Waiting for a Bus that Never Comes

My watch read 10:58 and the 11Y bus was nowhere in sight. According to the electronic sign that tracked the bus’ progress, it was due to arrive in three minutes. 

Two minutes. 

One minute. 

The flashing display announced: ARRIVED. 

Except it hadn’t. 

Five minutes ticked by. Then ten. 

Should we be worried that the 10:58 bus is twelve minutes late? I texted my son-in-law, an Alexandria local. 

No. Sometimes they get behind. I’ll check the transit schedule. . . Hm. That’s strange. It says it’s already come. 

Not good. Especially since my husband and I had tickets for a tour of Ford’s Theatre at noon. In the city. Thirty minutes away. 

I’ve never lived in a place where I had to depend on public transportation, so standing on a street corner waiting for a bus that never came was a new experience. As the minutes ticked by, we realized we had a choice to make—continue to stand on the corner, abandon our plans for the tour, or explore other options. 

I just checked with Uber, my son-in-law texted. They can have a car there in 5 minutes.

Let’s do it, I responded, and soon we were on our way. 

Thinking back on the experience, I realized it wasn’t the first time I’ve stood on that street corner. Figuratively at least. You’ve probably been there, too. 

You made your plans, and they were good ones. You prepared, worked hard, and did everything you could do to ensure their success. But the bus never came. 

The recruiter didn’t call you back. 

That first date didn’t lead to a second one. 

The email that should have said Yes said No. 

The promotion, project, or pregnancy never happened. 

You had a choice to make. Cling to your dream, give up, or explore other options. 

Unfortunately, exploring other options is a little more difficult than opening the Uber app and requesting a driver. It begins with knowing your dream.

• Is it from the Lord? 

• Does it agree with Scripture? 

• Is it a natural progression on the path God has been leading you? 

• Can you look back and see how past events and circumstances have brought you to this place? 

• Has your dream been confirmed by godly people? 

• Has your desire grown stronger as time has passed or wavered or waned? 

No one can answer all these questions for us, but I believe if we earnestly seek God’s will, he’ll reveal it to us. 

Two years ago, God planted the idea in my heart to write a devotional book. Knowing God can’t guide our steps unless we’re walking, I crafted a book proposal, sent it to my agent, and began to write. 

From time to time my agent would forward a rejection letter. Lord, I’d pray, am I supposed to keep writing this book? Every time I asked, in the deepest part of my heart, I’d sense God’s response: 

Write the book. 

So I kept writing. Before long, every publisher had rejected it. The bus didn’t come. 

But instead of shriveling up and dying, my desire to write the book grew stronger. And stronger. 

Lord? 

Write the book. 

I prayed. I read God’s Word. I brainstormed with other writers, consulted with my agent, and talked to professionals in the industry. 

Out of the ashes of my first proposal arose another one. A better one. Stronger and more true to the calling God had given me. My heart leapt with excitement, and my mind exploded with inspiration. 

Within two months, Discovery House had extended an offer to publish Refresh Your Faith – Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible. 

During the long wait, I continued to obey the voice that urged me to keep writing. Because I had, the manuscript was complete and ready to submit before I’d even signed the contract. Not the normal order of events for a non-fiction book, but right on schedule with God’s timeline. 

And while the first bus to publication didn’t arrive, an Uber driver waited in the wings, ready to take my new and improved book idea where it needed to go. 

If you’re standing on the street corner watching for a bus that hasn’t come, I urge you to sincerely and humbly examine your dream. Stop telling God what you want, and listen with an open heart to what he wants for you. Surrender your will to his, knowing you can trust him. 

Then ask yourself, is this dream from the Lord? You can never be completely sure, but if it satisfies the questions above, it probably is. 

"I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2).

Unless God closes the door and/or removes the desire from your heart, you have a choice to make. Are you going to continue to stand on the corner and wait, abandon your plans, or explore another option? 

Receiving 16 rejection letters could have been the end of my book dream, but God’s calling was clear to write the book. At the time, I didn’t know why. Maybe the process was for my own growth. Or to create material to share on my blog. Or maybe he called me to write the book because he intended for it to become a book. 

Regardless, God had given me a dream. My responsibility was to do everything within my power to make it happen. After that, the results were up to him. 

Now let’s talk about your dream. Are you standing on a corner waiting for a bus that hasn’t come? Is it time to give up on your plans? Or maybe it’s time to explore other options. Whatever the Lord tells you to do, do it. 

If you leave a comment below, I'd be honored to pray for you. 

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God Is in the Stops -- when God sets you aside

My 35-year-old Bible study leader went to the doctor for headaches and returned with a diagnosis of brain cancer.

A national and international women's speaker answered the phone at midnight to hear that her godly, mature, Navy officer son had shot and killed a man in cold blood.






A well-educated, popular young man on the fast track to a cushy position in his adopted father's dynasty stands up for what is right and has to flee, leaving friends, family, and job behind.



A prominent evangelist leading crusades all over the Middle East suddenly finds every one of the cities on his tour closed to his ministry efforts.



What do you do when your plans come to a screeching halt and instead of open doors, all you see are brick walls?

What do you do when you're serving God with your heart, soul, and energy, and everything stops because of circumstances beyond your control?

What do you do when God seems to set you aside?

The mighty apostle Paul is the evangelist I referenced in the example above. In Acts 16 we read about him embarking on his second missionary journey with plans to travel the cities of the Middle East. In every city, he shared the gospel, encouraged believers, and strengthened the churches. 

His successful campaign came to a grinding halt when he tried to enter Asia. The Holy Spirit prevented him from going in. Open to consider another city, he and his traveling companions attempted to enter Bithynia. Once again, the Spirit of Jesus blocked his way. Paul was being obedient to the call of God on his life to preach and teach the gospel, but God Himself was opposing him.

WHY?

Since the New Testament hadn't been written yet, Paul didn't have the counsel of written scriptures. Instead, God revealed His will through a dream. Paul saw a vision of a man from Macedonia begging him to "come over to Macedonia and help us." In response, Paul and his team went immediately to the capitol city of Macedonia, Philippi. There he met a group of seekers who eagerly embraced his message of salvation. Among those believers were Lydia, the first convert in Europe, and the Philippian jailor and his family.

The foundation of the churches in Macedonia, Achaia, and later Asia, became the most important achievement in Paul's active ministry. Out of his relationships with these churches came his most important letters -- Thessalonians, Philippians, Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, Galatians and Romans.

God's stops are as important as God's instructions to move forward.

When my Bible study leader, Billy, accepted his cancer as a vehicle from which to testify of God's lordship over his life, his faith was so radiant that people everywhere began to ask to hear his story. He was invited to share his testimony at a men's ministry event at our church. Over 500 men attended, including his brother, who did not know the Lord. After hearing Billy speak, his little brother invited Christ to be his Savior. More than anything, he wanted the type of peace, faith, and trust Billy had.

Billy went home to be with the Lord about a year later. I wonder how many men, including his baby brother, will join him in Heaven one day because Billy chose to walk through the open door God gave him instead of trying to kick open the door that had closed?

Carol, the women's ministry leader, chose to trust God in spite of the heartbreak of an incarcerated son. Today, not only does her ministry continue to thrive, it has a deeper, richer quality that resonates of hope. Because of the tragedy that entered her life, she is a living testimony that God walked with her through the deepest valley and brought beauty from ashes.

To learn more about Speak Up for Hope prison ministry, click here.

Carol and her husband have founded a ministry that reaches out to the families of incarcerated men and women. In addition, she supplies Bible study materials for inmates who want to learn more about the Lord in prison.

And the young man who stood up for what was right and found himself banished from his home and family? He one day returned to his homeland to lead an entire nation out of slavery and into freedom and faith. His name was Moses.

When God shuts the door upon your plans, will you try to kick it open, or will you embrace the truth that there is a better door awaiting you if you have the eyes of faith to look for it?






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