Google defines patience as, “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset”.

When I turned 30, I wanted this year to be the year I learned patience.  I honestly had no idea what I was instore for – but they say when you ask God for something, be ready to receive it.

As I am in this stage – this period – of waiting as I make my dreams come true, I have learned a lot about patience.  My biggest learning, when God is asking you to be patient – he will deliver better than you could have ever imagined.

Here’s a story:

All summer, I’ve been asking my boyfriend to go to the beach.  I’m a Pisces, and the beach is my happy place.  The beach is my favorite place to do nothing but drink, read, eat snacks, and dance to music for hours.  Extra points if I’m in a place like Miami, Jamaica, Bermuda, or Tulum, where the water is extra warm and extra clear.  I’m in the water all day.

With everything going on in my life – going to the beach was my only request.  I asked for the 4^th of July.  I asked for Labor Day weekend.  Eventually, I just would say “ah, I wish we could spend a few days at the beach.”  At some point during the summer, my boyfriend began to mention that we are going to his co-resident’s beach house for a weekend.  I heard him, but I didn’t hear him.  I didn’t know what to expect as these are his colleagues, they have their own relationship, and I’m just a +1 in the situation – happens a lot when you’re dating a physician.

Eventually, the beach weekend came.  I packed my outfits –  a little confused on what you’re supposed to wear to the beach in September – downloaded a book, and was ready to have a great time with his friends.  Little did I know, this vacation would be better than I imagined.  We stayed at a gorgeous property on the beach, right on the water.  We had all of our meals and our entire itinerary organized for us.  We even were able to be surrounded by friends that feel like family, which meant no drama and all love. 

This was better than I imagined for a beach trip.  I was imagining a day trip to Long Island or Cape May, where we would be on a quick turnaround schedule because we had to come home.  We wouldn’t have been able to truly unwind because in the back of our minds we knew we had a journey back home.  Our three days at the beach allowed for us to truly relax, try new things, build deeper relationships with each other, and disconnect.  This beach experience was better than what I was asking God for all summer.  An exercise in patience when I least expected it.

As I go through the journey of life, living as the main character in my story, I realize that God will always give you more than you can ever imagine.  When I didn’t get into the high school of my choice – it resulted in me having the deepest relationships with the girls from the school I attended.  One of which I am a God-Mother to a beautiful baby boy and will be the Maid-of-honor for her wedding.  When I thought I needed to get into a large state college because of its fashion merchandising program, I was accepted into Spelman, which helped me become the woman that I am today who dives into her dreams head first with an impressive resume to match.  And now, as I am looking for my dream role in fashion strategy, I know that the right door will open – and it will be better than I have ever imagined.

As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Patience is a gift that I have received from trusting the lord.  I am continuing to lean on him, and not my own understandings because I know he is always working for me.  He is going to do something very real in my life.