Sep 01

Member Finds Mangoes vs. Oranges Helps Demonstrate Faith vs. Fears

Tanya Wilson

Trust and be patient with God’s timing and plan.

 

The security of the familiar mango should not hinder us from embracing God’s servings of new and undiscovered miracles.

 

This Spring, Tanya Wilson accepted a job offer that would move her from south to central Florida, a move, coincidentally, that unfolded in the midst of mango season. As a die-hard mango lover, she was jolted by the thought of trading the abundant mango trees of south Florida for the flourishing orange groves of central Florida.

In the midst of it all, Wilson recognized God had opened up a fruitful opportunity where she would lead a team of nearly 600 employees with impactful policy work, resulting in significant regional impact. She was thankful for the open doors, yet was left with a plethora of mixed emotions shifting between joy, trepidation, hope, and nail-biting uncertainty. She was excited for the opportunity to follow God’s lead into a new season and relished the thought of experiencing further growth in her personal and professional life. Yet, as impressive as it all appeared, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in her gut. Like Abram, she was leaving the comfort, familiarity, and ease of her former life to journey into the unknown.

Thankfully, her faith loomed larger than her fears. She took the plunge and has successfully settled into her new job and life. Wilson is thankful for the salient life lessons she gleaned along the way, and shares fruitful slices below of God’s faithfulness as He qualifies those He calls:

  1. Trust and be patient with God’s timing and plan. He opens doors that no one can shut, and shuts doors no one can open (Revelation 3:7).
  2. Sometimes the greatest growth and refinement occurs in seasons where one is tried, tempered, and tested under pressure.
  3. Don’t be unseeded by the spirit of fear. Step out and ask God to fill you with His presence, love, and power that casts out all fears.
  4. Make room for unexpected blessings. The security of the familiar mango should not hinder any from embracing God’s servings of new and undiscovered miracles.
  5. God has a myriad of fruitful ways to bless His people — mangoes, oranges, and so many other fruitful ways!

Florida | September 2024