Hello, She Reads Truth friends! I am so thankful for the invitation to share with you here on the She Reads Truth site today. I love this community, and I love that what brings us together is a desire to seek Him more and live out His truth.
One of the amazing blessings I’ve experienced as part of the She Reads Truth community is the rhythm of scripture reading I’ve developed and how as result of seeking Him more intentionally, I am able to more clearly discern His voice and hear Him speak directly to certain things I’m going through, praying about, etc.
Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of being fruitful in my faith and how I can live my story more courageously, gratefully, and faithfully.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the last few years is that every season has its own value and purpose, and it’s freeing to be able to trust Him enough to embrace the story He’s written just for you.
For me, that means embracing my current season of singleness and trusting Him to bring growth and fruitfulness in the midst of the waiting and the wondering. Hope can be bittersweet — especially during times like these, as we turn our precious prayers over to His care and look to Him to guard our hearts in patience and peace.
After years of praying for marriage and waiting in delicate and hopeful anticipation, I am, for perhaps the first time, truly feeling as though I can hear His whispers about the value and purpose in this current season. He is showing me that He has plans for me right now, that He is using me right here. Dreams are being developed and nurtured, and my faith is being lived out every day, in sometimes small, but always significant ways.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Sometimes, I think it’s easy to look at where we are and see what’s missing, or compare our story with someone else’s. But His truth reminds me that I was created for my own good works, adventures, and experiences, and He has prepared all of those things in advance. I want to trust Him so deeply that I question and complain less about where He has me and instead praise Him for it.
Recently, as I was reading The Message translation of the Soul Detox plan, I came across this verse from Romans 12: “Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.” That truth challenged my heart in mighty ways, because if I’m truthful, I had allowed some bitterness to take root.
Honestly, I don’t like even typing those words, but sharing them is important, I think, because they are an illustration of how His truth brings renewal, refreshment, and a fresh perspective. And they show how willing He is to meet us right where we are, speaking to whatever we are experiencing.
In my current season, I want to praise Him for engaging my creative heart and encouraging me to chase after dreams and grow as an artist and a writer. I want to praise Him for teaching me about discipleship and friendship and marriage and for showing me what it means to live out this verse from Hebrews 10:24: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” When I truly take the time to reflect, I am humbled and amazed at His goodness to create this story that is unique to me.
I won’t stop praying for the desires and dreams I believe He’s placed on my heart — like marriage. But with faith, I will embrace where He has me right now, abiding in Him and finding joy in the moments He’s scripted just for me.
And as my trust in Him continues to grow, I will keep committing my deepest hopes and desires to Him, believing He will develop them, as He wills, and bring about a harvest at just the right time.
// Katie’s Blog //
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50 thoughts on "katie: contentment"
Wow that's so true. Amen! Hey sista Katie, I am so grateful to hear where you are in your season and you are fully embracing God's grace,mercy and gifts in and around you. Hallelujah! I'm pretty much in a similar season of life. God always give me one word of describing how the next year is going to be. This year, the word was "preparation". Wow and this scripture you shared (i know this verse but this time the revelation was greater. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) wow. IN ADVANCE?! Wow… This is just… PTL! Honestly, last week, I've had many fear and doubt as I saw myself comparing to others (which I don't normally do) and convicted by the Holy Spirit but, I feel like God intended to pinpoint my fear of failure in divine ways and on top of that, he gave me prophesy saying he is going to use me not enough to produce MORE than enough! Hallelujah! Lets go ahead and keep abiding in Him as He abides in us! Love you sista!
Hi, Mindykim! I'm so blessed by your words! So glad to hear that you were encouraged by my story and that He is leading you and teaching you such great things in your season. :) I have chosen a word the last few years, as well, and this year, my word is "further," as I want to go further in my faith, further in my art and writing, just further — becoming more of the woman He created me to be. I love that you've chosen "preparation." Such a great, hopeful word. :) Blessings to you!
Thank you for sharing Katie. I can relate to this so much as I’m experiencing the same thing. For most of my time I have desired to get married but God knew I was not ready. He is doing great things in my life right now and my focus has turned from marriage to Jesus. This is exactly where I’m supposed to me. Thanks!
Hi, Bridgette! So glad to hear that He has given you new focus! And I love hearing that He is doing great things in your life! :) I'm blessed by your story, so thank you for sharing! :) Blessings to you, as you continue to press into Him and go where He leads.
“Every season has its own value and purpose.” Like I just heard my for year old son say, “sometimes good things come from bad.” He’s wise beyond his years. The thing about seasons is hard for me…because the bad ones seem to last so long, while the good ones are far too short, in my opinion. I struggle so with this living/life thing. I long for heaven and home. But, every season has its value and purpose. And, so do I.
Hi, Dawn, I truly understand what you mean. I read a book once called The Beautiful Ache by Leigh McLeroy, and in it, she talks about the ache we feel here on earth — an ache and a longing that can only be filled by The Lord. It's a beautiful book. And what a blessing that we can find Him in all seasons — even those seasons that prove difficult.
Thank you for sharing Katie! Although it can be hard at times to see and understand, God's plans for us always make sense in the end. Someday you will look back on this season and completely understand what God was doing. It may not come on our time, but with God paving our paths, it will be so much sweeter in the end!
Yes, so true, Allison! Thank you for reading and for sharing such encouraging thoughts! So often we fear the unknown, but knowing that God holds the future and is paving our path, you are so right that it will be so much sweeter in the end! :)
Sweet Katie!
Your testimony hit home for me. Though I’m younger than you sometimes I worry about the things you worry about lol. Thank you for reminding me that God wants me to flourish in every season of my life. Go, girl! Now following your blog
Hi, Ibukun! You are so right that God wants us to flourish in every season — even those where we are being pruned and prepared. I love your word choice of "flourish," too. Such a beautiful word choice. :)
thanks for sharing Katie.. i needed to hear this today. i have been so worried that the hopes & desires of my heart are for my own self-glorification.. but he has placed them there, and i want to live in trust that, as you say, He will develop them as He wills. bless you :):)
Hi, Julia! So glad my words spoke to your heart today. I prayed the Lord would bring people to the site today who could be encouraged and spurred on by what He's been doing in my life. He is faithful in planting dreams and desires in our hearts and developing those in His perfect time. Saying a prayer for you right now — that you would rest in the knowledge that your dreams are in His hands and that He would continue to develop them, as He wills. Blessings! :)
Although you and I are in very different seasons, I can totally relate to what you said about seeing what's missing or comparing my story to someone else's. I have seen God give others direction for their lives and wondered when God was going to show me mine… Only to find out (through hindsight) that I was right where God needed me for that season (and- ha!- people were comparing their stories to mine!). God's timing is perfect. We just have to trust Him!
Hi, Amy! It's so true that we often see things differently in hindsight! :) I am definitely learning how to experience the joy we find when we trust Him in the moment. There's such freedom in that!
I so get what you're saying. I dated for about 8 months after a relationship fell apart three years before. I wanted to be in a realtionship, but I wasn't ready. It was ONLY when I had 'casted it to the wind' and felt OPEN and comfortable with who I was did I find who I'm currently with. I think it's absolutely essential, as you wrote, to maintain the goal in your life to share a marraige/partnership with someone if that is what your heart desires AND to be open to all that God brings you into your life, even if it isn't marriage.right.now. I have grown so much being in a relationship. I know it happened when it did because I wouldn't have been able to give my man what he needed, my heart wasn't over the last one, I wasn't mature enough or ready. Even though I wanted a comitted realtionship for a long time previously..I wasn't ready. He has a plan…go blisfully with it…there's NOTHING more attractive then a woman who is blissfully enjoying life, open to new experiences and following God's plan.