Internet Cafe: Bushy Eyebrows

by Alisa Hope Wagner on January 9, 2012

While my husband drove us home from church, I sat irritated in the passenger seat. The sermon was amazing as usual – all about expecting “greatness” from God. This reminder used to encourage me; but after six years of waiting for God to publish my first book, I felt disillusioned.

I’ve been down this road many times – trekking down the Valley of Baca going from spring to spring on my journey to meet God in Zion (Psalm 84). I didn’t want God to refresh my soul again because I knew it meant another year of trekking, another year of sacrificing my nights sowing my words without a harvest, another year of believing God’s promises by His faithfulness alone. Another year…

He promised me when I was young and ignorant that I would write books for Him, but I never realized how difficult and long the journey would be. I never thought that I would beg Him to take the desire away, so I could walk away from it all. How would it feel to live free from the destiny-burden He created for me?

As I huffed in my chair, I thought of all the dreams I gave up to follow God’s bidding. Maybe I could dabble a little bit in my old dreams. I could teach a college class or two. I could write a few articles for the newspaper. I could shut out the voice of the Holy Spirit always telling me what to say and write. I could…

I flipped down the mirror on the visor and analyzed my face. Who was I and what was I doing? As I stared at myself, I noticed a stray hair on my eyebrow that I forgot to pluck. Instantly, I came out of my introspection and grabbed my purse to find tweezers.

As I looked, I felt the Holy Spirit say, “You teaching a college class is like that stray hair. It doesn’t fit the shape of your design.”

God has such a finite and unique plan for each of us, and we must carefully groom our plans to fit His purpose. There are many wonderful achievements we can pursue, but if they are not a part of God’s will for us, they become idols. The worst decision we can make is to cheat on God’s best for our lives with seemingly good things. We need to pluck out everything that doesn’t align with God’s plan, so that our purpose is plainly visible and distinct.

We don’t want undefined lives….or bushy eyebrows.

Questions: Are you ever tempted to cheat on God’s best in your life? What is your stray hair that doesn’t fit your destiny? How do you encourage yourself to stay the course?

“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit” (John 15.2 NASB).

You can also read this article at the Internet Cafe.

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Tagged as: Alisa Hope Wagner, Christ, Christian, faith, Faith Imagined, God, Grace, Growth, Holy Spirit, Jesus, purpose, trust

http://findingtheinspiring.blogspot.com/ Findingtheinspiring

Good words here. I have said I want 2012 to be a year of fruitfulness so your final scripture choice jumped out at me. It is difficult to stay focused on what you think your mission is when you feel so unproductive. I pray that in the days ahead God will remind me to stay the course and avoid whatever “doesn’t fit the shape of my design.” Thank you for this.
Derrick

Felt the same way many times. Glad He always knows best.

Encouraging Thoughts for Life
http://www.forhisglory-alone.blogspot.com ForHisGlory

I didn’t know if you knew about this as an avenue to share your book through. I look forward to reading it someday:)! http://www.westbowpress.com/WomenOfFaith/ It’s a book contest.
http://theunknowngnome.blogspot.com/ theunknowngnome

I’m constantly tempted but it’s a temptation of my own failing, one that after all this time I have yet to pluck from my side. My encouragement however comes from knowing that He has said that He will be with me always.

I really enjoyed this piece as I have been drawn to similiar thoughts this past week as to how to purify and more clearly present His words. I was just asked yesterday by a visiting friend, why don’t you publish. I said, I have, it’s on the internet. I can’t think of a better way to help fulfill the “great commission”.

As for another year, I’ve come to think in terms of another breath. Can any one of us by worrying add a single hour to our life? So breathe, bloom and be fruitful. He’ll prune the eyebrows.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XJAMMLPFTEIRSIET5T5HYRX4PQ dulcina

I can understand how you feel, Alisa. Publishing a book is the dream of all writers – it’s been my dream since I was a little girl too- and I know that many people don’t consider someone a writer unless he has published at least a book, but it’s not like this.
Publishing a book means that people can buy it, that’s all, and that the book can survive for many years. I think it’s a question of pride, self-assurance and vanity more than anything else.
When someone like you writes so well, it’s a wonderful gift from God and maybe He just wants you to be patient. As you say, “God has such a finite and unique plan for each of us, and we must carefully groom our plans to fit His purpose.”, yes!
There are so many good writers who deserve to be published! My husband, The Unknowngnome, is one of them. His poetry is much better than others’ who have been published. How many writers, painters and musicians have been recognized as geniuses after their deaths!
There are so many bad writers (?) who have already published a book!
I have met excellent writers here, in the Internet, writers who share their beautiful words for nothing, but they are reaching thousands of people who are greatly benefited by reading their generous work, especially those ones who are spreading the Word like modern apostles.
“God’s Ways are Not Our Ways” (Isaiah 55:89)
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:33)
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
“He promised me when I was young and ignorant that I would write books for Him.”
Wait & trust God.
A hug.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XJAMMLPFTEIRSIET5T5HYRX4PQ dulcina

I can understand how you feel, Alisa. Publishing a book is the dream of all writers – it’s been my dream since I was a little girl too- and I know that many people don’t consider someone a writer unless he has published at least a book, but it’s not like this.
Publishing a book means that people can buy it, that’s all, and that the book can survive for many years. I think it’s a question of pride, self-assurance and vanity more than anything else.
When someone like you writes so well, it’s a wonderful gift from God and maybe He just wants you to be patient. As you say, “God has such a finite and unique plan for each of us, and we must carefully groom our plans to fit His purpose.”, yes!
There are so many good writers who deserve to be published! My husband, The Unknowngnome, is one of them. His poetry is much better than others’ who have been published. How many writers, painters and musicians have been recognized as geniuses after their deaths!
There are so many bad writers (?) who have already published a book!
I have met excellent writers here, in the Internet, writers who share their beautiful words for nothing, but they are reaching thousands of people who are greatly benefited by reading their generous work, especially those ones who are spreading the Word like modern apostles.
“God’s Ways are Not Our Ways” (Isaiah 55:89)
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:33)
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
“He promised me when I was young and ignorant that I would write books for Him.”
Wait & trust God.
A hug.
Susan J. Reinhardt

Many of us have a variety of talents that scream to be #1. I don’t want to settle for good, but rather want God’s best. Alas, the road is often long and difficult. Perhaps we get too hung up on the “how” when we should be looking at “what” He wants to accomplish.
http://twitter.com/DawnMHamsher Dawn M. Hamsher

Alisa,
May I share this blog post with my Christian writing group? I found it very powerful and I know that there are ladies in the group that would be encouraged by it. Please email me at dramadawn[at]embarqmail[dot]com
Kim

I like this post…the title caught my eye….I believe you are meant to write books or whatever. We do not understand God’s timing though