This was my 200th Soul H2O Devotion!!! 
In order to Celebrate
I ran a contest and gave away 
3 signed copies of the Soul H2O Devotional.

“Since we are living by the Spirit,
let us follow the Spirit’s leading
in every part of our lives.”
~Galatians 5:25  NLT

In the last month I’ve had it good…I was taken to not just one, but two major league baseball games!

The first was a Toronto Blue Jays game {my favorite team} with all my family. Now that was an extra special time, bordering on a miracle, I mean how often is everyone in your family available?  Last week we got to see a Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park because my athletic hubby won two tickets for the longest drive at a golf tournament.  This baseball lovin’ girl was so happy…as you can see!

HOLD ON THIRD

In the spring I had a dream where I was playing baseball.  I saw myself running from second base towards third, looking to the baseline coach for direction; do I keep running to home plate, or do I stop?  Since I kept waking up seeing myself on third base, I knew it was more than a late-night-pizza-dream and felt it was God wanting to speak to me.

baseball running around bases
Run Home!

As I prayed, the Holy Spirit whispered Hold on Third.

From my years of playing baseball, I knew what this meant and I didn’t like it.

My personality doesn’t like this sort of message. I want to hear “Run home baby, run home!” I believe there will be a time where I look and I see the coach motioning me to keep running, but today’s not that day. It’s not that time.

So often in life, we want to keep running the bases, not paying attention to or even listening for the direction of our coach.  We can see what’s ahead and want to go for it but there’s no way we can see that a right-fielder is throwing the ball into the catcher and will take us out if we don’t hold up. This play would be happening behind our back, but the third-base coach would have a clear view of the whole field from his vantage point.

We have to be in tune with the Holy Spirit so we know when to hold and when to run. Just like a baseline coach who has a better visual of the field, God knows the times and seasons of our lives better than we do; so we need to trust him.

TRUST HIS TIMING

When I had the dream, the enemy wanted me to feel defeated, but I had to remind myself that God didn’t say “Go back to second or quit the game”; He simply said Hold on Third.

Sometimes you have to strategically hold on third, to get the run.

God’s pause is to prepare you for His purpose!

PAUSE BUTTONAbraham was 75 when God gave him the promise of having a child…
He was 99 when Isaac was born. That’s a 24 year pause.
David was anointed as king… 20 years before he wore the crown.
Joseph had a dream of ruling…
He had more than a 20 year pause before he was made Prime Minister of Egypt.

BASEBALL STANDING ON BASEThe Bible is filled with stories where God started doing something in someone’s life and then there was the pause. God seemed to tell them to, Hold on Third for quite a long time; often to the point where it seemed like their promise would never be fulfilled… but God is faithful to His word. His “delay” is not His denial.

[tweetthis]God’s pause is to prepare you for His purpose! Trust His Timing.[/tweetthis]

Prayer

Father…I thank You for the way You direct us.  You speak to each of us in a language we understand if we open our ears to hear.  You spoke to me in baseball terms; I ask you to speak to my friends in whatever ways are close to their hearts.  Speak to them through dreams and visions, whispers and words, in unexplained ways that are confirmed by Your Word.  Help them stay in step with You Holy Spirit, so a greater work can be accomplished through them. I ask this, In Jesus Name…Amen

[tweetthis]God’s “delay” is not His denial. Trust His Timing.[/tweetthis]

Drawing from the well

  1. Galatians 5:25
  2. Philippians 1:6, 10
  3. John 6:63
  4. Philippians 2:12

Thanks everyone for entering the contest and I hope you love the books!
~Sherry
xoxo

Published: August 21, 2017

Sherry Stahl