I have a daily 9am notification on my Bible app reminding me to be in His Word and pray. Today, the devotional centered around a very familiar verse, Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend,” which brought to light an aspect I’d not thought of before: the Holy Spirit as our dearest friend.
Admittedly, I am a private person, but I am thankful for those who break through, allowing me to feel comfortable in my vulnerability. The ever present Holy Spirit is most intimately privy to all my inner inequities, of which I have many. While I may not think of myself as a masterpiece, He does. In His omnipotence, He sees His completed creation and calls me “very good,” right from the beginning. This is also God’s vision of you, dear friend.
I’ve heard “you and your family have been through so much” more times than I can count…and that’s true. It’s hard for others to understand how I can say “it’s just another ‘is.’” The best way I can describe the easiness of this statement centers around the process. Any diagnoses or struggle is simply the springboard used to dive into the process of healing, and it’s in that place where we are molded, sharpened, purified.
So in my REA/L moment with you today, I encourage you to give yourself permission to be REA/L (Release Each Anxiety/Lie). We are created for communion—with Him and each other. Let’s stop thinking we are a “bother” when we share our burdens, because that’s not at all how God views it. There are times in everyone’s lives when help is needed, even if it’s just a listening ear, during the process of refining us, His masterpiece—especially knowing it sometimes isn’t particularly pleasant. We can, however, more readily accept His grooming practice if we remember who He is…our dearest friend.
With a splitting headache, I made myself get redressed. Black skirt, rouged sleeved blouse, and heels since I was unsure of the evening’s dress code. Better to be slightly over than under. Quick kisses on checks, and I was out the door. It had been awhile since I’d gone to an event solo.
“Event” is a bit of a stretch. This was a meeting. First one of its kind I’d attended. Not knowing what to expect was nervociting (nervous and exciting at the same time). Compounding matters was the location I’d never been to coupled with navigating rush hour traffic. The parking lot only held a smattering of vehicles, so my timing was spot on.
Thankfully, my name was on the list when I entered, making check in a breeze. I began taking a lap around the room, and a familiar face appeared. We exchanged pleasantries. I apologized for my lackluster demeanor—head still beating through my skull, causing everything to be more difficult than it would normally.
Continuing on, I see a mini boutique set up, which I of course found something to purchase knowing it would benefit the club. With a fresh water bottle in hand, I turned and faced the tables where people had already begun sitting. This is always the fun part: finding the right group to join. Strategically, I choose the one front and center where, it appeared, plenty of open seats were available. To my relief, this assessment was correct, and I quickly introduce myself as “new.”
As the room filled, my headache became more demanding. I search for my AirPods in an attempt to drown out some of the noise with calming music. No dice, left them at home. Why on Earth did I decide to come tonight? I take a deep breath and tell myself it’ll be ok. I can do this, it’s just a couple hours.
The meeting begins. Following the agenda provided on the table, things move relatively swiftly, then finally the guest speaker was introduced. It was apparent from her bio that she was firmly entrenched in this group. Energetic, she bounced around the various avenues she’d taken to arrive before us today. It was inspiring listening to the way each twist and turn led to another; however, at this point in the evening, it took great effort keeping up with all the words. My brain’s processing powers had started slowing when these words slapped me to attention:
“When nothing comes out…”
She was referring to her work as an artist, rather, when as an artist, her creative side suddenly stopped flowing. She couldn’t paint. Not that she was physically incapable of putting brushstrokes on a canvas, it was just blank. Nothing was coming out. Simulataneously, her boys were at the age where they required more of her attention, so she switched focus, concentrated energy on her family, and that was ok. She was exactly where she needed to be. Painting would wait, which was hard but ultimately ok as well.
For months now, I’d have a momentary flash of something to write, then POOF! Gone. Nothing was coming out. No matter how hard I grasped for the thread that tickled my brain, I was left empty handed. The proverbial pen had dried up. I often wondered…was that it God? Did I write all that you’d have me say? While some might have called it writer’s block, I knew in my heart this was something else.
Have you ever had a “dry season,” where it feels like you’ve somehow wandered into a desolate dessert? Where you feel lost, maybe abandoned, like someone just plucked you from one place and dumped you into another? Join the club. It sucks. All that had come easily for me was suddenly ripped away. I was left uncomfortable, insecure, staring at my own blank canvas.
When nothing comes out, or things don’t go the way you think it should, it feels like a wasteland. But even in the most barren spaces, where gaps and cracks of what “should be” are painfully more visible, a great cavern of sorts—solidarity still exists. Congratulations! You’ve officially joined a club where the membership is free but not binding. Others have gone before you. Some are right there with you. More will find their way in too. Just remember: you do not have to remain in the club.
You might not find this as revolutionary as I did in that moment but simply hearing an unspoken “I’ve been there too” was lifegiving water to my parched pen. It didn’t matter that I hadn’t written in months. That chasm was bridged when I recognized and received the outstretched hand before me.
It’s ok.
I was not alone.
This slump, season, or series of unfortunate events cannot derail us from any plans God has already set into motion.
“I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.”
Jeremiah 29:11 GNT
Whatever cataclysmic “thing” that’s eating at you, don’t think for a moment that He isn’t right there, in the thick of it, watching over you. He is infinitely mightier than anything that might come against. Know that. The very moment you confessed Jesus is Lord, you were granted membership into a club of eternal grace. A place of goodness and powerful source of hope.
I had no idea why I made myself attend this meeting, especially feeling like I did, but I was so thankful I did. Sharing her confession of faith and obedience instead of rebellion was exactly what I needed to hear. Peace replaced shame. Passion resurrected. Hope restored.
After the meeting wrapped up, I waited patiently to thank her for her words. She said she had prayed that she’d touched someone with her testimony. Yes, indeed, Jane you did exactly that.
Friends, it’s in sharing our vulnerable moments, where we cry out, question, and sometime rebel, that He is closest.
“For he will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you in all your ways.”
Psalm 91:11 CSB
Currently, I am finishing this while sitting in a dentist chair, mouth half numbed, awaiting my doctor’s return with a book on my lap. This opened a door of conversation and brought the opportunity to share my struggles. In my newfound confidence, I uttered the words “I’m a writer,” something I had not claimed in months. My “by chance” meeting with Jane, on a night I could have easily missed, allowed me to once again provide an avenue back to Him. In exposing my weakness, when nothing was coming out, God filled the cracks and granted access to once more be His vessel.
Your vulnerable admission that you don’t have it all together could be the very thing someone else needs to hear, at just the right time.
What does community look like for you?Does it need to be in the perfect location? Lots of mature trees and green space? Maybe in city center? Near the important things? Work, school, Target? Should it have a pool, dog park, or other amenities?
These are the things I see on HGTV’s numerous homebuyers wish list. As someone who’s recently looked at houses, I can honestly say, most of these would also be high up on the community list for me. These are all the “creature comforts,” locationally speaking. Community, as in a place, is only one of five basic types. The other four (interest, action, practice, and circumstance), I’d argue, are far more valuable because they are relational.
Common interests. A call to action for making some kind of impact. Practicing similar work, recreational, or kid activities. Bonding through everyday or crisis situations. These are also what I’d call “community.” And these—these are huge motivators for staying in communities.
Just after “Love the Lord your God” as Jesus’ first Commandment is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)
We often think of “neighbor” in terms of proximity, or again, location; however, I do not believe this is what Jesus was talking about. Not. At. All. I think we need to go back a few pages in Matthew to chapter 7: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (verse 12 EVS).
The Golden Rule. We are all familiar with it. Probably memorized it before we left first grade. Somehow though, I think a majority of us throw this rule out the window when it doesn’t “suit” us. Myself included (ouch that hurt to say).
Community (neighbors) are either brought together or torn apart by how this Golden Rule is applied. *Read that again*
Now, I realize this is a generalized statement, but it seems like part of society has traded kindness for convenience—fed by the “me first” mentality. It’s just easier to focus on my needs, my priorities, my ideology. This is taking loving thyself (the second part of the second commandment) totally out of context, and to the detriment of others.
Kindness DOES matter. How you treat another person, both in person or behind the scenes, matters. Proverbs 17:22 (NLT) says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”
We are a broken people, living in a broken place. But hear me out, there is good news! If we abide by the Golden Rule, apply the second Commandment, and work to BUILD community…my friends, what a blessed respite that would be! A beautiful Heaven on Earth experience, in a real, tangible way.
Today, let’s pray these pearls of wisdom the Bible lays out (starting with ourselves) over our family, friends, community, and those we may not currently see eye to eye with in accordance with our Lord’s Commandments. Amen.
What do these have in common? Strength. This does not necessarily mean the “instead of” is the polar opposite and therefore weakness. But that is exactly how our minds work, doesn’t it? According to a cursory Google search, thinking in opposites can make you a genius, help with anxiety, or bring awareness to our often fickle thoughts. Sometimes it’s helpful, other times it’s not (how’s that for an opposition argument?). Today, I want to focus on the feeling strength evokes.
Strong feels good.
Strong portfolio, good. Mentally strong, good. Strong coffee, good. Unless of course you do not feel the same way I do about coffee.
Strong /strôNG/ (adjective) defined:
1. having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks.
2. able to withstand great force or pressure.
3. very intense.
4. used after a number to indicate the size of a group.
Strong can not only be defined in many ways, it also looks different for each of us. And how things look, rather how we perceive things, has a direct correlation with how we feel about them. Bottom line, strong may look AND feel different for each of us because, simply put, WE are different. Which brings me back to the opposite mentality…
There’s so much of our world that’s polarized. And we all have strong opinions. Feelings, if you will. That doesn’t make one side right and the other wrong. I think that’s precisely where we get hung up. Just because we feel a certain way does not make it right. It also doesn’t make it wrong. It simply makes it a feeling.
Here’s my DREAM (Dramatically Radical Edifying Action in Motion): let’s spend our time building ourselves and others up, AT THE SAME TIME! While I realize this may not always be possible concurrently, it can definitely happen individually. With practice in one, the other will also vicariously benefit. That, my friends, doesn’t just feel good…in my humble opinion, it IS good. It makes us strong. And strong feels good.
I thoroughly enjoy watching movies—all kinds (though horror and romance stories are my least favorite). Not all of what I watch would be what you might call “appropriate.” Case in point, one of the random Netflix movies I’ve recently watched: Fighting with my Family. Filled with questionable language, characters, and morals, there was an incredible gem:
“Just because millions of people aren’t cheering when you do it, doesn’t mean it’s not important.”
~Paige, from the movie Fighting with my Family
We can be submerged in the most questionable or uncertain circumstances and still find precious gold. The grocery store stockers tirelessly working behind the scenes. Our healthcare providers fearlessly serving the sick. The teachers suddenly thrown into learning an entirely foreign method. These unsung heroes absolutely deserve applause…but that’s not why they do it.
You may be asking yourselft, “I’m not any of these professions, what I can I do?” Whether we admit it or not, we all seek affirmation. And when we don’t receive the “bravo” or thunderous claps, we believe what we are doing is unimportant, useless, undistinguished. It’s that feeling of helplessness that often leads to hopelessness, trapping us on the ride that spirals downward into depression. But, my friend, it is in these very moments of ambiguity that you can thrive…you simply make the conscious decision to do something.
Today is your time. It’s mine too. Right here, right now. In the midstream of this…when we are called to be each other’s champions, from our safe social distance. If you are completely quarantined, you can pray. Prayer is powerful. If you are a student, you can call a friend or family member. We all crave connection. If you are able to get outside, you can wait for your walking neighbor to pass by, smile and wave. This elementary interaction might be the only one they have that day. If you are healthy, you can offer to pick up groceries for a friend. The list of what you can safely do is endless, you just need to choose one and do it.
While you may not see these seemingly small acts as significant, the recipient will. You may not hear any applause, but it’s present. You may not see the accolades, but they are thunderous. You may not feel important, but you are mistaken.
Humanity is currently on stage, and everyone is watching. Now, more than ever, you my friend, have a purpose that only YOU can fulfill. How can I be so unequivocally certain? Scripture…
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21
God created each of us not only ON purpose but FOR a purpose.
I am not immune to His plans, neither are you. That internal conflict we feel, the one that keeps us up at night. The one that resonates like an incessant earwig. The one that drums in our minds. That one. The one we cannot seem to escape. That, my friend, is His plan and your purpose. Waiting, for our compliance to complete…
Question is, are you only here for the applause or are you prepared to fulfill your purpose? The choice is yours, and it has eternal consequences. What’s more important what that?
Right now. This very moment. THIS is the point just before the crescendo when everyone expectantly holds their breath in anticipation, not knowing what comes next. This is the precise moment when we, individually, are standing in the spotlight, whether it’s main stage, off broadway, or center stage on our living room floors. We were purposefully created to shine…because light dispels darkness, my friend.
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
John 8:12 NIV
The stage is set.
The world is watching.
Now is the time for us step up.
Today we must rise and fulfill our purpose.
The role we have unsuccessfully searched for our entire lives. The one that completes the puzzle. The one that helps others in ways we will never know. Isn’t that worth far more than applause?
an international code signal of extreme distress, used especially by ships at sea.
an urgent appeal for help.
Did you know these three letters don’t actually stand for anything (according to a Mental Floss article)? But if you see and/or hear “SOS,” you immediately know someone is need of dire assistance. It’s one of those little nuggets that somehow has gotten plugged into our brains, and no one is really certain of the actual origin, it just “is what it is.”
In a time when social distancing is the “norm” (wow, that feels so surreal to type), we are missing out on all kinds of cues. On my jog this morning, I smile and give the neighborly wave to those passing by…sometimes, there’s the quick trite exchange: How are you? Good, you? All good. With all that is going on in the world, it’s hard to show your hand in these brief chats.
I want to hug you, but I can’t.
I want to put my hand on your shoulder and ask, “how are things really going?”
I want to tell you, please pray from my dear friend who suddenly lost his job.
I want you to know I don’t have it all together.
I want us to go back to when things weren’t so uncertain.
I feel like I am in a perpetually looping Rihanna song:
“S.O.S., please someone help me It’s not healthy for me to feel this Y.O.U. are making this hard I can’t take it, see it don’t feel right”
Except this isn’t about being lovesick over a boy, it’s feeling heart wrecked about what this social distancing is doing to my kids who desperately miss their friends (and shockingly going to a physical school). It’s seeing the desperation in my community as news feed after news feed pleads, “where can I find eggs, flour, or paper towels?” It’s hearing the unspoken aching in texting my loved ones outside of our four walls, “love and miss you.”
SOS
I keep feeling an urge to write, but if I’m being real, I’m not sure what I have to offer. I certainly do not have the answers. I don’t want to come across as being a princess on a pedestal, completely oblivious and immune to what’s happening. But what I desperately want to do is help. I am a servant at heart, and serving is one of my love languages. It’s in this vein that I share something that has been bouncing around in my head for a few days now…
It started after seeing a post about “chalk you walk,” offering an encouraging message written or drawn on your driveway. I joked and said, mine would read “spread joy not germs,” followed by #WashYourHands underneath. Over the last week, I kept seeing one of those “Hello my name is” labels in my head that had “I’m new” written in the blank space. This whole experience is “new” for all of us! We ought to be doling out grace by the bucketful right now! Positivity seems to have taken a backseat to fear and divisiveness. It makes me sad, hurts my heart, and makes me want to cry.
SOS. Extreme distress. Urgent appeal for help.
But what if we applied this theory by Wayne Dyer instead?
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”
What if, when we felt ourselves in extreme distress, in need of urgent help, we hailed a different SOS?
If we dug deep, and found something POSITIVE in our current situation.
If instead of flaring up, we took a breath and offered GRACE.
If we simply chose to count it all JOY, no matter the circumstances.
This simple shift in how we choose to operate would make a monumental change in not just our lives within our own four walls but our communities and beyond (I sounded like Buzz Lightyear for a moment)! While I know thinking must seem a bit naive, I cannot get it out of my head. Our world has been turned upside down by this virus, and there is little we can do about it (other than social distancing and thoroughly washing our hands). However, we can change the way we look at things and how we allow things to impact us. This is a life hack that will serve us well after COVID-19 is a thing of the past!
Spread positivity. Offer grace. Share joy.
We will get through this, friends.
We will get together socially again.
And I pray, when we do, we will all be better human beings.
In uncertain times, it’s easy to get swept up in all the mania! It looms above like thick clouds waiting to burst and drown us in its deluge. It swirls around us like annoying summer misquotes ready to bite. It stares intensely like an animal waiting to pounce and devour. Frankly, it could possibly be more harmful than what we are currently facing around the globe…
OR
We can decide to flip the switch and simply turn it off. Yes, we need to stay informed; however, we do NOT need to be enslaved by all this craziness! While you and I do not have the ability to make others comply with regulations, whether it be social distancing or hoarding, we unequivocally DO have the power to control our own actions and mindset.
Today, I decided to flip the switch, and it was WONDERFUL! Instead of fretting about my compromised immune and respiratory systems, I tried something: I went outside and ran. This is a HUGE victory because I physically have not been able to run for 19 months. Today’s run was a slow process, no judgement on my time, but I ran consistently for over a mile! Seven months ago, walking required a cane and I had little stability (let alone stamina). *FLIP*
I also went outside in public with no makeup on (hence the fabulous selfie you see). Why is that such a big deal, you might ask? Well, to frame it for you, I had on a full face of makeup and jewelry for both my kids’ deliveries! I simply do not leave the front door without at least some makeup! Because I knew the likelihood of running into someone (pun totally intended) was slim to none, I felt EMPOWERED to do this “unthinkable” act. *FLIP*
I sat down at the dinning room table with my kids, spread out a project they’ve been wanting to do for ages, and enjoyed simply being together without a time constraint. We listened to music, reminisced, and laughed, without a single ounce of guilt! It was priceless. *FLIP*
So in my REA/L moment with you, my friend, let’s flip the switch! Instead of giving fear control over us and allowing the current mania to overwhelm us, let’s spread some positivity! Let’s try something new and encourage others to do the same. Let’s share a little insight to our real selves!
It’s free. It can be done right from your home. And it’s ripple effect might just help reset our nation, even the world, in how we respond and come together in times of uncertainty…all with a simple flip of the switch!
Expertly engineered, it stood expectantly awaiting what came next. It’s purpose? To ignite and unite a multi-generation community, ushering in hope through its brilliant display. A beacon that would burn for hours through the night, into the next day. Its light not easily extinguished. If you’ve never experienced an Aggie bonfire, it’s truly an experience to behold.
We are made in similar fashion: skillfully created, never identically duplicated, with a specifically planned purpose waiting ignition. Once our fires are ablaze, purpose set into motion, we become beacons, offering hope, community, and possibility to others. But here’s the million dollar question: Will you allow yourself to be used and fulfill your purpose?
It’s risky business living out loud, on purpose. Someone will always have a comment about how or what they would have done differently. Someone will always question your motive or means. Someone will always try to knock you down, just for the fun of it. It’s risky business being on display, but without risk there is no reward.
Our greater purpose will not be achieved within our comfort zone. Period. Why? Because we would not have stretched far enough for anyone else to benefit. Our greater purpose involves more than just us! “God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT).
Your gift, your purpose, is unique unto you, but it is not meant exclusively for you alone. You, my friend, were made for more. Through the power of His spirit, you are called to be a light unto the darkness of this world. You are created to be seen so others may glorify Him. Stop hiding, tucked firmly under your comfort zone blanket, hoping you won’t upset the apple cart, and praying you can make it through the day unnoticed!
“My dear friends, stand firm and don’t be shaken. Always keep busy working for the Lord. You know that everything you do for Him is worthwhile” (1 Corinthians 15:58 CEV).
Some may say it’s risky business serving the Lord, working to fulfill His purpose, allowing others to plainly see. It’s risky operating under “that kind of pressure.” It’s risky being transparently vulnerable. What if I fail? What if people think I’m crazy? What if I’m not 100% sure of my purpose? What then?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).
Obediently trusting Him is always worthwhile, anything else is risky business.
It’ll be different this year, I tell myself. I fervently prayed for revelation of my 2020 focus word (obedient). I will not be seduced by its addictive high. It’ll be different this year. I will remain open to His plan, center on what He desires of me, obey His still voice within. But that sweet siren’s song beckons me…my eyes are drawn to the cluttered counter, laundry piled on the couch waiting to be folded, Christmas still prominently displayed all over the house…the list accumulates. I begin doing, unaware of the intoxication power each completed task, and subsequent added undertaking, holds. I am, once again, hooked and enslaved by the “doing” drug.
It was obvious from a young age that I’m a Martha. A “go to,” “get it done” girl. I’ve always enjoyed being called upon to complete a job. It makes me feel important. And I’m good at it, the “doing.” I excel when given tasks and a deadline. I make sacrifices to ensure whatever project or event comes to fruition, appearing to having it all under control…because that’s part of the gig. I have to make it seem like it was no big deal. I don’t want anyone to see me as unable or weak. Been there, done that when I was physically not capable and certainly don’t want to be back in that boat, thank you very much!
This is NOT obedience, and I full well know it!
But the “high” that comes with the doing drug, crashes over me like a tidal wave. I am sucked into the riptide, pulled back again and again until my body is worn by its crushing weight. In my “Martha” frenzy, or truthfully addition, I become weak and worn. My judgement becomes clouded, which frustrates the daylights out of me. I end up crashing, like an addict who’s had too much. Shut down rapidly and unexpectedly, like my iPhone when I’ve neglected it too long.
What’s your drug of choice? Is it “doing” like me? Is it binge watching? Is it eating? What temporarily soothes you till you are comfortably numb? What takes away the ache? What silences those feelings? THAT’S your drug, your addiction. It’s intoxicating powers do not last, and at some point, we all come down off our high. Here, before our next “fix,” is where we have a choice. Do we allow ourselves to be swept up again in this cyclical battle? Or do decide ENOUGH?! While our war wounds are not visible to others, it does not take away the pain we feel. It does not remove the scars that have accumulated. It is the unseen strife that we wrestle with daily, on top of whatever else the day brings. Cue the infamous words of SNL’s Church Lady, “Well, isn’t that just special…”
I see you, my friend. I struggle too. My brain and body feel so battered, it’s simply easier to keep this ball rolling than to change tracks. My prayer, in confessing this to you, is that you will not feel alone. Maybe in sharing our weak moments, we can become stronger together.
“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NIV)
My sweet oldest claimed this as “The Year of REA/L” for me along with Exodus 13:13: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” In those moments, breathe with me. Know that He IS fighting for you. Know that you are not alone. Know that you have a friend in me.
Soon, you will see a “prayer services” tab on the web site. It would be my privilege, if you feel comfortable in sharing, to pray with and for you. Sometimes all it takes is speaking out those strongholds to free you from their entanglement. I see you, my friend. And I am here to listen…
White hot tears suddenly welled up, threatening to erupt. I was instantly back there, remembering with vivid clarity. My breath caught in my chest, and I thought, was that whole thing really only two months ago? I blinked. Despite my efforts, a single tear escaped, cascading down the side of my face. A visceral reaction to an inanimate object, something I no longer needed and donated, yet the mere presence of it felt crippling. The crimson cane, leaned up against the wall in a back room, stood there taunting me.
I’m thankful I no longer require its assistance. I’m grateful to have my mobility back. I’m humblessed (that’s humbled and blessed at the same time) God healed me, answering my prayer. While that debilitating period seemed to last a lifetime, it disappeared as quickly as its unwelcomed appearance, eleven months later.
“Don’t let it escape your notice, dear friends, that with the Lord a single day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a single day. The Lord isn’t slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their hearts and lives” (2 Peter 3:8-9 CEB).
In sharing my experiences with you, being transparent with the hard stuff, allowing vulnerability to show, I pray you feel comfort knowing you are not alone. I pray you realize God isn’t punishing you. I pray your heart will soften and release the urge to wrestle. I pray, wherever you are within your struggle, you will reach out instead of retreat. I pray, my friend, every anxiety about the “what, when, or why” you are experiencing will wash away as you patiently wait for Him.
“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14 NIV).
This is Lets’s Get REAL Together at its core. A community that fosters authentic Christ-centered relationships in the restless moments. A mindset, grounded in Christ’s grace. A place where you come whenever you need to hear His truths. A space where our secular lives and spiritual lives join together, solidified into singular existence.
In a society that tries to divide us with labels, we need REAL time. Release Each Anxiety/Lie. I have been there, my friend. It may not look exactly like your struggle, but when I was faced with mine, I actively chose a winning team. I sought The One whose victory had already been declared. I praised Him as He carried me through the storm. I want that for you too! Let’s Get REAL Together!
Let's Get REAL Together 