What do we do with this crazy life, when it doesn't go the way we want it to?
When I saw this piece of wood I thought it was too messy and distressed to be used. After all, it has calcifications , it's chipping, and yet... I was drawn to it. The longer I looked at it, the more God spoke to me...
What do we do with this crazy life, when it doesn't go the way we want it to?
This piece of wood, for example, once a beautiful tree; now pruned,
cut down, reshaped, sanded, stained, painted over and
created to be something new; beautiful, and full of character!
If , we will allow God, He will take our messy, broken, stained life
and create something beautiful with it!
I know my dreams in life, did not include, autoimmune diseases, a heart condition, infertility, loss of a child, anxiety/panic attacks, neurological migraines, POTS Syndrome or having several surgeries for tumors (3 in 9 months) while in the midst of loosing our home and our business. Then just when I thought I had made it through it all and started a new job, things went south once again...
I spent seven days in the hospital with sepsis while my grandmother was hospitalized from a stroke, fall and hip fracture and was passing away. This by far, was far worse than all the other things combined. My grandmother was an amazing, wonderful, loving women and a huge part of my life. She was like my second mom, so much in fact that when people asked her how many kids she had, she added my name to the list!
Still healing from the weakness of having sepsis I attended the funeral and returned to work. I am know that God carried me through all that! Because I know I am NOT strong enough on my own to have nade it through any of that!
When He felt I was strong enough, he set me down, and He continues to walk beside me; through the PTSD and the brain injury caused by the sepsis.
As I look back at each of these things in my life, I see a common thread...acceptance, healing and faithfulness.
Accepting that...
what God teaches us in the Bible is true.
God is good always.
God can make Lemonade out of the lemons of our life.
This life will not be easy and that it will have it's difficulties.
And then knowing...
God will show His faithfulness through it all; giving us ways to manage, change and accept what is going on.
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,
among whom I am foremost of all.
1 Timothy 1:15
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;
for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life
which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those
who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1: 3-4
And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove what the will of God is,
that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14
For years I tried to hide these things from the world. I had accepted what was going on in my life and was at peace with it, but was fearful of what others would think. But then one day, it all came together when this verse jumped off the page at me...
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those
who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1: 3-4
Food for thought... as you go thru life, be kind, you do not know what trials others are facing. Your kind word, smile or helping hand could mean the world to someone. It could be what changes their attitude towards life.
Therefore, accept one another,
just as Christ also accepted us
to the glory of God.
Romans 15:7
None of us perfect, yet all of us beautiful in God's sight.
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice!
Strive for full restoration, encourage one another,
be of one mind, live in peace.
And the God of love and peace will be with you.
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