Tag: struggles

The Ugly, The Messy and The Beautiful!

Are you at a messy place right now and your mind wonders if God really does redeem our stories?  Not just when we enter our heavenly home but here and now, this side of heaven?

Maybe you have found yourself on a detour that you never saw coming.  Maybe this very moment you are facing  some unwanted, ugly, painful and unintended parts of your story that have left you wailing on the carpet desperate for God’s intervention.

Friend, can I encourage you to pause for a moment?   Please.  Hit the hold button. Take a break from  your tears, your questions, your doubts and simply let these words take a hold of your heart.

Our. God. Is. Faithful. Always. 

Even now! Yes, even in THIS season, THIS heartbreak, THIS loss, THIS pain.

How can I proclaim this so boldly and confidently? Because I have walked through unwanted chapters in my own life and am now reaping the beauty that God brings as the pages turn.

I am cheering YOU forward. You are not alone!

God has not only redeemed my story but abundantly given me more than I could ask or imagine. Did I say it’s been easy? NO! Did I say the struggles are gone? Absolutely NOT! What I AM saying is that God has brought beauty from the ashes and the brokenness that this messy girl had lived with for so long.

I don’t say this out of pride or arrogance or with a  “look at me now”  mentality….I am sharing this to give YOU a shot of hope. Because  not so long ago, I was on the carpet completely  shattered  and struggling, just like YOU!

Broken, wounded, stressed to the hilt, and ever so desperate.  It wasn’t just one hard thing but many painful things that left me with uncontrollable eye twitches and itchy stress rashes.  Yes, there is such a thing, ugh!

I will not go into details.  After all, I know what you would do. You would do the the same thing that most of us do.  Your kneejerk reaction would  entice you to compare your story to mine and then you would miss the whole point.

What I can tell you is that the above picture represents so much more than a wedding day…but a rescue;  A day when God boldly declared to my heart  that He is well able to redeem and take what the enemy meant to destroy me and my family and make it into something more precious than I could have ever imagined.

It represents the answer to countless prayers prayed by many that I did not even know were praying for me and my family at the time.   You see, it wasn’t just my victory in Jesus but other’s victory and testimony, too!  Those who God divinely surrounded us with who stood in the gap.  Those who loved me, supported me, believed in me and more importantly those with faith-filled hearts who believed that God had GOOD plans for us in spite of how it looked then.  My heart is so thankful.

This is why I am here, to tell YOU that GOD is not finished with YOUR story!

God DOES redeem, my friend! He takes the messy, the ugly, and the broken parts of our stories and creates beauty from the all the ashes.

Remember this; whatever chapter you are in, whatever your life looks like this very moment will soon pass. It is only for a season.  Life will not always be this hard, nor this painful.

You are on the pathway, detours and all,  to greater joy and intimacy with Christ than you have ever known.

It’s okay if you can’t see that right now because God sees it! His plans for YOU are good! When you can’t see clearly and everything around you is falling apart remember, your God IS faithful. That is ALL you need to know.  That’s enough. Jesus is enough.

Stay on the carpet until your knees burn and ugly cry your way through but don’t EVER stop the wrestling.

With God, your waiting time is NOT wasted time…He is creating room in you for the beauty that is yet to come!

Friend, stubbornly hold on to your faith as you hold on to your God.   Follow hard after him…stay obedient no matter what your feelings tell you. Expect God to move! 

One day,  you will see clearly that He never left you even in your darkest moments.  He was cutting away the lies from the past to make room for a NEW season, a NEW beginning that could not compare to anything you have experienced before.

Believe it!

Hebrews 10:23 (ESV) “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful”.

How will Your heart Respond?

Friend, if God never answered another prayer, would you STILL love Him and live for Him?

Will you continue to trust HIM when things aren’t going as you had prayed and believed? Will you stubbornly choose to be faithful to Him no matter what comes your way?

What about your relationship with Him? Is it the same in good times as well as bad? In the times you have understanding and the times you don’t? OR do you distance yourself from Him and blame Him for your loss, your pain, your brokenness or your unwanted consequences?

Will you be obedient to Him not because of what you are hoping to gain but simply because He LOVES you and has redeemed you?

Will you walk with an “even if” heart stance even when others turn away?

Final and most important question….Is what Jesus did for YOU at the cross enough?

These are probing questions that are good to consider BEFORE the bad things happen, the hard times come and your faith is challenged.

How will your heart respond?

You will find, He is the SAME God during the painful seasons as He is in the painless seasons. I don’t say this as just some “Christianeese” fluff but as a beloved daughter of God who has walked through her own unwanted and heart wrenching seasons.

Dear friend, there are blessings to be found in BOTH seasons. #truestory

Let me encourage you today! Don’t stop praying. Don’t stop trusting. Don’t stop believing in faith for good things.

And don’t EVER stop seeking…BUT seek His heart MORE than His blessings. He will never fail you!

The truth is, on this sacred journey there WILL be more painful seasons, more struggles, and more difficulties, this side of heaven.

BUT there will also be MORE abundant grace AND your heart will begin to look MORE like His as you walk with Him and learn from Him even through the valleys.

That is beauty, my friend, that can never fade!!!

Remember this, He is preparing you and me for our happily eternal after.

Choose Christ and keep on choosing Him! There are many choosing with you, though it may seem like only a few.

Heaven is cheering for you and Jesus is praying for you!

Your eternal reward WILL come!

Your BEST days are in front of you!!

Our god is faithful! Believe it! 💗

Psalm 34:19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the lord delivers him from them all.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word.

James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers (sisters) whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance..

Isaiah 43:1 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

You’re Going to Be Okay!

 

kids

Are you at a messy place right now and your mind wonders if  God really does redeem our stories?  Not just when we enter our heavenly home but here and now, this side of eternity?  Maybe you have found yourself on a detour that you never saw coming.  Maybe you are facing this very moment some ugly, difficult and untended parts of your story that have left you face down on the carpet desperate for God’s intervention.

Friend, can you just pause for a moment from your tears, your questions, your doubts and hang with me for a moment?  Our. God. Is. Faithful. Always.   I get it….. your circumstances may NOT be okay!  However, YOU’RE going to be okay! How can I proclaim this so boldly and confidently? Because I have walked through those kind of chapters and am now reaping the joys that God brings as the pages turn.

The pain in my eyes that I had for literally years is now gone and has been replaced with precious peace and radical relief.  God DOES redeem! He takes the worst parts of our stories and redeems and truly creates beauty from the ashes that may surround us.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” Is. 61:1-3

If you need hope this very moment please read the above scripture again.  Pay attention to every word.  Do you see it?  Heavy words like brokenhearted, captive, darkness, prisoner, the grieving and all who mourn are the ones being addressed in this passage.   Friend, if any of those words describe who you are or where you find yourself on this journey, your heart can be FULL of hope! You’re going to be okay!! Why? Because Jesus came for YOU! He has already made a way for you.  Your ashes are no match for His abundant grace.

February 2, 2019 represents so much more than my wedding day…but a rescue of sorts.  A day when God boldly declared to my heart as well as others that He is well able to redeem and take what the enemy meant to destroy me and my family and make it so beautiful.  It represents the answer to countless prayers prayed by many that I did not even know were  praying for me and my family.   You see, it’s not just our victory in Jesus but other’s victory and testimony, too!  Those who loved us, supported us, believed in us and more importantly those who believed that God had good plans for us in spite of how it looked then.  My heart is so thankful.  My prayer is that in sharing this it will give YOU a shot of hope because at numerous times, I was wondering and struggling, too! Broken, wounded, stressed to the hilt, and ever so desperate.  It wasn’t just one hard thing but many that left me with eye twitches and stress rashes…..but God! No, things did not happened as I had prayed but God took me on a path that has been paved with amazing grace and beauty for ashes.  If you are wondering if this could ever happen for you my answer to you is a resounding and confident YES!!! It is so hard to believe when your heart is filled with pain and you can’t see clearly for the fog that surrounds you. I get it. I really do. I promise you, our God is faithful.  He sees you.  He invites you to trust Him as He is working out the future that He has for you and those you love.

So my friend, whatever chapter you are in know this;   it’s only for a season.  Many times we have no control how long our painful seasons may last  but you can be assured that God’s timing is perfect and purposeful. You, my friend, are on the pathway to greater joy and intimacy with Christ than you have ever known.  Stay on the carpet, ugly cry and let your knees burn.  Don’t ever stop wrestling. Stubbornly hold on to your faith as you hold on to your God.   Follow hard after him…stay obedient no matter what your feelings tell you. Expect God to move! He will sweet sister, He will!! Your waiting time is not wasted time…He is creating room in you for the beauty that is yet to come!  One day,  you will see clearly that He not one time left you in your darkest moments.  He was cutting away the lies from the past to make room for a NEW season, a NEW beginning that could not compare to anything you have experience before.

Psalm 27:14

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.  Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the lord.