"Patience" Rewarded

Everyone who knows me will testify that I am a very patient person . . . At the very least they will be able to make some sort of comment on my patience. (Patience is a daily “growth opportunity” for me.) I believe that many small moments happen each day to prove God’s faithfulness in our lives. And I am often too busy – I mean patient! – to notice. But every so often something so big will happen that I am reminded to stop and observe the handiwork of blessings in my life.

That pattern of wait, hope, and privileged opportunities is evidenced by the new beautiful kitchen space I now have the joy to use! When I started dreaming about Cherish Celebrations, I felt certain that I was headed in the right direction. I don’t have formal training. I don’t own my own farm and the event space that I dream of running some day. I don’t have years of experience. “No” to probably the next ten questions you could fire off at me. (And that I have certainly asked myself!) But I do have a peace about this dream. And I have faith that we are equipped for the places we fall short. 

So, for the last year, I have searched high and low for a commercial kitchen to move into and expand my business. Leads fell short and nothing felt like the right fit on a roller coaster of hopes and disappointments. I have wondered again and again if, after all, I am going down a path I wasn’t meant to tread. I was on the verge of forcing the issue. I was just going to go with a convenient option, even though it didn’t sit right with my intuition. That’s when I was introduced to the food pantry and the lovely folks who support its operation. 

This match is like peanut butter and honey (which is far superior to the typical PB&J). I need a kitchen to move forward and the pantry needs free hands to help with their lunch program. The pantry has a beautiful, functional kitchen and I have two available hands! I couldn’t have imagined a more wonderful space to operate out of, and I can’t wait to be a part of something so special to a local community. I will be able to grow Cherish even further and dream all that much bigger. 

A year later, as all this falls into place, I realize that I just needed to wait a little longer. There was something perfect in the works and I simply couldn’t see it.

Remember, a gift worth having is one worth waiting for. It’s worth hoping for and believing in. As hard as it is, that lovely gift is worth a little patience and a lot of trust.