Pieces of Me

We've all heard the cliche "Life is what you make it". But, what does that truly mean...? Does it mean that we can create fantasies and live through them? Are we equipped to turn our lives into parallels of our favorite fairy tales? These questions must receive a response of "No". Life is what we make it, but the phrase doesn't mean that our lives will be free of struggle, trials or conflict. "Life is what you make it" is a reflection of our faith in God.

Each day we are faced with various obstacles. We may go out to get into our cars to head off to the jobs we've been blessed with, only to find the vehicles gone. We may have rent or mortgage payments due tomorrow, but today there is only lint in our once full pockets. We may even go into our kitchens to find that there is nothing there...at least nothing that we'd care to devour at that moment. The ways in which we handle each of these situations can tell one of two stories: the story of great faith or the tale of the one whose faith seemingly unraveled to bits of nothingness. Either way, there is a story behind our walk.

When faced with what seems to be defeat, we must praise God like never before. We must continue to hold our heads up high and keep a song of worship in our hearts. God allows us to go through certain things in order to "grow us up spiritually". Think about this: If we never go through anything, how can we ever begin to testify of God's grace...? There is no way to share pieces of yourself if you've never been broken. There is no way to walk in faith if you've never endured a test. In order to tell others about God and how good it is to know Him, we must first get to know Him for ourselves. Listening to the testimonies of those who have gone through is a good thing. It's wonderful, but being able to testify to what God has brought you out of is something totally different. It's an amazing experience to feel the presence of God in our struggles. Knowing that God is working within our storms presents an umbrella effect. No matter what is going on around us, we are without fear. We have a complete understanding that God is in the midst and "it is well".

As I mentioned earlier, the ways in which we handle our issues is dependent upon the magnitude of our faith or shall I say the presence of faith. In order to develop faith, we must first believe that God exists and trust that He is able to do exactly what we need Him to do. If we can do this, then and only then can we strengthen our faith in God. With faith, there is nothing too difficult for us to face. We must trust God in all things and take comfort in knowing that He is with us each day. Even before we take our first steps into the day, God has already been busy at work. He has blessed our steps to be free of strife. He has touched the hearts of those we thought were our enemies, causing them to love us without hesitance. In other words, those prayers we drifted off to sleep with on our minds and in our hearts, are slowly being answered. Situations are being turned around...all because of our faith in God.

It is by our faith in God that healing is able to come forth. Our faith enables us to walk without fear of the unknown. We are able to step out into the frontlines in order to teach others about the goodness of the Lord, by faith. I am learning to take comfort in God's presence. The revelation that God is working behind the scenes in my life is quite apparent. This semester I lost the only means of transportation I had. It's been hard on myself as well as my children. We are not able to do the things we've grown accustomed to. It's Christmas time and we cannot visit the Nursing Homes to deliver bages...something we normally do each year. Having to depend on others for transportation here and there can be a "thorn in my side" at times, but I continue to move forward...believing that "God's grace is sufficient enough for me". I know that God has something better for me and my family. One day I will look back on this period of my life and reflect on how good it was to be in the care of God, to be in His divine care. Let's back up..because I can say that now.. "I'm so thankful to have God taking the time to work through my situation. I thank God for 'growing me up spiritually'. God, I love you for always taking time with me. You know me, fully. You know my desires. You know what each and every tear signifies. God, you're everything to me. My heart beats because of you, and your instruction. I understand that my life is a gift from you. God, I love and adore you...because you are God all by yourself. You are alpha and omega... Continue work on and through me as I grow closer to you.."

Every failed relationship, every loss and disappointment has taught me something about God and His goodness. God doesn't pick and choose who He loves the way some of us do. He loves each of us, and wants us to be obedient to His Word. Our obedience can open the windows and doors to the blessings we've been praying for. I say that to make sense of my next statement. Disobedience can be like blockage. Our unwillingness to obey God can hinder our progression, slowing up our blessings. I understand that my relationships haven't all been what God had for me. In choosing to do what I wanted, my roots became ragged and worn. However, when I began to listen to God's voice, growth began to start again. It's like taking a plant out of the sunshine for a period of time...the plant starts to turn brown and dries up. But, if you can get that same plant into the sunlight and provide it with the nurturance it needs, it will begin to flourish once more. The growth doesn't take place without a period of pruning. We must be pruned in order to truly grow into the beings God has called us to be, but we must first develop a relationship with God. Without Him, how can we grow? Where is the sunlight? Let's open our hearts and minds to the will of God, trusting Him with every part of us. Let's give God the bits and pieces of ourselves and allow Him to recreate who we are, transforming each of us into the children He desires us to be.