September 16, 2014 Issue #102

Good things take time: Learn how to wait

We want what we want, and we want it right now. The problem, however, is life doesn't work that way. Instant gratification is a concept invented by some flim-flam guy to convince us all it takes is spending cash to make everything peachy keen.

In my 63 years, I've learned that good things take time. I didn't know that in my 20s, or even my 30s. I got a vague clue in my 40s and grasped it solidly in my 50s.

Just as you don't bake a decent cake in the microwave, you don't accomplish anything really worthwhile in a short amount of time. Oh, we hear of "overnight" successes, especially on the Internet, but will the things they build be here 10 or even 50 years from now? Remember Alta Vista? How about MySpace?

You and I have important things we want. Most of you want to be happily married. That may happen with a quick courtship, but more likely it will take years to find the right person. We want career success, but taking shortcuts in the form of dishonesty or backstabbing will definitely come back on you some day.

In this month's feature article, we'll look at the value of patience for singles, and the vital things you should be doing as you wait for God's plan to unfold in your life. We'll explore the major change in attitude that will happen when you understand that good things take time.

Give it another try

The road through life
is filled with dead ends.
Expectations seldom apply.
But you cannot give up
because things get tough.
Just give it another try.

You will run out of strength
striving hard on your own.
Turn to God as your source and supply.
His unlimited power
gives you all that you need
to give it another try.

So listen, my friend,
and your breakthrough will come
if the doubters you learn to deny.
It takes many blows
to demolish a stone.
Just give it another try.

~ Jack Zavada, 2014 ~

September Quote of the Month from G-L Leclerc

God answers prayers three ways: Yes, No, and Wait. Too often we take that "Wait" answer as a "No." We're so into instant gratification in our world that if we don't get what we want immediately, we're tempted to give up and go on to something else.

Realistically, some dreams are not meant to be. But the degree to which we hold on, hold fast, and hold out proves our seriousness. We can hold on for years, even decades if we know that what we're hoping for is worthwhile.

Patience is a quality all singles need to work on. It serves us well in every area of life. And while we're being patient, we don't just sit around. We work. We improve. We persevere. We give it another try.

Why does God love singles so much?

That includes you and me, because I'm struggling as a single and I suspect you are too. I wrote Hope for Hurting Singles to pass along some of the things I've learned in over 40 years in the unmarried life.

I don't want you just to cope. I want you to be happy, even when your situation isn't what you'd like it to be. That's a tall order, but I believe Hope for Hurting Singles delivers on that count.

You'll find practical, real world help with loneliness, shyness, rejection, depression, self-esteem, fear, bitterness, peace of mind, and faith.

The PDF version is only $9.97. It downloads to your computer as soon as you pay. And, Hope for Hurting Singles is now available in a Kindle edition as well!

Quotations about perseverance

To give you a little motivation this month, here are some quotations I collected about perseverance.

Oh, and as a special treat? Here's a mini-encourager I wrote about American president Abraham Lincoln, called "You Can't Let Failure Stop You," as a f'ree PDF download. It folds in quarters like a greeting card, so you can mail it or give it to a friend.

If you don't do your part, don't blame God.
Billy Sunday

Put your trust in the Lord and go ahead. Worry gets you no place.
Roy Acuff

It takes guts to get out of the ruts.
Robert H. Schuller

Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street.
Zig Ziglar

We never test the resources of God until we attempt the impossible.
F.B. Meyer

It always seems impossible until it's done.
Nelson Mandela

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
Thomas A. Edison

Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.
Babe Ruth

A bend in the road is not the end of the road…Unless you fail to make the turn.
Helen Keller

The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying.
John C. Maxwell

Take a rest, but don't you dare quit!

That's how we singles get sometimes. What was God's prescription for Elijah? Eat, sleep, and rest! Maybe you'll need to give yourself a timeout when you reach a low point. It's a much-needed break to restore your soul. Rest, but don't quit.

Then, like Elijah, get up and get going again, confident that God's power is in you. Rest and vacations are important. So is spending time alone with God. It's one of the secrets of my enthusiasm at 63 years old.

If you'd like to comment on this newsletter or zing me an email on any subject, please use our Spanx-free contact form.

Thank you very much for reading the September Inspire-O-Gram. I consider it a privilege to come to your inbox and visit with you every month.

In 2015 I'll be doing a lot of work on www.inspiration-for-singles.com. If there's anything new you'd like to see or some improvement to make it more helpful, please let me know.

Until October,

Jack Zavada