I’ve always been a huge dreamer. From a very early age I’ve known what I’ve wanted my life to
look like and who I wanted to be when I grew up. I love planning my future and thinking of all the
amazing things I’ll get to do with God. I have huge goals with a ton of ambition to back them up.
As I’ve matured in Christ and in my giftings, I’ve had many friends, family members, and even
strangers prophesy and encourage me that I’m on the right path. I’ve honed my craft, I went to
college and learned all I could about my passions, I’ve prayed (and prayed and prayed) that
God would use me and open up the doors needed to make my dreams come true. Everything
feels ready to fall into place. So… why haven’t these dreams come true yet?
When my husband and I moved across the country in 2023 I thought, “surely THIS will be the
time my dreams come true. Why else would God be calling us to such a drastic change?” When
He still didn’t answer my prayers (supposedly), I began to ask some hard questions. My world
felt like it was slowly crumbling around me. I was in a new city, new church, new community, and
I didn’t even have a job. It seemed like no matter what I did, nothing worked. No matter how
hard I tried to gain back some semblance of momentum I had before we moved, it faltered even
before it left the ground.
It can be easy on our path to success to be just as optimistic with our timeline as we are with
our goals. In my mind, there hasn’t been anything I can’t do and accomplish, but there is one
roadblock that seems to keep getting in my way – Time. Throughout 2023-2024 I felt like the
only thing God was encouraging me to do was stop. Stop planning, stop dreaming, stop
everything. Fast forward to the start of 2025. After my “dream-hiatus” I felt the Lord speak to me,
saying that 2025 was going to be my year of “yes.” Amazing!! Is this finally the time? Saying yes
to opportunities, open doors, even open windows? At this point I’m ready to crawl through any
open space God gives me. I finally felt encouraged and excited for my dreams again.
I decided now would be good time to speak with my mentor about where I was in my journey as
a whole. She patiently listened as I told her “I’m ready to go! I’m just trying to be open to
opportunities and whatever God has! It kind of feels like everything is up to me and I’n not sure
what to do, but I feel ready!” Once I was done and eagerly waiting to hear her confirmation that
“Yes! It sounds like this IS the time!” She told me this instead:
“Paige, it sounds like you’re in a season of waiting.”
How?? 0-10, I was immediately upset and unsure how to process this. Surely, after all of these
years and all of this struggle, I am not still waiting. But she kept going: “You don’t have to try and
make it happen. God wants you to walk in faith each day and know that He has you.”
I took this advice to the Lord and asked Him to make it make sense to me. In return I heard Him
speak:
“Maybe ‘saying yes’ isn’t just reserved for the blessings and opportunities I have for you this
year. Maybe I just want you to say yes, everyday, to me.”
Waiting for our dreams is difficult, but we don’t ever have to wait for access to our Heavenly
Father. God is true to His word – He will answer our hearts desires (Psalm 37:4). He has already
answered my prayers and dreams for so many other things. However, when I get stuck on the
“one” thing He seemingly hasn’t done yet, then I will never be satisfied. The Lord’s presence
isn’t just helpful, it’s vital. We cannot do anything without Him. I tried as hard as I could to make
my dreams happen and I was met with roadblock after roadblock. But the Lord has never put a
roadblock between Him and I.
If you’re feeling stuck in a season of waiting, here are some practical tips:
Get some perspective
Speak to someone who knows you really well and ask them how they have seen the Lord move
in your life and answer your prayers. Sometimes when we get so focused on “the one thing”,
this blinds us to everything God has already done (READ Ephesians 1:17-19).
Figure out who you are
Is your identity attached to something it shouldn’t be? Do you feel like your highest and best-self
is only achievable through a position or title? These titles can be a variety of things (assistant,
leader, CEO, friend, wife, mother, etc.). Ask yourself who you truly believe yourself to be and
surrender that to the Lord (READ Galatians 2:20).
Don’t give up
Just because you may still be waiting for your dream to come true, doesn’t mean that it’s not
going to happen. Psalm 37:4 IS true. God genuinely does desire to bless you with what’s on
your heart. We can often think of setbacks as signs we should quit. I don’t believe, even in my
waiting, that God has ever told me to quit. Only in my own flesh and frustration did thoughts of
quitting enter my mind. I’m sure you’ve heard Hebrews 12:1-2 many times (if not, take a second
to read it now). Just because we do have seasons of waiting, doesn’t mean the Lord desires to
take away the journey as a whole. There is strength for today, hope for tomorrow, and blessings
in store. Don’t give up now.
Worship in the waiting
My mentor encouraged me to go to God in prayer and worship on days and in moments that I
felt stuck. In her words, “There will never be enough time on earth for us to give the Lord the
proper worship He deserves.” Worshipping God is not a waste of time. Idolizing our dreams, our
plans, and even ourselves, is. In moments of stress, confusion, and waiting, kneel down before
the Lord in prayer and worship. Even if you don’t feel immediately changed, I promise the Lord
is doing a work in you more than you realize (READ Psalm 150:2, 6).
I’ll end on a quote from one of my Dad’s sermons that has stuck with me:
“Waiting seasons are not wasted seasons. They’re often sacred spaces where God forms us in
hidden, quiet ways.”
To the girl that feels like she is waiting – know that you are on sacred ground. The Lord is near
and desires to be with you and help you. What are you waiting for?
Choose the option below that resonates with you the most and surrender it to God today:
I will trust God in the waiting for…
A baby
A spouse
Fulfilled dreams
God’s Healing
Friendship
A good church
A new job
Salvation for a loved one
Hope
Joy
Favor and provision
Direction
Perseverance
Instruction and direction
A miracle
A home
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Clarity
Wisdom
Strength
Peace
Structure
Unity
Resolved conflict
Answered prayer
Finances
Success in my job
<3 Paige Brotnov
Paige,
Thank you for sharing this. It is such a moving and powerful testimony that resonates with how I have felt the last 2 years.
I had everything going for me, Optometry school a dream come true and then cancer hits. The worst part it hit the person that’s my cloud 9 – my husband. And so we didn’t move across the country, we stayed, treated, and I felt stagnant. Through that season, I learned that I trust the Lord in what I wanted, and the things I “thought” that were in my control I didn’t. I found my worth in the dreams of my occupation.
Something I firmly believe the Lord was showing me.
John 15:5 “apart from me, you can do nothing.”
Thanking Jesus today that I have a community of God centered women who share in struggle and in truth.
Beautifully written and lived. I love the practical application list at the end. Your insight is beyond your years. It takes great courage to share our vulnerabilities and you have done so with grace, always giving the glory to God. This will bless many.