The sun is warm, but the breeze is cool on this Arizona President’s Day Monday. Most of my customers close their offices today. I was glad to have a bit of a breather over the weekend and some office time today after being gone for five days. The trip to Mexico was pretty full, though we did get one full day of relaxing pool side. My sister has been my plus one since I’ve been on the company trip. She reminds me that even when I do get married, she would still like to come. I treasure the sister time we have and the friendships we both have built with customers and their wives.

When I landed at Phoenix airport, it was fairly quiet. I noticed an airport host sweetly smiling and wearing a veteran hat. I smiled back and walked up to shake his hand and thank him for serving our country. He was glad I stopped by, and he wished me a Happy Valentine’s Day. “You made my day! You’re the first one to wish me Happy Valentine’s Day besides my mom. So, thank you.” He smiled even grander back at me, “Young lady, I wish I could give you a rose.” I chuckled and assured him his kinds words were enough and I felt as though I had received one.

Not sure if it was because it was over Valentine’s week, or just general curiosity, but I had more people last week ask about my relationship life. Madeline even admitted that a couple of my coworkers had asked her privately if I was seeing anyone. I’m not trying to hide anything because there really is nothing to hide. I’m not dating or seeing anyone, and I haven’t for quite some time. I decided in 2021 that I wasn’t going to just date to date, and I’ve held to that standard. Sure, I would love to be married one day, but you can’t find the right person if you’re with the wrong one. So, I have remained single. Waiting.

If I’m being honest, this has been my biggest prayer over the past couple of years. I started to get really specific with God about who I needed to become in order for the person I’m meant to be with to find me. He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord Proverbs 18:22. There’s no debate that it is the man who should seek. But how to wait? And wait well? Waiting well for whatever we are believing God for can be difficult. What does it look like? What does it feel like?

When it comes to what it shouldn’t look like, I’m reminded of a home video from my 7^th birthday. While the adults were all eating, I asked to be excused and headed straight for the present table. I circled it, switched my seated position on my chair, and picked up each one. I remember picking the paper slightly away on one to try and figure out what it could be. The wait was agonizing. And I don’t really remember expecting anything specific. I just wanted to know what I was going to get. My mom reminded me I also asked the table several times, “Can you guys please stop talking so we can unwrap presents?” This only made the wait seem longer, expecting the wait to be over, to just listen to more adult talk of nothing I can remember.

 While I recollect this story, it reminds me of an important part of waiting well: continuing to walk. This may seem counterintuitive. How am I supposed to wait if I’m walking? What I mean by this is continuing the path we are on and focusing on what God is bringing to our attention, in every year, month, week, day, and moment. Pastor Jessica reminded me on Sunday Psalm 23 reads though I WALK through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. There’s no camping out. There’s no waiting it out. The valley must be walked through.

Not all the waiting is walking through a valley. It is possible to be waiting and in a summer season where everything seems to be going great! This is the part of waiting when I know I’ve gotten in front of God. I’ve hit strides in everything else and thought, this must be it! But in reality, I’m “muscling it” or forcing something to happen rather than letting it happen to me. Waiting well requires the faith of David. When he was anointed as king, it took years for him to actually take his position. And he had plenty of opportunities to take Saul’s life, making himself king. But he didn’t. He waited until it was no hand of his or man for his appointment to come to pass. Waiting well means being in full trust, from start to finish, what God has promised will come to pass, and He doesn’t need our help to do it.

If archery hunting taught me anything, it’s that you must be ready even while you wait. I remember the morning I shot my first bull elk like I lived it yesterday. The week had several harvest moons, deep auburn, oranges and reds lit up the night sky. We crossed the stream in the dark, quietly stepping through grass and sage. We headed to the perimeter of the open valley we had seen a bull with cows yesterday, still dark. While the sun was waking up, we could hear movement. We waited in a dead tree pile. My guide asked if I wanted to sit down. I was confident in my boots and I said no. The sun had just given us enough light to see what the movement was. Big Hoss, as we named him, was courting a couple of cows, bugling and trotting. In what seemed like seconds he had sprinted our way. I drew my bow. He stopped dead in his tracks. “34 yards, shoot him.” I shot. He laid down just feet from where I double-lung shot him. The adrenaline kicked in. My solid boots were now shaking and rushing with energy. The hunt was successful. And I was full of gratitude for what only God could have put together.

I believe there is a separation between a chronos and kairos time, though the waiting may be similar. Let me explain. Chronos (like chronological) are moments that follow the calendar, or natural method of time. It’s something visibly marked, like corn harvest. A Kairos moment is one that has been predestined, deeper than opportunity, and changes history forever. The best example I can think of is the birth of Jesus. Nothing could stop it, nothing could change it, and this moment forever changed the course of mankind. I believe the bull I shot was a Kairos moment. So many little things that should have worked against us but didn’t: a wire fence I didn’t even see was within inches of my arrow, big bright full harvest moons, my first archery hunt in Wyoming, heat, among others.

The Kairos moment is perfectly placed in our lives for us to walk through. The key to waiting well is being confident when that Kairos moment comes to walk into it. And also being confident in discerning the times that the Kairos moment will come. Last week, I wrote about authenticity. I think that has a lot to do with waiting well for your Kairos moment. 2 Peter has become one of my favorite books of the bible in why this journey is important. The first chapter encourages readers to keep developing and deepening their faith. The second chapter is a call to change what doesn’t belong (hello authenticity). And the third chapter holds the key to why waiting well is worth it:

Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as good as a day. God isn’t late with His promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change. 2 Peter 3:8-9 MSG

He wants us to get it. And keep it. There’s certain big things we pray for that we have to be in a specific heart place, faith place, and authentic space to receive it and keep it. These are the Kairos moments. I look back on times when I wanted prayers answered on my time, and I’m glad they weren’t. We can’t always piece it together right away, but His timing is perfect. Your big prayer isn’t late. It’s waiting on you, my friend. So, wait well. I am full of faith that my wait is worth it. And yours is, too.