Every morning I look at the person in the mirror. The reflection that looks back at me is someone that has survived deep hurt. And as I look at her I wonder how she has managed to go on. How does she put one foot in front of the other? How does she go to work every day? How does she smile at trivial jokes when her heart is broken still? How do you get over such trials without scars so deep that you can continue on?
No matter how you feel get up, dress up, show up and never give up!
So many days I see the look of defeat in her eyes; wounded, but still if I look past that I can see a glimmer of hope.
It didn’t come to stay, it came to pass
That is how she carries the burdens. Some days when I remember my life, our life, happy days, even sad days; I remember with such a sadness for what I’ve lost that it overshadows the goodness. I forget I need to say thank you God for what was. So many special moments, days and even years that God blessed me with, blessed my family. And I wasn’t promised any of it. Nothing is forever. Sometimes thats how we make it through the sad times and the hardships. We remind ourselves every day that nothing lasts forever. Just as the bad times don’t last forever, so it is with the good times.
It didn’t come to stay, it came to pass…
Life is so busy now, we rarely get to just sit and take anything in! When I get to sit on the porch and drink a cup of coffee with the dog and wrap up in a blanket through a thunderstorm, I have to thank God. Why? Sometimes thats the only way we will slow down. God sends us a storm to slow us down. He gives us time to reflect on what was, what is, and what's to come! Sometimes when I do this I get a notion in my head of how I want my life to be and then I start to make plans. But then I am reminded- WHOA! Slow down, put on the breaks! And just like He sends us a thunderstorm, sometimes He sends us a storm in our life to get our attention. To slow us down. Reminds me of that song, “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden”. Thats what I imagine God is saying, “I beg your pardon!” We need to reflect, get closer to God, but not to make our plans. To listen to His plans for us. When we do that we can’t help but find the joy in our journey. And just as my favorite scripture tells me in
Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
He has a plan for us, for me! I don’t have to figure it out. All I have to do is get out of bed and ask what is your plan for me today….then do it! At one time I liked making plans. I liked knowing where my future was headed, I liked knowing what I was doing in a year from now. But not so much anymore. Just the fact that I know God has plans for me is enough. I know that whatever is tossed at me is part of the plan. I just have to roll with it, smile and wonder sometimes what He is up to! somedays I just say out loud “God, what were you thinking!?”
Proverbs 3:5-6(NIV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Isaiah 55:9 (NIV)
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As I come to know my Heavenly Father, I have discovered so many things. He is stern, yet approachable. He means business, but He has a sense of humor. He wants me to succeed but He also wants me to learn as I travel that path. He is more concerned with the growth of my character than with my bank account or degrees. I have discovered a true friend. One that I can talk to but one that talks to me if I slow down to listen. As I try to figure out my plan and purpose I am trying to enjoy the ride. If I can lift someone up during that ride then I have succeeded in doing some small part of Gods plan.
Look for people before you, beside you, and behind you in the journey.
1 Thessalonians 5:11(NIV)
11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Offer a smile or a kind word, trust me, the one that receives the blessing will be you!
Go to the Lord and find out exactly what He wants you to do. Don’t decide your course of action and then ask God to bless your plans! Go to Him and say, “Lord what are your plans?” His plans! His will! No brainer! Already blessed!
God always talks to me through my own words and its often after they get cold. These words have been hanging around for a week now! God gives me a scripture here and there, I add a few words but then when I add them all together and read them I get it! What He’s trying to tell me! So as I read this now, the person I was at the beginning, the reflection I saw? That is not who He wants me to be!
Proverbs 4:25 (NIV)
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you
Sure I have had the hurt, we all have those hurts, those scars, and they are all different. But I have learned and grown from those wounds. I have a closer relationship with God, my heavenly father, my friend. The one who is always there. He is never too busy. He doesn’t say I can’t listen right now someone else needs me. He’s always there! Always! I almost feel sorry for those who have never endured a trial in their life, because they have never needed to depend totally on their Heavenly Father! So I don’t see a defeated, sad, hurt, reflection looking back at me! I see a person who is scarred, but not broken. I see a woman who wants to learn to love again...and wants to be loved. But most of all I see that reflection looking at me and saying you can do this.
Psalm 32:8 (NIV)
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
There is nothing that you can’t do as long as you remember who you belong to. You are a child of the King! Let Him lead the way and you follow!
John 16:33(NIV)
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Remember you are loved!
Song of Songs 2:10(NIV)
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,
“Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, come with me.
Ephesians 2:10(NIV)
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
It Came To Pass (The Martins)
Sickness must be present for healing to take place,
Lives must be broken so they can be restored,
We must stop looking at our hard times
Like they were dead end roads
But avenues to prove that He is Lord
(chorus)
It didn’t come to stay it came to pass
The Lord will move that mountain if you’ll ask
The trials that we see today won’t last
It didn’t come to stay it came to pass
If I should live by sight I would be beaten down
Because I can’t see past these walls of circumstance
But faith will be my substance
And my hope is in the Lord
And He will turn my sorrow into dance, oh
and He will turn my sorrow into dance
Weeping may endure for the night
but I’ll find my joy tomorrow….tomorrow.
