic changes to say the least. I was given the opportunity to graduate from high school a year early. At that time, I thought I knew what career was for me, and so, while a little skeptical, I took the task on and ran with it. All I can say is WOW! I had NO idea what all this would involve. Not only am I preparing to take on a full load of classes next year for my senior year, but I am also dealing with a type of Spiritual Warfare. At one point in my young life, I thought I had everything figured out. I was sure that God had revealed to me my career. I had everything lined up to study to become and OB-GYN and was actually very excited. Then, out of no where, God changed my heart. I am not even sure why and to be honest, I was kind of disappointed because I really wanted to become a doctor. But that right there is the issue. The word I. One thing that I have learned out of this situation is that my life is not about ME. When you make your life completely about you and not about glorifying God's holy name, you cannot succeed. So to answer the DEEP question of "Who am I?", I will say this...No one really knows who they are until they decide who they aren't. So, today marks the first day of many on my journey toward finding myself through God's plans, not mine. After all, God promises, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.

-A.L.