Where is the rain? (Mark)

I asked Kelly if I could write the entry for today, because I'm struggling, and I would like to ask a personal favor to all of you who have been following this blog.

If you happen to think about us for some reason, can I ask that you lift us and our new business up to the Lord in prayer?

I've found it very frustrating recently that virtually all of the work I have been doing has not returned any fruit. Of course I've been spending quite a bit of time reading and studying and taking different classes to make me a better, more educated inspector. I've also been spending time trying to develop additional web interest in our web site, and also been marketing to Realtors.

Many of my conversations with Realtors have seemed to be very positive, but I've yet to receive any business from them. (Only 1 inspection so far that came from a Realtor I used to work with.)

On the positive side, I've arranged to do 3 separate presentations over the next 2 months to 3 different Real Estate offices, as well as made some preliminary progress towards teaching some C.E. courses to Realtors at our local Board. These should give me some positive face time, however these aren't inspections and there is no revenue tied directly to these marketing activities. I know businesses take time to get going, and maybe I'm just being naive, but I would have expected some sort of return on investment by now.

It's personally also been very hard to define productivity. When folks ask "how's business?" I don't know how to respond. On the one hand, it's a blessing to have things to do, and have a pile of stuff to handle in your in-box, but on the other when there aren't any bookings or revenue you can't say "business is great!".

I know the Lord has made a promise to our family that our flour and oil would not run out until the rains come. He has been faithful in that, and I still believe it. I also believe that He has given us a message that the rain is coming. In my humanness however I can't help but wonder when that's going to be. The bible says that a thousand years is like a day to the Lord. (That scares me a little because even if he said "tomorrow", does that mean the rain coming "tomorrow" or in 3007.)

Would you please pray that the Lord would bring the promised rain to us very soon? I believe our motives are pure. We desire not only to provide for ourselves in a godly way, but we also want to provide for and bless others as you all have been a blessing to us.

Pray also that if it is his will for us to continue this trial longer, that he would once again be clear in his direction for our paths and make his will known to us? Helping me to be patient and wait for His timing.