About the Author

Mary is a writer and speaker who lives for good books, spicy queso, and television marathons – but lives because of God’s grace. She writes about giving up on perfect and finding truth in unexpected places at MaryCarver.com. Mary and her husband live in Kansas City with their two daughters.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
Recent Posts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. God knows us inside out. In fact he knows us better than we know ourselves. Do ever get disappointed. You do something nice for a favourite person in your family member. For their special Birthday etc. You post it in the post days in advance before their Birthday first class. It should have arrived by now no sign of it. Your heart sinks wondering why it not arrived. You wanted to surprise them. It like that with me with my Favourite Aunt. I waiting on a present to land for her Birthday. Why it not arrived yet. I sent it good time. I took my time picking it for her. Saying she my favourite Aunt. This is special Birthday for her. I posted it first class. I feel God speaking to me through it. All his suprise blessings he gives us that we sometimes have to
    sometimes wait to get them from him. But in the end it is worth the wait. So we can then pass on to others. But the wait is worth it When we get them from God to be able to pass them on to others. But like me over this Special Birthday gift for my Aunt for her special Birthday that should have been with her days ago. Saying I sent it first class. We as followers of Jesus are not good at waiting. Sometimes God makes us wait. As in that waiting it teaches us patiance. Sometimes that is good for us We are not good at waiting. God shower us with his blessings everyday. So we can shower them on to others. Thank you Mary for another excellent reading. Love all incourage readings they do so much bless me. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx

  2. When I was in college and grad school, I KNEW my calling was to be a therapist. Maybe even writing a book and giving talks around the country. After a few years of pursuing this calling, I became exhausted and burned out. I quit my job and took an office position in college enrollment. I was interacting with people but not in what I thought was “meaningful” ways. I spent years switching jobs at the college, struggling emotionally because these jobs seemed to “easy” and weren’t what I believed I was “called” to do and didn’t require the level of education I had attained. But they were obviously the doors the Lord wanted me to walk through so I obeyed. Now I am a college counselor at my daughter’s school. It is the PERFECT job that uses my skills, training, and all of the seemingly disparate experiences that I had over the years. I couldn’t understand the journey at the time, but now I get the chance to see how it has all been pulled together by the Lord for this time. We don’t often get to see the full picture this side of heaven; this is just a gift to help me and others trust that He is at work even when we can’t see it.

    • Keri, I love that God has shown you how He’s been weaving together the threads of your career to bring you to this exactly right place. What a gift!

      • A business venture I have been working on is on the verge of a big operational change. I am figuring out which way to turn. Meantime God has opened opportunity for me to facilitate online Bible study for my church and I am working on launching my first book. In all this cocktail of happenings, I am certain that a new thing and a new role for me is about to come out of everything even though it is not crystal clear to me yet.

  3. Mary,
    When God interrupted MY life plans and called me to start a Christian school in a hotbed of evil in the Middle East, I flat out told Him He was crazy. I knew absolutely zippo about global missions, non-profit management, or even how to find square one. I think God can be purposefully sneaky in calling us to something that is not in our “wheelhouse” of experience. We are literally forced to learn to utterly rely and depend upon Him. I know what I can manage somewhat on my own, but I’ve had to learn what I can only do it in God’s strength. He keeps stretching those trust muscles. Great post!
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

    • Bev, that’s such a great point. If God let us do what we think we’re good at or suited for, we wouldn’t understand how desperately we need Him.

  4. I am a college freshman right now and this was really encouraging. I’m undecided in my major right now! I’ve talked to so many people about it! And I’ve taken so many “quizzes” and I’m just uncertain. I understand what you mean by wanting to do something very “meaningful” because I feel the exact same way. I want to do something big. Thank you for this!

    • MM, I’m praying for you right now, that you’d hear God’s direction as you make choices about your future and that while you wait for that direction, you’d feel peace knowing that He does have a good plan for you! I’ve had to deconstruct and recalibrate my understanding of what “big” and “meaningful” mean so many times over the years. I still struggle with understanding why He’s called me to this kind of meaningful and not what I imagined, but I trust that He has reasons that go far beyond my own wisdom. Praying for you this morning!

    • I’m praying for you as well! I’m praying for the Holy Spirit to whisper to your heart and lead and guide you in a way that only He can. I hear Him saying, Let Faith Arise and Only Believe!! This is hard in the waiting, believe me I know, but it’s so worth it. You get closer to Jesus and you know that in the waiting He is in control of your life. Just submit everything to Him. He won’t disappoint I promise!! He’s so good all the time!! He will carry you!! God Bless!!

    • MaryMargaret.

      Asking God to send you clear guidance as to the path He has laid out for you. Make a list of things you enjoy doing & see if they could make a good career fit. I have done several different career types from office to medical & now ICU Step down clerical combining the two. Take time to investigate each career you’re thinking about. Talk with the Career Placement Office at your school. They have many resources to help you. May you feel God’s presence & have a peace while you wait.

      Blessings 🙂

  5. Thank you so much for these words. I really need it. More than as anything I needed the scripture, Ephesians 2:10. Searching for God’s will can be difficult when we allow Him to do what’s best for His purpose. What a blessing to be used for His purpose.

  6. 8 years ago, my son died unexpectedly and 5 1/2 months after that, my husband died unexpectedly. Who would have ever thought that 3 years later God would send me into the Funeral and Bereavement Ministry at my church! At first I seemed to cry more than the families who had lost someone which sent me to my priest stating that I didn’t think this was the ministry for me. He said to stay with it because I would find healing in what I was doing, and he proved to be so right. Of course, God knew where I belonged and how I could serve Him and the people in my parish. I feel so blessed to be able to help people plan the funerals for their loved ones.

  7. Mary,

    God needs all of us in various tasks. We can’t all be leaders or teachers. It takes the whole body working together to accomplish God’s goals. This year I stepped out & took part in a FB video talking about why I relay. Also was the recognition chair & helped raise around $10K for our small community. Did more than just be a part of a team. Next year I plan on helping to raise even more money.

    God planted encouragement & assistance into my DNA. I constantly thank co-workers on my floor (hospital) from cleaners, dietary to CNAs. We all work hard together to make patient experience a good one. Also he constantly brings people to mind. In that respect I text, email, snail mail cards & letters checking in on people & making sure they know they aren’t alone. Made chicken pot pie & bread for pastor & his wife one week as they were going to move her mom down here. Have made bread for people dealing with aging parents illnesses. Love shining God’s light & doing what I can whenever I can as often as I can for as many as I can.

    Blessings 🙂

  8. “God knows me better than I know myself” and
    “the gifts and ministries I consider the least important can be quite significant when I obey and surrender to His will”. Yep – I’ve found this to be true also. These days, I try to be more open minded (not easy) because more often than not God has something up His sleeve.