5 Truths for Times of Waiting

Have you ever felt stuck in life, wishing that things were different?  Have those times of waiting for something to change felt like they lasted forever?

Waiting on the Lord's timing for things can be pretty difficult, especially when we feel desperate to get out of our current situation.

Today on the blog, guest poster Kira Bridges from Joy Pursued shares five things she learned from her current time of waiting.  I'm so thankful for her willingness to share her thoughts with us!

5 Truths for Times of Waiting - by Kira Bridges

Moving for my husband's job left me unemployed.  Even though the small town offered few job opportunities, I confidently applied for openings, believing that someone with my education and experience would have no trouble finding a job.  I was wrong.

I applied and interviewed for job after job, only to receive a "we regret to inform you..." email, or, more often, never hearing back at all.  "Why doesn't anyone want me?" and "I am useless," became regular thoughts.

Finally, after six months, I secured a job...but I hated it.  Truthfully, I knew before accepting the position that the organization was a bad fit for me, but desperation took over.  I thought a job would solve my problems and restore my purpose.  Again, I was wrong.

Unable to keep ignoring the knot in my stomach every time I drove to work, I quit six short months later.

Two years and four months later, I am still unemployed.  During this time I earned a Master's degree, volunteered for an organization in my field, and applied for jobs all over the western part of the United States.  Yet, despite my best efforts, here I remain.

This past summer, my frustration reached a peak.  I felt stuck, trapped even, and I let God hear it.  "Why have You brought me here to waste my life!?  Was all my hard work for nothing?  Haven't I suffered enough?"

In His grace, God answered me, "Stop trying to do things your way."  Suddenly I understood; God placed me here and then shut all the doors I tried to escape through.  I was indeed stuck...just the way God wanted me.

I would like to tell you I immediately submitted to God's will, giving up the job search and my quest for a "better life," but I didn't.  Even though I understood God planned for me to stay put, I didn't understand why (plus, my way seemed so much better!).  Still struggling with my desire to move, work, and be in control, I started taking baby steps towards God.

• I invested time in studying the Bible (desperately looking for answers).
• My prayers became more frequent and more fervent.
• I adopted Proverbs 3:5-6 as my life verses, asking God for the courage to let go of my way and trust Him.
• God called me to write about my journey, so I started a blog.

With every step, my desires slowly melted away, replaced by God's desires for me.  And as I inch into the life God intended for me, God restores my joy and refreshes my soul.

I don't know where you are today, but I believe five things are true for you during times of waiting:

1. God plans times of waiting in order to draw you close.  In her book Wait and See, Wendy Pope says, "The wait is more about experiencing God than enduring the delay."  God longs to spend time with us, and periods of waiting often bring us right to Him.
2. God wants to work within you.  God desires to shape us into the image of Jesus.  In fact, Paul tells us, we can be confident that God is constantly at work in us.  "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6, NASB).
3. God desires to do amazing things in your life, if only you will work with Him and not against Him.  "God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!  He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us (Ephesians 3:20, MSG).
4. God works with a willing heart and small steps of obedience.  Isaiah 1:19 tells us, "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land" (ESV).  Even as you wait, show God your willingness and obedience, and He will bless you for it.
5. God will not fail you.  Remember Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (ESV).  Your wait may feel like it will never end, but God promises a future, and a good one, too.

So are you ready to let go of what you want and turn instead to what God wants?  I can't promise your situation will change, but I am confident that your heart will!

Kira Bridges is pursuing joy by seeking the life God intended for us.  She blogs at Joy Pursued, sharing lessons learned and resources to help women move fully into the joyful life God has waiting for them.  Living in the sunny part of Oregon with her husband, daughter, and two dogs, Kira believes living with joy is a lifelong journey and would love for you to join her.  You can hang out with her on Facebook and Instagram or follow along on Pinterest.

4 Benefits from Seasons of Waiting

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

For most people, waiting isn't fun.  Not only does it try our patience, it can cause stress and strain unlike anything else.  But have you ever thought about what benefits seasons of waiting might bring us?

Today, I'd like to welcome guest blogger Erica Morrison from Passionfruitful Life!  She's sharing with us 4 blessings that seasons of waiting can bring us.

Waiting for your dreams to unfurl? - by Erica Morrison

So, perhaps you have some great ideas and dreams for your life.  You are excited about the possibilities, and you've even begun to take some baby steps, or even big steps, in that direction.  You take a few more baby steps and wait patiently.  Surely your dreams are around the corner.  Excitedly, you round the corner and...nothing seems to happen.  So, with a tiny bit of doubt but still a lot of hope, you try something else...and still, those dreams don't seem to be anywhere close.

After some more tries and some discouraged feelings, you might wonder what you're doing wrong and why you have to wait so long.  You feel ready now!You may have heard a story about a little boy who was watching a butterfly struggle to get out of its cocoon.  The boy wanted to help the butterfly get out, so he got a pair of scissors and cut a slit in the cocoon so that the butterfly could easily get out.  The butterfly did get out quickly, but unfortunately, it flopped to the ground and wasn't able to unfurl its wings and fly.

The fact is that the patient wait and struggle to get out of the cocoon would have helped the butterfly to strengthen its wings and therefore fly once it got out.  (Adapted from a story in Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman.)

You might be tempted to fly into the things you believe God is calling you to.  But for now, this time of waiting and active struggle is for a purpose.  It's strengthening you - your patience and character, your contentment, your faith, and your skills and abilities.  One day, in perfect timing, you'll be ready and have the strength to "leave the cocoon" and begin to unfurl your wings and fly.

Let's go more deeply into why God allows us to wait and some suggestions of what to do while we are waiting.

Waiting grows our patience and character and makes us more ready for our dreams.

We may think we are ready now...or maybe even yesterday, but God might think otherwise.  He wants to mature us and build our perseverance and character so we will be better able to handle our dreams when they do come around.  Even when the little seeds we plant (our baby steps toward our dreams) don't seem to be growing, like a farmer, we need to just keep planting and tending our seeds.  In time, with plenty of water and good soil, those seeds are going to begin to sprout...and slowly grow into mature dreams.  Our lovely field of dreams is coming, but we need to keep persevering and not give up.

We need to learn to enjoy life and all the good things in our lives now as we wait for our dreams to unfurl.

It's so easy to focus on the future and miss enjoyment of the wonders of our current moments - for example, the people in our lives, nature in the changing seasons, and the opportunities we have now.  It's easy to notice these good things only briefly and then hurry on to whatever urgent things we can do to meet our goals.  But even when we do reach our goals, there will always be more goals to look forward to - as well as new struggles - so it's important to enjoy our time now and not miss out on our current life and all its delights.

Waiting can build our faith.

It's so easy to get discouraged and give up when we thought our dreams were just over the horizon and they weren't there yet...nor were they over the next one.  But "believing without seeing" is such an important quality to develop.

God loves for us to build our faith; it shows that we trust that He will come through on His promises even when we can't seem to see a hint of them.  And He loves to eventually reward that faith.

When our dreams don't come easily, it can stretch us to consider new options, try new strategies, and build new skills.

We may have new ideas that will turn out to be better than what we originally planned, or we might be challenged to do some of the things we were a bit skittish about doing before.

On the other hand, we do need to be careful and prayerful about our steps so that we do not try to make our dreams happen in unwise ways (which don't work well, anyway) rather than doing the things God does want us to do.  It's wise to slowly step out in the direction you think God is leading you and make sure it's really the direction He wants you to go.  You can then prayerfully look at the results and then decide whether or not you should continue.

So in these moments of waiting and struggle, just keep praying, asking God what He wants you to learn at this time, taking those little steps as you grow in your patience, faith, and skills.  One day, your strong butterfly wings will beautify the sky with your gifts and dreams, and we'll all benefit from the way you've grown and unfurled during your wait.

Your turn:  What else can we do during our wait for our dreams to come to pass?  Any other reasons you can think of why we might experience a time of waiting?  Share with us in the comments!

Erica Morrison lives in Ontario, Canada with her rambunctious almost-2-year-old and husband (yes, he's quite rambunctious, too). She is a Christ-follower seeking to live a life of passion and fruitfulness and wants to help others do the same. She loves to travel (when she can afford it) as well as learn about the many cultures right here at home.

Erica recently became a certified professional life coach and is loving the opportunity to help women move closer to their dreams in life, career and parenting. She blogs at Passionfruitful Life, and you can find her on Facebook here! 

Are You Nagging God with Your Prayers?

Do you struggle to pray while in a season of waiting?  Do you ever feel as though you're nagging God with your requests?  If so, today's post is for you!

I am so blessed to be able to introduce you to guest poster Katie Beth from Our Seasons of Grace!  Katie has graciously agreed to write today's post, and I am so glad to have her here at the Hallway Initiative.

While You Are Waiting - Katie Beth

When I was much younger waiting for something, I learned to not nag to my parents. Instead of annoying my mother with persistent questions or requests, I was quick to be quiet and instead, wait. I clearly remember a time when my mother became very annoyed with my requests and lost patience with me. I was quick to please so I soon resolved I would not annoy her again with questions or requests. Nowadays, I am sure I take that to the extreme and don’t ask at all because I don’t want to be seen as a nag.

This behaviour often tends to seep into my prayer life. I have found I will pray a prayer once, and that’s it. I don’t want God to think I’m being a nag with my prayers. Even when I want something so badly, I often feel like I'd just be annoying God with my requests.

But guess what?  Guess what I am slowly learning when praying to our Heavenly Father?

When we approach our Heavenly Father, we are not nagging or annoying. When we have prayer needs, we are not nags.

God wants to hear our requests.  And He wants us to keep asking.

A couple of months ago, I was privileged with the opportunity to attend the True Woman conference. Talk about being convicted and encouraged! The overall theme was Crying Out to God. In one particular session, Janet Parshall talked about the widow in the book of Luke who approached a judge everyday while waiting for his answer.  Since then, prayer has been on my mind more than usual.

The widow is an example for us: she always asks and she never gives up. Every day she approaches the judge. And every one of those days, she pleads for mercy. She doesn’t hesitate to go to the judge. She doesn't go to him one day and then stop because she's concerned that she'll be a nagger.  She persists.

God still hears our prayers even if we pray them once. But we can look to the widow and be encouraged to approach God every day without being a nag.

The beginning of this passage in Luke 18 even says, ‘Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never give up’ (NIV). Jesus may have been talking to his disciples at that time, but I am confident we can use this advice as well:

We should always pray and never give up praying.

The apostle Paul is another example on how we should pray. On numerous occasions Paul talks about praying continuously. In almost every letter he wrote to a church, he said he was praying ‘always’, and 'continuously' for them.

Other verses by Paul tell us to ‘be constant in prayer’ (Romans 12:12); ‘in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known’ (Philippians 4:6) and ‘pray without ceasing’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

These verses give me assurance that I am not a ‘nag’ to God. And I hope they give you assurance as well. We can take these verses and pray confidently every day knowing God wants to hear from us. God doesn't see me as a nag, nor does He see you as a nag.

Just like we all should be, I need God’s direction in my life. Each day I am asking God to reveal His plan, to lead me in His direction. While I am waiting, I am going to keep asking. While you are waiting, know you can keep coming to God.

Katie Beth is a daughter of the King, writer, housekeeper, and student in Australia.  She is learning to find contentment in her singleness by leaning on the Lord's strength and trusting Him with His plan for her life.  She blogs at Our Seasons of Grace, where she shares about recognizing God's grace in our lives.  You can find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Related:  Are you waiting well?

3 Takeaways from the Business Boutique

Last weekend, I was privileged to attend Christy Wright's Business Boutique.  I'd looked into going earlier this summer, but when I tallied the cost of the conference ticket, air fair, a hotel, and a rental car, it just didn't seem financially feasible.  However, the Lord must have wanted me to go, because He provided the ticket and air fair, leaving me to cover just the car and hotel!  (I was even able to share the hotel costs with another gal to help further lower the cost.)

Although I'd heard glowing reports about the Business Boutique, I honestly didn't know a lot about it.  I knew Christy Wright was a believer, but I wasn't even sure if her beliefs would come through in her speaking or if the conference would focus only on business without much emphasis on spiritual issues.  I was thrilled to find that the event focused on faith!

I thoroughly enjoyed myself despite the fact that I was under the weather and that there were people everywhere (not usually something I enjoy as an introvert).  I made new contacts and came away with a wealth of encouragement and ideas to share with Jon!

In fact, I found 3 major takeaways from the Business Boutique that seem to apply to much more than just business:

God has a plan and a purpose for your life

Before the Business Boutique, I'd never heard of Christine Caine.  But she ended up being my favorite speaker at the event!  I know many other ladies felt the same.  Christine said over and over again:  "God has a purpose for your life.  It doesn't matter how old you are, how unskilled you believe yourself to be, or how invisible you feel.  If you are still here on Earth, His purpose for you isn't finished yet."

It's really easy for me to focus on my weaknesses and ignore my strengths, to the point that feels as though God can't use me at all.  I see my failings as a Christian, as a wife, as a mom, and as a friend.  But the problem with seeing all of my faults is that I'm simply too focused on what I can't do that I forget about what God can do.  Where I fall short, He can fill in.  Where I am limited, He is limitless.  And when I stop being selfish and stop dwelling on my shortcomings, I remember Christine's insight that He has a plan and a purpose for me, and He can use me to further His kingdom.

Nothing is impossible with God

Christy Wright had an excellent quote: "God starts at 'impossible.'"  We might not feel equipped to handle what the Lord is asking of us, but He is faithful to enable us to do whatever it is He asks us to do.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible with God.  He enabled Noah to build a boat that saved himself and his family even though everyone else laughed at him.  He brought Job through intense suffering and gave Job back all that he once had and more.  He sent His own Son to take our punishment and to conquer death.

If He has given us a heart for ministry, He will equip and enable us to follow through with it.  It might be overwhelming to us, but our God is a God who loves doing what is impossible!

Steward your limited resources wisely

The truth is that we will always have more things we want to do than we'll be able to do.  There is no shortage of opportunities, but we all have limited resources.  We need to use those resources (Christa Hutchins refers to time, money, and knowledge as the resource triangle) to the best of our abilities.  Whenever possible, we need to focus on the areas where our strengths shine and let others help us where we're weak.  In this way, we can work together for the furtherance of the Gospel.

As an example, online personality Amy Porterfield surprised me when she confessed that she is only active on Facebook and Instagram.  Although Pinterest is heralded as the next up-and-coming social media platform, she simply can't do all three well, so she's chosen to use her time wisely by focusing only on the two platforms she feels will be the best use of her time.

The reminders that God has a plan and purpose for each and every one of us, that nothing is too big or impossible for Him to do, and that we must make the best use of our limited resources were invaluable, not only as a blogger, but also for life in general.

I loved the Business Boutique and am so blessed to have been able to attend!

The Reader Survey Results Are In!

If I'm honest, I was a little nervous to create and send out a reader survey.  I mean, what would happen if no one responded?  I promised to share the results.  It sure wouldn't be amazing to say, "uh, well, I can't give you exact statistics..."  But because I'd heard about how valuable a tool a reader survey can be, I took a leap, posted the survey, and asked my readers to fill it out.

And guess what?  My readers are the best.  You were eager to answer my questions and give me feedback.  While I was pretty sure I knew how some of the questions would be answered, there were some good surprises for me as well.

For example, you all are, on average, a little older than I would have guessed.  That really makes sense, though, since the longer we live the higher the likelihood that we'll experience some hardship along the way.  (That also makes me a bit nervous, too, since I greatly look up to those who have more life experience than I do!)

So, here are the results from the 2016 Hallway Initiative Reader Survey!  I'm a total numbers nerd, so this stuff totally made me smile.  (Note:  many of the questions could have more than one response, so if you see percentages that tally more than 100%, it's because some readers chose to put down more than one response.  I just didn't want anyone to be confused!)

What is your preferred faith?

Not surprisingly, 100% of the survey participants are Christians.

What is your age group?

This is where I was a little off in my guessing.  Just 27% are in my age group (18-34, though in January I'll bump up into the next age bracket).  36% are between the ages of 35 and 49, and 18% are 50 or over.  I never really expected ladies older than me would want to read my posts, and I'm so honored that you do!

What is your marital status?

90% are married, and 10% are single.

How many children do you have?

36% of readers have between 1 and 3 kids; 54% have 4 or more.

If you have kids, do you homeschool?

54% of those with children homeschool; 27% do not; and 18% either do not have kids or have grown children.

What kind of hardships have you faced?

This was one of the most helpful questions on the survey.  36% of you mentioned financial hardship; 27% have struggled with job loss; 36% are dealing with illness; 27% are or have been battling depression; 18% have struggled through the loss of a close family member or friend; and 27% mentioned other hardships such as special needs children, struggle with sin, or loss of a relationship.

Ladies, my heart goes out to you all.  Not all of my own struggles have been identical to yours, but I can relate to the brokenness of this world, to pain and hardship, and the stress that comes along with our Earthly trials.

Reading through your answers has reminded me over and over again how much we need a Savior and what great hope Heaven offers us!  Even if it isn't going to be okay here in this life, Eternity spent with Christ will wipe away all of our tears.

Along those lines, I am always eager to have guest posters on the blog share what the Lord is teaching you through your hallways.  If any of you would like to write a post for me (and you don't have to have a blog of your own to do so, or even be good at writing!), don't hesitate to let me know.  You can fill out the contact form here on the blog, or you can email me at julie (at) hallwayinitiative (dot) com!

What are your two favorite types of posts on the Hallway Initiative?

The responses to this question were super helpful for me as I plan out my blogging year for 2017!  A full 72% of you favor my faith and encouragement posts (this is great news, since that's the heartbeat of the hallway!); 36% enjoy posts about family; and healthy living, homeschooling, and homemaking posts all came in about equal, at around 25%, with homemaking's percentage being just slightly lower than homeschooling and healthy living.

I've been contemplating not writing much more about homemaking, not because I don't enjoy the topic, but because there are many other, more skilled bloggers who cover the topics much better.  About all I can do is offer sympathy to those of you who struggle with it as much as I do!

What type of information or promotions would you like to see on the Hallway Initiative?

Again, the vast majority would like info and promos on faith and encouragement.  I've been wanting to do a giveaway on the blog, so I'll look for something in this area (I might need to ask my other faith blogger friends what they recommend!).  And again, healthy living, homemaking, and homeschooling all came in about tied for second interests, with blogging info a distant third.

With this information in mind, I won't hesitate to let you all know about info and deals that I find in each of these areas.  Just know that if I recommend something that either doesn't fit your interest or your budget, it won't bother me at all!  There is a wealth of information available today.  The problem anymore isn't lack of information; it's information overload.  I won't constantly send things your way, but if I think something is truly worth noting, I'll be sure to mention it!

What is your single favorite post from the blog?

Here is a partial list:

• Are You Waiting Well?
• Does God Carry Your Suitcase?
• When God Chooses Not to Heal
• When It Isn't Going to Be Okay
• When Your Mama Heart Hurts (this one's my all-time favorite, too!)

What 1 thing would you like to see added to/changed/improved on The Hallway Initiative blog?

Some of the suggestions:  better social media interaction, better images, a day-in-the-life type post

Oh, yes, social media and image creation, my nemesis and Achilles heel!  But those suggestions are right on target.  I definitely need to improve on those, and both are in my list of goals for 2017.  I don't think I'll get better over night, but I hope that, with some effort, I will get better.  And as I've always enjoyed day-in-the-life posts from other bloggers, I might get brave and try one.

I am so, so glad I took a risk and made the survey.  It was extremely helpful.  I am so thankful that you all were willing to give me your thoughts!

Day 31: Track Your Progress

We've made it!  Today is the last day of our 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

We've looked at many different ways to keep our joy and to praise the Lord during difficult hallways.  I'm sure some of the suggestions were more helpful to you than others, but I do hope you tried most or all of the ideas!  Now that we've made it through this special challenge, it's important to take stock of what worked, what didn't, and what we should keep in our routines.

Today, look back over the challenge and track your progress.

What ideas worked for you?  Which were your favorites?  Which were you able to work into a consistent routine?  What was the most helpful post - the one that made the most impact?  Consider the above questions as you think through this past month.  Not all of the topics are going to fit your hallway and your lifestyle right now, but my hope is that a few of them really made a difference.  Keep those things a regular part of your new routine as you continue through your hallway journey.

For me, consistent prayer (Day 1), reading through Revelation (Day 21), and choosing to wait well (Day 30) made the biggest impact.  Those are things I need to continue doing.  I struggled most with making my bed every morning (Day 4) and cleaning something (Day 15) - no surprise there, given my lack of homemaking skills.  But I think those are very important, so I'm going to keep working at them until they become habits.

Fixing your eyes on Christ (Day 5), reading Revelation (Day 21), remaining faithful (Day 29), and choosing to wait well (Day 30) were my favorite posts to write.  There were many others I enjoyed as well, but I really resonated with those four posts as I typed.

Today's action steps:  Grab a sheet of paper and answer a few questions about the challenge:

• Which days were most helpful to you in your current journey?
• Which days were the least helpful?
• Which suggestions did you not get to that you'd still like to try?
• Which ideas did you enjoy the most?

Once you have your answers, make a plan to continue doing the things that worked well and the things you still want to try.  Continue working on your daily routines until you can make your favorite action steps a natural part of your day!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for going through this challenge with me.  Thank you for praying for me as I prepared each day's action steps.  Thank you for being faithful readers.  I'd love to know which days were your favorites and why!  Just fill out the comment section for this post and let me know.  I read and respond to every comment I get here on the blog, and it would be such an encouragement to know how you're doing.

Please don't forget to visit the blog even though our challenge is over!  I have lost of new posts and ideas planned, and I'd love for you to continue joining our growing Hallway Community.

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Day 30: Choose to Wait Well

It's the second-to-last day of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  We've come a long way, from praying to reading Scripture to serving others.

Today, I would encourage you to choose to wait well.

Waiting isn't my strong suit.  And I'd guess waiting is hard for a lot of other people, too.  I fret and worry while I'm waiting.  But if you're in a season of hardship right now, why not decide - with the Holy Spirit's help - to endure patiently?  It won't be easy, but it is doable for the believer.  And if we can learn to suffer well through our trials, what spiritual growth could we gain!

I've found, personally, that I tend to learn lessons from hardship in hind sight.  Once things have gotten better, I'll realize that, yes, the Lord truly was looking out for me, providing for me, comforting me.  But almost always, I'm blinded by the trial itself and only later see the blessings.My goal, my hope, is that the next time a hallway hits, I'll be able to graciously wait through it.  But if I'm going to do so, I need to do four things:

• Choose to wait well
• Pray without ceasing
• Study the Scriptures
• Ask others to join me in prayer

Sometimes, we just need to determine to do something.  While it always seems that roadblocks come up as soon as we decide on a course of action, preparing mentally for something is a great start.  We've already talked about praying without ceasing - how and why to do it.  Studying God's Word is invaluable, even to those who are very familiar with it.  We need the Word to minister to us when things are difficult.  And lastly, having other believers around us to pray for us and encourage us will help us continue waiting when we'd rather give up.

Today's action steps:  Even if you've been in your hallway for a while, and even if you have no idea how much longer it will continue, you can choose today to wait well from here on out.  Write out your decision on a card to keep in your pocket or on a mirror where you'll see it often.  Maybe even jot down a verse about waiting to help you, too.  And when things get tough, ask a friend to pray for you and encourage you to stick to your resolve of waiting well.

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Day 29: Remain Faithful

Thanks for joining us for Day 29 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

When life is hard, it's easy to get discouraged.  And when you've been in the middle of a very long trial, some times the thought of giving up starts to sound appealing.  After all, if you've been doing all you can to keep your head above water and it feels like the Lord isn't hearing your cries for help, why should you keep on trying to serve Him and please Him?

I don't think anyone would argue that Job went through some of the hardest trials known to man.  From the loss of his children to the loss of support from his wife to the loss of his wealth, Job was hit hard.  But despite his many hallways, he refused to dishonor the Lord.  Instead, he said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15a).

We can follow Job's example to remain faithful no matter what we're facing.

When we are faithful to follow the Lord even when we would rather give up, we set an example for other struggling believers to follow.  We provide an excellent testimony to those who do not yet know the Lord.  We show our children and others who are watching us that God is good.  And our own faith grows as we remain faithful.

Staying faithful to God's Word isn't easy, but He has promised to help us in time of trouble and to equip us for everything He allows in our lives.  Everything we've worked on in this challenge until now has been geared to help us toward today's assignment.

Today, let's choose to remain faithful.

Even though it won't be easy, we have the tools needed.  As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit's help.  We can pray and read God's Word.  We can ask others to pray for us and encourage us.  We can stay faithful in church.  We can sing praises to the Lord.  We can study Bible characters who went through difficulties.  And now, we can make the conscious decision to honor Him no matter how long the hallway stretches before us.

Today's action steps:  Make the commitment to remain faithful to the Lord no matter how long or difficult your situation is.  Ask Godly friends to keep you accountable.  Review the previous recommendations from this challenge as needed.

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Day 28: Read Through Hymns

Welcome back to the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  We're on Day 28.

I know that the past several days' assignments have involved reading, and today's is no exception.  Even though we're doing a lot of reading, I hope you don't skip this opportunity to read through hymns!

You can do this several ways:  you can grab your hymnal (or ask to borrow one from your church if you don't own one) and start reading through all the verses of your favorite hymns.  Or, if you haven't yet gotten a chance to sing out loud, you can sing through them!Another option is to read through the stories behind the hymns - what inspired the hymn writers to write specific hymns.  Many people are familiar with Philip P. Bliss' tragic life story that inspired him to write It Is Well With My Soul.  But there are hundreds of other hymns with amazing stories as well.  Why not read about one you've not yet heard before?

If you need some help, this Hymn of the Week pin from Pinterest will take you to a weekly hymn study with a bit of history and accompanying sheet music.  Although I found some of the lyrics to be different from those that I learned growing up, I found this resource to be really helpful.

Three of my favorite hymns are Be Thou My Vision, Abide With Me, and Nearer, My God, To Thee.  It's been said that the string quartet on board the Titanic played Nearer, My God, To Thee as the ship went down.  I don't know if that's true or not, but it's an excellent hymn to meditate on during times of hardship.

Reading (or singing) through hymns is a wonderful way to lift your spirits and to keep focused on the Lord.  While hymns are not inspired the way the Bible is, many of them contain good theology and remind us of Christ's work on the cross.

Today's action steps:  Find a hymnal or go online and browse through some of your favorite hymns.  Read through the lyrics, especially the verses that you might not sing on a regular basis.  If time permits, try looking up information on the hymn's author and the events that inspired the hymn.

Day 27: Read Uplifting Blogs

Here we are at Day 27 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

You may have noticed a theme throughout this challenge:  many of the assignments are to read something.  Whether it's reading the Psalms, reading Revelation, reading missionary stories, reading uplifting books, or today's assignment to read uplifting blogs, that's a lot of reading for anyone!

If you love to read, can read quickly, and have the time to do all that reading, go for it!  If, however, you're feeling a little overwhelmed with all those reading assignments, don't worry.  You can finish one assignment before starting another; you can read little bits of each assignment and finish each one as time permits; or you can pick and choose which ones are going to be the best fit for your interests and lifestyle.  Just do what works best for you!

Today's assignment, reading uplifting blogs, is another of my favorites.  As a blogger myself, even though I'm not a "big" blogger or very well-known, I love reading other blogs for several reasons.  For one, other blogs inspire me.  I often get ideas for my own posts from reading what other bloggers have to say.  For another, I know how much I'm encouraged when people read my blog, so I love returning the favor to other bloggers by reading their posts.  Perhaps you have a list of blogs you subscribe to or that you read regularly.  If you need some suggestions, here are a few that I love:

Faith bloggers:

• Arabah Joy
• Melanie Redd
• Sun Sparkle Shine
• The Peculiar Treasure
• Counting My Blessings
• Above the Waves

Finance Bloggers:

• Debt Crushing Mom
• Money Saving Mom
• Living Well Spending Less
• The Peaceful Mom

Christian Blogging Bloggers:

• Alison Tiemeyer
• Christian Blogger Community
• Do A New Thing

Some of the great benefits of reading blogs are that the posts are often short; many bloggers use bullets or highlighted points so that readers can quickly can for information; and they can be read from any device with an internet connection.  And if you subscribe to their newsletters, you can have new blog posts deposited right into your inbox - you don't even have to type in a web address.

A note of caution is in order, though - only subscribe to the blogs you most love.  Otherwise, your inbox will be flooded with posts, which can easily lead to overwhelm.  Also, when my inbox is overflowing, I tend not to read anything in it and miss content gems that I could have greatly benefited from.  So, be choosy in what you subscribe to.

While I still love reading physical books in hand, blogs can be a huge blessing for time-crunched people with busy lives. 

Day 26: Read Uplifting Books

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

Here we are at Day 26 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  Just a few more days until we complete our series.  Thanks for staying with me this far!

Closely related to yesterday's assignment to read missionary stories, today's goal is to read uplifting books.  Books are one of my favorite possessions.  A good book makes amazing brain food and can be greatly encouraging.

Today's assignment is to read uplifting books.  If your time is short, you can double up yesterday's and today's assignments by reading one uplifting missionary story to satisfy both goals, but if you love to read, I'd encourage you to pick another uplifting book to read in addition to your missionary story.  I love to read, and though I'm not a fast or voracious reader, I can chew my way through several books a year by reading in short bursts of time (often as little as 5-10 minutes at a stretch) throughout the week and one longer reading session on Sundays when I typically try to rest from all blogging and housework obligations.

A few of my favorite books are The Boys in the Boat (note that some of the characters use words that I choose not to), Stepping Heavenward, and The Birthday Presents (yes, it's a children's book!).

These books challenged me in various ways.  Only Stepping Heavenward is a Christian book, but I greatly enjoyed the historical narrative of The Boys in the Boat, and the story of The Birthday Presents could well be taken as great marriage advice.

Today's action steps:  Choose an uplifting book to read.  If you've not yet read it before, I highly recommend choosing something that comes recommended by people whose opinions you know and trust.  Dive into it, reading as time allows.  A well-written book with a happy ending or Biblical moral can be a great way to relax and be encouraged!

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Day 25: Read Missionary Stories

Note:  Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to Day 25 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

Many of us have gone through, are going through, or will go through some pretty trying circumstances.  And the last thing we want is to lose our joy in the midst of hardship.  Reading through missionary stories - their struggles and their triumphs - always helps me to remember that we're not alone in our struggles and that the Lord is right there with us.

Today's assignment is easy: read a missionary story!

Do you have any missionary stories floating around your bookshelves?  If so, grab one and dive in.  Even if you've read it before, it never hurts to re-read it!  Or see if a friend has one you've not yet read.  Sometimes even public libraries keep a collection of missionary stories on their shelves.  It's worth looking into, especially since libraries are free (provided you return your books on time, something that I've not been great at in the past).Three of my favorite stories are Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Diebler Rose, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, and Peace Child by Don Richardson (note that all three of these books have some heavy information in them, so if you want to read them to your kids or have your teens read them, too, you might want to be aware of the subject material first).  Each of these books impacted my spiritual life in a profound way.  My struggles pale in comparison to what these people went through, and while I don't want to make light of  my own struggles, reading about others' hallways has helped me to remember that my afflictions are, indeed, momentary (see 2 Corinthians 4:17).

Today's action steps:  Find a missionary story to read.  It can be one you have on hand, even if you've previously read it.  You can borrow a new one, either from a friend or from your library, if your library offers them.  Or, if finances permit, treat yourself to a new book you've not yet read.  Once you've picked your book, start reading it.  Look for ways the Lord intervened in the life of the missionary; how He orchestrated events for His purposes; and how He prepared the hearts of the people to receive His Word.  Praise the Lord for the ways in which He worked, remembering that He's at work in your own life as well!

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Day 24: Declutter

Welcome back to the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!  It's Day 24.

Along the same lines as cleaning something, another great way to lift your spirits is to declutter.  But I've purposely left that a little open-ended.  Yes, decluttering surfaces, such as your counters or the kitchen table, can go a long way toward helping your day run more smoothly and giving you a sense of peace in your surroundings.  (If clutter has built up since Day 15's action step, go ahead and declutter your surfaces.)

Today, I want to look at two other areas that might need decluttering.

When was the last time you decluttered your heart?

The above link is to an excellent article written by blogger Sarah Koontz.  She asks some great questions about heart clutter, and it's well worth the time to stop over and read.  When our hearts are too laiden with unnecessary burdens that the Lord never intended us to carry, it becomes almost impossible to praise Him no matter how hard we try.  If our hearts are bogged down with guilt, grief, or unforgiveness, we need to lay these things at His feet.

When was the last time you decluttered your schedule?

I've personally found that I feel much more frantic and much less willing to praise the Lord when my schedule is overly full.  Maybe you thrive on a busy schedule, but even so, have you sought the Lord's guidance about what you should and shouldn't have on your plate right now?  Maybe your schedule needs an overhaul so that you can better serve your family.  Maybe there is another ministry you need to consider adding, and until you make room for it, you won't be able to take it on.

Today's action steps:  Examine your heart closely.  Are you hanging on to anything that you really need to let go?  If so, pray and ask for the Lord's help to declutter it from your heart.  Then, take a good look at your schedule.  Is everything that's on it necessary?  Are there things you could declutter that would free up time to better serve your family and the Body of Christ?  Pray over your decluttering process.  The more we free up our hearts and our lives to better serve the Lord, the easier it will be to praise Him through waiting and hardship.

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Day 23: Sing Out Loud

We've made it to Day 23 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!

It's funny how the cute things our children do can also be the very same things that drive us crazy, isn't it?  My spark plugs love to sing.  At the top of their lungs.  Whenever they do this, I'm always amazed at their pitch accuracy (makes this musician mama's heart proud!) and the sheer volume they can produce.  I feel bad, but I often ask them to stop just because, in true introvert fashion, I can't cope with the noise.

But I've learned something else from their zealous singing - they're not able to sing out loud when they're grumpy.  I think there's just something about singing out loud that goes hand-in-hand with being joyful!

As silly as it may seem, I want you to sing out loud.

Sing your favorite hymns out loud to the Lord.  One of my personal favorites is Be Thou My Vision.  I also love the newer songs Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery and It Is Not Death to Die.

If you're self conscious, maybe try whisper-singing at first, or sing in the car with all the windows rolled up.  Even if you can't carry a tune, it doesn't matter.  I once had a neighbor who loved singing along to her radio.  She was hardly ever on pitch, but because she enjoyed it so much, I actually liked listening to her.  I'm pretty sure she'd have been mortified to know I could actually hear her, but I'm thankful I got that peek into her life.

There's just something about singing out loud that helps us have a joyful, praise-filled attitude.  As I've seen in my own kids, it's really, really hard to stay frustrated when we're singing aloud.  It's an excellent mood lifter, and even better - it's completely free!

Today's action steps:  Choose one of your favorite songs to sing.  You can either sing A Capella or you can sing along to an audio CD or the radio if you can find your song choice (or even play along on the piano, if that's in your skill set).  Don't worry about anyone else listening to you.  If you're not alone, ask others to join you!  Make a joyful noise to the Lord.