Greetings, Dear Friends!

Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So share a story or an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and friend!

A Quick Note:

I am thrilled to announce the upcoming release of my next book, "Growing Grateful Kids: Teaching Them to Appreciate an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Places." Let me tell you, I am excited about the message in this book. If you have children at home (or grandchildren you want to influence spiritually), pre-order a copy today. I do believe this book will equip you to parent from a spiritual perspective (but it's loaded with lots of practical application). You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll be inspired and encouraged (that was my goal, anyway). :) 

Now on to my topic...

As I prayed about what to share this week, one idea kept surfacing in my thoughts. I think a number of you may be walking a rough road right now, but that road may be leading you to your next place of promise. God is getting you ready for a promotion!

As I've mentioned before, the Old Testament story of Joseph is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. And since I've referenced his story several times on this blog, I won't spend too much time on the details of his story. But I would like to highlight a few of the bumps in his road; places on his journey that both softened and strengthened him, and made him ready to do great things.

The obvious bumps in Joseph's road were the betrayal of his brothers and subsequent slavery, his refusal to dishonor his boss's wife and the false accusation and prison that followed. But I would like to highlight a few of the not so obvious challenges; ones that you and I face every day; and ones that may qualify or disqualify us for promotion: 

Stewardship: Joseph had a dream of leadership and management on a large scale. And yet, first he was given the task of managing households and prisons. Scripture reminds us not to despise the days of small beginnings. Are you serving in a place that feels too small for your giftings? God is with you! Embrace contentment and thanksgiving. Don't grumble there. Don't let that place define you. Keep your eye on the horizon because one day, God will open up new doors of opportunity. But faithfulness in-this-place is crucial if you wish to be fruitful in the next place God has for you.

Being overlooked: God used Joseph to interpret the dreams of two prisoners. In fact, Joseph was completely accurate in his interpretation; everything happened as he suggested it would. To the one prisoner who was about to be released, Joseph said, "Please mention me to Pharaoh! For I am innocent and did nothing to deserve this place!" (my paraphrase). But, once the man was released from prison, he forgot all about Joseph. I know this happens in the refining process: God uses us in a powerful way, but the person who could help us, make a connection for us, or open a door for us, is either looking the other way, or simply forgets all about us. What will we do during such times? This is a perfect test of the heart; it exposes our ambition and impatience. This is a great opportunity to humbly embrace God's timing and to trust that He'll deliver us when we are good and ready. And an important note: we must NOT put our hope in mere men. God-alone has the power to open doors for us and He knows how to get to us; He knows our address.

Walking out his dream: Okay, just so I don't make Joseph sound perfect, I'll address something he could have done a little differently. When you consider that Joseph's brothers didn't like him all that much to begin with, it wasn't all that wise for Joseph to flap his dream in their faces; especially since his dream involved them bowing before him. This is very tempting when we have a dream taking shape in our souls. Of course we should humbly share our dreams with safe people who will call our gifts out of us. But as we grow into our calling, it's much better to walk it out, then to spend time talking about it. 

Once Joseph got past the bragging, he walked out his dream beautifully. He surrendered to God; he submitted to the Lord's refining work in his life; and he embraced his lot, each and every time. And when it was his time, he stepped from the prison to the palace like it was no big deal. He was ready. May we be as ready.

What's God doing in your life? I'd love to know.

Have a great week~