Due Season of Good Works

And let us not grow weary of doing good works,

for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

(Galatians 6:9)

I can always tell when it is harvest season in Stuttgart. The whole town is busy with work. When I talk to anyone from home, somewhere in the conversation is a proclamation that Producers or one of the other mills is hiring. Though sometimes seasonal, there are employment opportunities for any one desiring to work.

I had two good aha moments of due season yesterday—first, when one of my cousins text me a picture of herself, clad in her Riceland uniform (so Vidia, if you read this, you share responsibility for bringing me out of my funk). Secondly, I was sitting in the airport, killing time between flights, when I saw a random picture of my late father-in-law in my Facebook newsfeed, reminding me that if I am still here, He has plans / work for me to do. I have been in a mood lately, tired and frustrated that work activities are not moving as fast or in the direction that I would like.  And that is when it hit me: do not grow weary of doing good works, for in due season, you will reap, if you do not give up. Keep pushing and stay in the race.

Everything happens in due season. I am in a pruning season currently. I do not profess to be a farmer, but spiritually I understand the process: He is cutting off every branch in me that bears no fruit. Meanwhile every branch that does bear fruit, He is pruning so that each one will be even more fruitful (John 15:2). This is an uncomfortable season, but it is necessary for years of continual blossom. I am having some natural experiences that I never would have imagined in my life. However, through faith and grace, I trust the process for gaining peace, wisdom, and understanding. I recognize that I am frustrated because things are not working according to my plans and where I think I should be at this point on this journey. However, I realize that God is breaking down my personal strongholds and perfecting me to do His work and to receive His glory.

Just as Stuttgart experiences every year, in due season, the harvest will come and the crop will be plentiful. It is natural to get tired, but the key is keep working and running. The race is not given to the swift, but to the one who endures. What do you do to keep from growing weary while waiting on your good works to bear fruit? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Good NETWorking

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

(BRIAN ANDREW "DREW" CHALKER)

People come into your life for a blessing or a lesson. I have probably blocked or delayed many blessings because of my natural tendency: my preference is not to engage in idle conversation at the grocery story, social events, airports, etc. So when I make a networking connection, I do not take it lightly as mere coincidence. By faith, I believe that when a person crosses your path, there is a purpose. It may not be obvious at first. I have learned to seek direction and clear understanding on whether the meeting is meant for a reason, a season, or a lifetime***.

• A REASON is to help you with a need by providing direction or support. The relationship ends when the work is done.
• A SEASON is to help you with a transformation by growing or evolving through some temporary period of work.
• A LIFETIME is to help you with a foundation for building up all other relationships in your purposed work.

***To read Brian Chalker’s A Reason, A Season, A Lifetime Poem in its entirety, go to

 http://www.homebiztools.com/prayer.htm

I am becoming more pro-active at networking because I understand the value of letting people know what I do. I used to think that who I knew mattered most, but in today’s climate, who knows me is just as important.  My travel schedule has increased so I have perfected the delivery of the business card, elevator pitch, and tag line to leave an impression. A closed mouth does not get fed and I refuse to miss any more blessings because I did not speak up and ask for what I want.

Last week, I was at a customer site in North Florida where my host introduced me as an engineer from Arkansas. Someone in the office volunteered that he was still waiting on an invitation to go duck hunting. I never mentioned that I was from Stuttgart, home of world renowned duck hunting. I compiled the market information I was intended to gather, and prayerfully, left a positive impression. Yet I walked away from the meeting, knowing that this was not coincidental, that one day, I will have full understanding of whether the interaction is for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. It is not happenstance that someone mentioned duck hunting in my presence. I am seeking direction on the blessing or the lesson.

Networking is no longer an option; it is a requirement for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and community leaders. What do you do to leave an impression of your good works? Let us know by commenting or sending me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.