I remember sitting in a conference room at a manufacturer in Shenzhen, China in 2002, making the comment, “we are seeing a trend in America,” to which the company’s representatives looked at each other as the translator delivered my words and chuckled with one another.  When I asked why they chuckled, the General Manager replied through the translator; “In America, you identify a trend in terms of months.  We are a 5000 year old culture and trends emerge after decades.”  Mic drop!

One of the amazing things about helping people with their ideas is the gift of meeting incredibly tenacious and most times, patient and expectant people.  I met the inventor of the Topsy Turvy Tomato planter.  He lived in the same town, Knoxville, TN, that I did and had realized incredible sales and financial blessings when I met him.  He shared that he had created the tomato planter system 8 years earlier and had wallowed in mediocrity and minimal sales.  Then his product was featured on QVC and the rest as they say ‘is history.’  I was struck by Bill’s comment to me that he “was an overnight sensation.  It just took him 8 years to be that overnight success story.’

I was asked to help a group bring a record album to market in non-conventional channels now close to 20 years ago.  Through this I was gifted to meet Ret Gov Mike Huckabee and Songwriter/Singer Aaron Tippin.  I was struck by Aaron’s story of remarkable success.  He arrived in Nashville from South Carolina to be a mechanic for Eastern Airlines, the very weekend Eastern filed chapter 7 bankruptcy.  Broke and no money to get back home to SC, Aaron did what so many had done and with his guitar, went to Broadway and sang.  He was hoping to get enough money to be able to return home.  While there, a hand grabbed his shoulder and a woman’s deep voice said “d’you write those songs?” He looked up and said “yes, Ms. Reba (McEntire), I did.  Then after years of writing music for Ms. Reba, she said “Aaron, if you don’t get out there in front and sing, I am going to fire you.”  Tough love.  Aaron told me and would tell you that he owes Reba McEntire for everything he has accomplished.

I know the owner of a major music venue in Nashville.  He told me about this amazing singer who played at his place almost every Thursday for 7 years.  He said this guy was a prolific songwriter and had an unbelievable voice.  When I asked why he was not signed with a major label and singing to sold out venues Worldwide, the simple answer was that ‘he did not fit the mold and look of the popular male singers of the day.’  But he sang and honed his craft in that music venue a few blocks east of Broadway in Nashville.  In 2015, after 15 years of writing songs for other people and playing in those small venues with the same gift of voice and song, Christ Stapleton released his first album and the rest as they say “is history.”

We all love stories like this, of achievers who overcame time and rejection, toiling in anonymity, waiting for their chance.  The Bible is filled with stories of people appointed by God to do incredible things.  Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers, spending 15 years as a servant and prisoner then in the course of a few minutes going from prisoner to the #2 leader in Egypt.  Moses living for 40 years in Midian as he hid for having killed an Egyptian, then within weeks being in front of the most powerful man in the World, Pharaoh.  Ultimately leading the Israelites out of 400 years of slavery.  Sarah, 90 years old, was gifted with pregnancy and the birth of Isaac, and the greater birth of a mighty nation called Israel and the Jewish people.  Isaac, a name meaning ‘laughter.’  God loves to hear us laugh.

So my question for you is, how long will you wait?  You see, faith is in the waiting.  Faith is rooted in core and unimpeachable belief.  Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that God knew us before we were in our mother’s womb.  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has unique plans for us and his timing is likely not our timing.

I have been blessed in my lifetime to have met some amazing people.  Some, assigned the title of ‘exceptional’ because of achievements we marvel at and truth be told, we may envy.  Don’t!  Others exceptional in the quiet approach to life that contributes to and enhances the life of all those around them.  God’s definition of your exceptionalism is very likely different than yours.  His is better.

So how long will you wait.  The growth is in the waiting.  Would you bask in the shadow of a 401K filled to the brim, or in the glow of a human that you instilled hope, joy, purpose and impact.  If you have yet to realize the marvelous purposes of your life, they are right in front of you.  Take another step.  Walk into the purposes that you were assigned before you resided in your momma’s womb.  You matter.  Your contribution may never be famously known but it will most definitely be felt by those desperate for what you have to contribute.

Let’s go.