WEBVTT - Rest in the Waiting

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Abides Sleep Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's meditation

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<v Speaker 1>is brought to you by our partners at Life Audio.

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<v Speaker 2>and body as we hear tonight's sleep story.

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<v Speaker 3>Hello and welcome to this sleep story from Abide. I'm

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<v Speaker 3>Bonnie Curry. Thanks so much for joining me for our

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<v Speaker 3>story rest in the waiting. Life yields many seasons. Some

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<v Speaker 3>are fresh beginnings, where all is new and exciting and

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<v Speaker 3>full of possibility. Others are about closure. As a chapter

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<v Speaker 3>comes to an end, we say goodbye to something or someone.

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<v Speaker 3>Endings can bring sadness or a sense of completion, but

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<v Speaker 3>either way the story concludes. But a season of waiting

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<v Speaker 3>is the middle ground. There is no satisfying ending, no

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<v Speaker 3>fresh beginning. Often we don't know when the waiting will

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<v Speaker 3>be over. My friend, it is in these times that

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<v Speaker 3>we hone our ability to trust in God's goodness and purpose. Lamentations,

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<v Speaker 3>Chapter three, verse twenty five says the Lord is good

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<v Speaker 3>to those who wait for him, to the soul who

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<v Speaker 3>seeks him. Waiting can be so difficult, full of worry

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<v Speaker 3>and even anxiety, but there is a better way. When

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<v Speaker 3>we wait with the spirit, we can lean into patience, peace, gentleness,

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<v Speaker 3>and hope. If you are in a season of waiting,

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<v Speaker 3>I invite you to rest in it. Rest requires trust,

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<v Speaker 3>letting go, and opening yourself fully to God's timing. You

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<v Speaker 3>will hear more about this in our story called Waiting

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<v Speaker 3>for the Prodigal. You will also hear about the wisdom

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<v Speaker 3>of the farmer cultivating new life and then waiting for

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<v Speaker 3>that growth to sprout. And finally you will hear an

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<v Speaker 3>ode to those in waiting and encouragement. Because every one

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<v Speaker 3>of us will be in a season of waiting, none

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<v Speaker 3>of us are alone. Keep breathing nice and slowly as

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<v Speaker 3>you listen to this story about Waiting for the prodigal.

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<v Speaker 3>Jacob knelt in the damp hay of the barn floor.

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<v Speaker 3>Tenderly he comforted the mama sheep as she lay on

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<v Speaker 3>her side, breathing heavily. This had been a long labor,

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<v Speaker 3>and Jacob was concerned the little lamb might not make it,

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<v Speaker 3>or worse, he could lose them. Both placing pressure on

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<v Speaker 3>her lower abdomen and speaking calmly into her ear, he

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<v Speaker 3>tried to determine if the baby had shifted positions. He

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<v Speaker 3>knew if he just waited with steady pressure, the positions

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<v Speaker 3>would align for this healthy new lamb to come into

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<v Speaker 3>the world. When the mama seemed especially anxious, Jacob began

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<v Speaker 3>to sing to her, an old lullaby of praise. Her

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<v Speaker 3>breath returned to a steady rhythm, and she let her

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<v Speaker 3>eyes close again. They both stayed steady, man in sheep,

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<v Speaker 3>held in the moment, held in the stillness of waiting.

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<v Speaker 3>Nothing more could be done. Time held them captive, and

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<v Speaker 3>surrendering to the unknown was the only option. So they waited, listened.

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<v Speaker 3>Jacob prayed Lamentations. Chapter three, verse twenty five says the

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<v Speaker 3>Lord is good to those who wait for him, to

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<v Speaker 3>the soul who seeks him. They read the moments as

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<v Speaker 3>though they were stops along a map, one leading to

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<v Speaker 3>the next. Mama sheep shifted, Jacob held his hand firmly

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<v Speaker 3>on the shape of the baby. If Mama sheep seemed anxious,

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<v Speaker 3>Jacob sang softly, holding a steady hand on her, and

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<v Speaker 3>sang a soft lullaby, warm, strong hands, comforting, singing, singing, singing.

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<v Speaker 3>Emerging from the barn. A long while later, wiping his

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<v Speaker 3>hands on his apron, Jacob headed to the house to

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<v Speaker 3>clean up. It had been a tedious night tending the

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<v Speaker 3>sheep and a new baby Lamb, But as always, Jacob

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<v Speaker 3>knew it was not a process that could be rushed.

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<v Speaker 3>He had learned this in his life and always tried

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<v Speaker 3>to teach it to his sons. His oldest son, Nathaniel,

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<v Speaker 3>wanted nothing more than to please his father, which sometimes

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<v Speaker 3>worried Jacob. He knew Nathaniel would do anything he asked,

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<v Speaker 3>but Jacob wondered if his firstborn son made decisions based

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<v Speaker 3>on pleasing his father, or if he held God's value

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<v Speaker 3>es himself. His youngest son, Elias, had no such entrances.

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<v Speaker 3>He was not concerned with his father's approval or Gods.

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<v Speaker 3>He hated being the youngest, and even though both sons

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<v Speaker 3>were now men, Elias was determined he would never help

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<v Speaker 3>with the family's estate as he often retorted, he had

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<v Speaker 3>no desire to be stuck in this place. Jacob's joy

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<v Speaker 3>from the birth of the baby Lamb faded as he

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<v Speaker 3>made his way across the open fields to his house.

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<v Speaker 3>He looked across all the land he had accumulated, the

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<v Speaker 3>rolling hills and graceful valleys, the wide, clear water stream

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<v Speaker 3>that flowed like a ribbon through the large harvest fields.

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<v Speaker 3>This morning, a light mist hovered over the land. Droplets

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<v Speaker 3>fell from the variegated green leaves of the trees and crops.

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<v Speaker 3>Jacob could hear the livestock stirring bulls and milking cows

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<v Speaker 3>scattered across the eastern fields. Sheep and goats filled the

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<v Speaker 3>barns and barnyards. The chicken yards were alive, with hens

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<v Speaker 3>clucking and the boisterous rooster making his indignance known as

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<v Speaker 3>the servants collected eggs. Jacob's farm hands were already hard

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<v Speaker 3>at work tending the long rows of crops. On top

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<v Speaker 3>of Sunrise Hill stood Nathaniel's home, large but simple and

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<v Speaker 3>immaculately kept. The vesper rays rising from the horizon al

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<v Speaker 3>illuminated it every morning. Adjacent to Sunrise Hill was Elias's

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<v Speaker 3>unfinished home, all the materials neatly stacked, and the grounds cleared.

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<v Speaker 3>Like Jacob, it too, waited for Elias's return. Deep wells

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<v Speaker 3>stood at the corner of each lot of land, and

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<v Speaker 3>Jacob's own grand home kept watch over the valley and fields.

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<v Speaker 3>He built his house with courtyards and servants quarters as

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<v Speaker 3>nice as the rest of the house, because he honored

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<v Speaker 3>the servants and wanted them to have comfortable lives as well. Yes,

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<v Speaker 3>he had worked his whole life to create this estate

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<v Speaker 3>and the family's business, so his sons and their families

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<v Speaker 3>would have an inherentitants. He would trade it all to

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<v Speaker 3>have Elias home again. And maybe he had traded it all.

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<v Speaker 3>Maybe giving Elias all he asked the equivalent of his

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<v Speaker 3>inheritance was a mistake. Jacob shook his head to clear

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<v Speaker 3>the thought. Then he glanced down the long dusty road

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<v Speaker 3>that led to the caravan pass, the last place he

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<v Speaker 3>saw his son before he walked away. The only bag

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<v Speaker 3>Elias bore, rimmed with his inherited wealth. It was so

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<v Speaker 3>very long ago, hope was waning. Where could he be?

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<v Speaker 3>How long would he be gone? Would he ever return?

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<v Speaker 3>Words not yet written to a church in Rome flitted

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<v Speaker 3>through his mind. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,

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<v Speaker 3>faithful in prayer. God, I know you are watching over

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<v Speaker 3>my son, Jacob prayed. I know he is yours before

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<v Speaker 3>he is mine. You have always taught me to be patient,

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<v Speaker 3>to trust you in the waiting. But God, this is

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<v Speaker 3>so much more than waiting for a baby lamb to

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<v Speaker 3>be born at the right moment. He paused, having heard

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<v Speaker 3>his own words, Yes, I see at the right moment.

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<v Speaker 3>Help me wait for the right moment to embrace my

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<v Speaker 3>son again and him with all the grace that you

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<v Speaker 3>faithfully love me. With words from the prophet Jeremiah entered

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<v Speaker 3>his mind. The Lord is good to those who wait

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<v Speaker 3>for him, to the soul who seeks him. Lost in

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<v Speaker 3>his conversation with God, Jacob had nearly made his way

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<v Speaker 3>up the hill to the main house without even realizing it.

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<v Speaker 3>Before he entered the north facing courtyard, he glanced back

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<v Speaker 3>out of habit toward the long, dusty road that led

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<v Speaker 3>to the caravan pass. Something caught his eye. The morning

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<v Speaker 3>mist was beginning to clear, but the silhouette was too

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<v Speaker 3>far away to fully make out. He squinted to get

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<v Speaker 3>a better view, but there was no way to clearly

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<v Speaker 3>see from that distance. Then Jacob realized he didn't need

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<v Speaker 3>to see. His heart knew his heart knew the moment

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<v Speaker 3>had come. Jacob hiked up his robes and ran as

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<v Speaker 3>fast as his legs could carry him across the fields,

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<v Speaker 3>past the barnes, through the valley to the long dusty road.

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<v Speaker 3>The weariness of being up all night disappeared. The waiting

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<v Speaker 3>was over. His son was home. Oh, how they would celebrate.

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<v Speaker 3>The view from the main house looked out on this scene,

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<v Speaker 3>a weary traveler slowly dragging himself up the lane as

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<v Speaker 3>an old man sprinting like a teenager, waiting for just

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<v Speaker 3>this moment closed in. Jacob's arms were flung wide as

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<v Speaker 3>he ran the last few strides, not slowing for a moment,

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<v Speaker 3>he tackle hugged the traveler. The silhouettes against the morning

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<v Speaker 3>sky were of two men melting into one another as

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<v Speaker 3>they wholly embraced. Please let me pray for you one

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<v Speaker 3>last time. God, You are our true salvation. In every way,

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<v Speaker 3>you rescue us again and again. You sustain us, even

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<v Speaker 3>when we do not realize it until looking back. We

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<v Speaker 3>are to light, to be yours, and to know your love.

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<v Speaker 3>Bless my friend, as they sleep. Help them stay steady

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<v Speaker 3>and aware of your nearness as they're waiting unfolds. Help

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<v Speaker 3>them slip their hand into yours, holding tightly until their

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<v Speaker 3>dawn of understanding and resolution arrives. I know you have

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<v Speaker 3>such good gifts a head for them. It's in Jesus' name,

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<v Speaker 3>I pray, Amen, thank you for joining me for this

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<v Speaker 3>sleep story. I hope you were comforted by it. The

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<v Speaker 3>father waited in hope for his wandering child, carrying on

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<v Speaker 3>with his days until he was finally reunited with his son.

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<v Speaker 3>We do not always know what God's answer will be,

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<v Speaker 3>but we always know He is the weaver of circumstances

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<v Speaker 3>and the healer of hearts, and he is always looking

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<v Speaker 3>out for us. We simply need to be still to

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<v Speaker 3>rest in the waiting. Remember Lamentations, Chapter three, verse twenty five.

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<v Speaker 3>The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

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<v Speaker 3>to the soul who seeks him