How Obedience Unlocks God’s Promises

The Promised House Project — Part 3

There’s something powerful about a promise from God. But let’s be real: the part that comes between the promise and the fulfillment? That part is hard. It’s often marked by silence, discomfort, delays, spiritual warfare, and frustration. And the one thing God keeps whispering in that in-between space?

Obey.

This is the third part of The Promised House Project—a deeply personal journey of trusting God when nothing makes sense, fighting battles we can’t always see, and choosing to keep going even when you feel like giving up.

The Promise I Thought I Understood: Retiring at 40

Two and a half years ago, I was deeply frustrated. I felt a calling to write—both novels and the kind of faith-based content I’m creating here—but I couldn’t see how to make it work. One day, while leaving work and debating with myself about what steps I needed to take, I felt like God whispered to my heart: “You can retire by 40.” Not retire in the traditional sense, but quit working for others and step fully into the work He was calling me to do. In that moment, I resolved to make it happen.

But looking back, I misunderstood the assignment. I latched onto the promise, but never really asked God what His plan was. Instead, I created my own roadmap:

• I’d continue to build Simply Waterbury, a lifestyle blog to encourage women in faith, family, and home—and promote resources and digital products.
• I’d grow Writerbury, sharing everything I knew about writing, blogging, and publishing.
• And my husband and I would start Tales Come True, a Disney-focused travel brand and agency to replace his job and fund family trips.

The ideas weren’t bad. They even made sense. But I never truly surrendered the plans to God. I moved forward in my own strength, assuming that since He gave me a promise, I could fill in the details myself.

The enemy began to attack. He let me burn out. My health spiraled—brain fog, fatigue, sleep disruption. I couldn’t think clearly. I started waking up between 2 and 4 a.m. every night, unable to rest. Too tired to pray, too overwhelmed to read the Word, I found myself scrolling social media or numbing out to TV shows.

Then, this website was hacked. I couldn’t even access the backend. I was forced to delete the entire thing—years of work, dozens of blog posts, growing domain authority, all gone in an instant. And without a backup, there was nothing I could do to recover it. I had to rebuild from scratch—new website, new posts, and start rebuilding trust with search engines all over again. And this time around? It’s been even harder to gain traction. It was deeply discouraging.

And this went on for months—maybe longer.

Eventually, I walked away from everything. I stepped back from all three of my websites and poured my energy into the novels I had been drafting for years. The hurdles—technical, emotional, and spiritual—were too much for me to keep going. I was tired of feeling stuck. One day, while complaining to God about how impossible our financial situation felt and how hopeless our future looked, He spoke again.

“This time next year, you will be in the house with a baby in your belly.”

At first, I was stunned. That kind of promise didn’t make sense given our circumstances. We were still in debt, barely scraping by, and the housing market was overwhelming. But I’ve walked with God long enough to know that He doesn’t speak empty words.

So I asked, “How is that even possible?”

And God replied—not with a grand financial miracle, but with a clear next step:

“Prepare the house to list in January.”

That was it. A single act of obedience. And suddenly, I had peace.

When God Speaks, Obedience Is the Next Step

That simple instruction—”Prepare the house to list in January”—was all I needed. I didn’t ask for more. I wasn’t worried anymore about how it would happen. I’ve seen God move mountains before, and I knew if this promise was really from Him, He’d do it again.

But as I sat with His words and began processing what this new season of obedience looked like, He reminded me of something else—a project I had started back in November and December: the Simply Shielded Prayer System.

It was meant to be a tool for spiritual battle—something to help women like me pray with purpose and power. A prayer wall setup, a binder system, and a dedicated Bible for scripture-based prayer. I had concepted it. I had even started designing it. But in all the chaos, I let it sit unfinished.

Now I knew: this wasn’t just a good idea—this was part of the obedience.

God wasn’t asking me to hustle. He was asking me to obey.

Finish the house. Stick to a budget. Finish the system. Share the story.

Over the next few days and weeks. He made it even clearer. He nudged me to expand beyond blog posts—to start recording videos and audio podcasts so women could read, watch, or listen to the journey. He wanted me to speak out what He was doing, to encourage others through my own obedience.

And He’s also revealed that this promise isn’t just about my personal comfort or my family’s breakthrough—it’s about impact. He’s shown me how this next home will be a blessing not only to us, but to others as well. Through what we’re able to produce on the land—like food, eggs, and plants—and through the space itself, which will be used for Bible studies, small gatherings, women’s events, and creating a peaceful place for others to encounter Him. Our home will be a sanctuary—not just for us, but for anyone who needs peace and prayer.

I’m beginning to understand that the promise of this home isn’t just about a fresh start—it’s about a foundation. A headquarters for the ministry and mission He’s called me to. A place where lives will be changed and burdens will be lifted. Where the Word will be studied and prayers will rise from more than just my lips.

And yes, the enemy has been working hard to stop me. Attacking my body, my motivation, my clarity. But all he’s done is slow me down. He hasn’t stopped me.

Because I know the assignment now.

And I’m going to be obedient.

Obedience Precedes the Breakthrough

Scripture is full of people who delayed obedience—or obeyed without understanding the full picture:

• Jonah ran from his assignment and ended up in a storm and a fish (Jonah 1-2).
• Moses delayed by making excuses about why he wasn’t qualify (Exodus 3-4).
• Saul lost his anointing because he only partially obeyed God’s instruction (1 Samuel 15).
• The rich young ruler walked away sorrowful because he wasn’t willing to obey Jesus fully (Mark 10:17-22).

But when people obeyed—especially when it didn’t make sense—God moved:

• Abraham obeyed without knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8).
• Peter cast his net again, and this time caught more than he could handle (Luke 5:4-6).
• Joshua led Israel in circles around Jericho—and the walls didn’t fall until the last lap (Joshua 6).

Obedience doesn’t always come with clarity. Often, it comes with a whisper and a choice. But God honors it every single time.

What’s God Asking You to Do?

Let’s start here: God has a calling on your life. Every single person does. Whether you’re fully aware of it, running from it, doubting it, or just unsure what a calling even means—you were created on purpose for a purpose.

Some of us receive a specific promise or assignment. Others walk into their calling step-by-step, without ever hearing a dramatic word from God. Sometimes, His direction comes in a quiet moment of Bible study, in the middle of worship, or when we’re simply being faithful in small things And sometimes—like in my case—it comes when you’re grumbling to God in the middle of everyday frustrations, pouring your heart out to Him like He’s standing right in front of you.

That’s mostly how it happens for me.

One of the darkest seasons in my life was the legal battle for our home—he very one God promised we’ll be leaving behind. I wrote about it in “How the Devil Fights,” but here’s the short version: I had to stand in front of a judge and prove that the house we lived in was rightfully ours, even though the verbal agreements with family made it look uncertain on paper. The betrayal stung. The fear was real. The pressure was crushing.

But in those raw moments—when I was brokenhearted and venting to God—He kept assuring me: “You’re not fighting a losing battle.”

It felt like David standing in front of Goliath with nothing but a sling and five stones. But David had something stronger than armor: He had God on his side. And that’s what He reminded me of—I wasn’t walking alone. This wasn’t a hopeless fight. We would see victory.

The same is true for you.

You may feel like your dreams are buried, your calling is too big, or your season is too overwhelming to take a step forward. But I promise you this: God has not forgotten what He whispered to your heart.

If you’ve never known your calling, or if you’re unsure where to even begin, here are a few ways to move forward:

1. Talk to God—honestly. Don’t filter your words. Talk to Him like He’s in the room. Complain if you have to. He can handle it.
2. Open your Bible—even if just one verse. Ask Him to highlight something for you. You’d be amazed how He speaks when you show up with expectation.
3. Reflect on what burdens or excites you. Your calling is often hidden inside your deepest passion—or your deepest pain.
4. Start where you are. Obedience doesn’t require a spotlight. It often looks like faithfulness in what’s right in front of you.
5. Ask Him to confirm your next step. Even if you don’t feel peaceyet, keep moving. God often guides us as we go.
6. Write down what He’s already said. Keep a record of the promises and promptings. Sometimes we need the reminder.
7. Invite others to pray with you. Don’t carry your calling in isolation. There is strength in agreement.

And remember: Obedience unlocks God’s promise.

It may not look spiritual. It may not feel dramatic. It may be something that takes longer than you expect. But if it’s from God—it matters.

So let me ask you:

• Is there something you’ve been dragging your feet on?
• Is there a task God gave you that you’ve minimized or put off?
• Have you asked God if your current plans are actually His?

I invite you to take that next step of faith. Set aside the distractions. Pick up your Bible, openyour heart, and ask Him to show you your next act of obedience.

And if you’re not sure how to even begin praying with purpose, let me encourage you to explore the Simply Shielded Prayer Wall—a resource designed to help you fight back with scripture and stay spiritually aligned, even when life feels overwhelming.

Want to read the full Promised House Project journey?

Check out these earlier posts:

• Part 1: Trusting God When It Doesn’t Make Sense — Discover how to hold onto the promise, even when the path is unclear.
• Part 2: How the Devil Fights—And How I Finally Fought Back — Learn how the enemy uses distraction, discouragement, and spiritual warfare to throw us off track.

And don’t forget—I’ll be sharing more of this story and the journey of obedience on YouTube this week. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it.

To help you begin praying over your calling, I’ve designed this prayer image to match the style of the Simply Shielded Prayer Wall. You can print it out, tape it up in your prayer space, or save it on your phone to pray through daily. Feel free to download it and hang it on your prayer wall as a visual reminder to seek, trust, and obey God’s unique calling for your life.