Your grumblings are not against us but against the Lord. (Exodus 16:8)

What a grumbling people we are – myself included. I count my blessings each day, but still, I complain. 

We all know the story of how Moses led the Israelites on their Exodus out of Egypt. Although the people witnessed the miracles of the ten plagues, walked through the middle of the Red Sea on dry land, and were led in the desert by a pillar of cloud by day and one of fire at night, they grumbled against God and wanted to return to Egypt. 

I’ve often thought of how ungrateful the Israelites were as they complained that they didn’t have meat to eat. 

“Would that we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt when we sat by the pots of meat when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” (Exodus 16:3) 

How easy it is to grow dissatisfied with what we have. How simple it is to complain about what’s wrong with our lives rather than to concentrate on what is right. 

Each quarter, the president of my corporation holds an All Hands meeting for all permanent employees. After providing his state of the union address to the company, he opens the floor up to questions. Without exception, someone always stands up to complain about something they don’t think is right. Most of the complaints seem silly: the traffic is too heavy when we leave for lunch, for example. 

During our most recent session, one gentleman seized the opportunity to complain about long hours, noting that employees should be considered customers of the president – and as valuable to the company as our consumers are. 

A foolish move, I thought. Your boss sees you standing to make this complaint. HR knows your name as you’re recorded for all posterity. Don’t you know who you’re complaining against and how it may negatively impact your future? Are you not grateful to have a job when we laid off 446 of your team members just a few months ago? 

Nevertheless, as I shared stories of my work challenges with friends, I realized that I am no better than this gentleman who stood up to voice his complaint to the head of our company. My frustrations may have come out of utter overload, but I’m confident this man’s were, as well. My audience may have been considerably smaller, but the intent was the same. I was concentrating on negative emotions rather than positive realities. Even as I heard myself speak, I apologized for complaining – then continued doing so. 

My conscience has pricked me this weekend, reminding me that I am as much of a whiner as anyone else around me. Incredible blessings surround me, yet I continually focus on small annoyances. I know I need to do better; so, I am praying that God gives me the strength to rise above my current circumstances and trust Him with my future. 

As my Bible reading reminded me this week, when I complain, I am doing so against God. He is the one who controls every aspect of my life. There may be things that don’t sit well with me. I may be overwhelmed, overstressed, and overlooked at times, yet I am never unloved, unprotected, and undervalued by God. I often forget who I am querulous with and how my negativity can affect my peers.

Complaining to the corporate president is one thing. Griping to God is quite another thing altogether. I need to be more grateful and less grumbly.

The Ruler of the Universe loves me and has my best interests at heart. I pray that the next time I feel compelled to complain about something, I will remember how blessed I am, instead. 

I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God. (Zechariah 13:9)

Nothing I’ve ever accomplished in life ever came easy. Every step, every inch, every molecule was fought for. 

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have things come easier. But then I wouldn’t be who I am today – and I wouldn’t have the same level of compassion for others that I do if it did. 

I work as an executive assistant. I currently support a vice president at a global corporation. In my previous role, I assisted a university president. My job is to make sure that my executives are prepared, equipped, and supported in every way necessary so that they can do their jobs successfully. 

There’s a trust that exists in this relationship that is hard to replicate. While the old saying goes that behind every good man stands a good woman, I would say that behind every successful executive is an outstanding assistant. My mind is always thinking ahead, planning, anticipating the next hour, week, and month. My boss knows that I will take care of her as she’s experienced my dependability. 

I didn’t just fall into this job. I worked hard for it. I’ve learned what questions to ask, which people to reach out to for assistance, and how each of my bosses – current and previous – expected of me. Such skills can only be honed with time and experience. There’s no substitute for that. 

My Christian walk is much the same. I didn’t just become who I am overnight. 

I’ve always had a strong faith – don’t get me wrong. I loved God my whole life and purposely chose to walk close beside him at a young age. While other high schoolers were drinking or carousing, I studied hard and made time each night to listen to sermons on the radio. My favorite broadcast was Insight for Living with Chuck Swindoll (1). I made time to listen to Pastor Swindoll’s radio show, each evening, and sent away for his Bible study guides to enhance my listening experiences. 

My whole life, I’ve made a conscious choice to walk with God and live by faith. 

Nevertheless, I’ve made countless tragic mistakes that have cost me dearly. The choices I’ve made have come at a high price – to me and others. It’s taken me half a lifetime to overcome some of my wrong decisions. 

Yet, through it all, God stayed beside me. His love, compassion, and infinite strength have molded me into the person that I am today. My unrelenting convictions have been honed in the fire through countless ordeals that only the Savior could have seen me through. 

My fortitude was hard-earned yet of the purest refinement. My trust in God is unbreakable. Nothing has ever touched my life that was not allowed by God. He prepares, equips, and supports me every moment of my existence. Everything in my past, present, and future has a purpose, even if it is only to remind me of my weakness and need for divine intervention. My testimony has been purified through time and experience. There’s no substitute for either. 

I’m glad that God uses broken things, as He’s been melting and refining me most of my life. I pray that others may be strengthened by my witness. 

Reference: 

1. Swindoll, C. R. https://www.insight.org/

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1)

Last weekend, I had lunch with one of my dear friends, in celebration of her birthday. The conversation turned to talk of my hope for the future, as well as events from my past. I only revealed my full testimony to this friend a few months ago, even though we’ve known each other for over seven years. Only a select few people ever knew my whole story until recently, but now that I’ve blogged about it, I’ve become more comfortable sharing it. 

Towards the end of our luncheon, my friend looked me in the eye and remarked how she never knew anyone who experienced the things that I have. “You could have your own reality TV show, and everyone would be mesmerized,” she said. “I know I’d watch it, faithfully!” 

While I laughed, she told me she was serious. Truth is often stranger than fiction. Guess that’s why Americans are so addicted to reality TV. We all want to know the drama going on next door.   

I’ll never forget a former minister’s words as he entreated us to remember to be kind to one another, as we never know what kind of struggle the person next to us is going through. Life is messy. It hurts. Bad things happen to all of us. We get sick. We lose our jobs. People take advantage of us. We hate our jobs. We never get enough sleep. We don’t have enough money. Our bodies break down, and our loved ones die. Life is hard. 

But that’s not to say that life can’t also be good — quite the contrary. Life can be as joyous as it is heartbreaking. The wonderment of newfound love, the incredulity of a fiery sunset, the satisfaction of a dream fulfilled – all these things give life meaning as they fill our souls with the exhilaration of being alive. 

In my lifetime, I’ve experienced both gutwrenching pain and abject joy. While I’ve often said I can do with a lot less of the former, I believe my appreciation for the latter comes from having walked through the difficult. We can’t fully appreciate mountaintop experiences unless we’ve struggled through the valleys. If our lives were consistently full of sunshine and rainbows, we’d soon come to take the sun for granted. There’s nothing like the stark contrast of blue skies after days filled with a deep grey. 

And so, I count my blessings daily. I start my prayers to God with thank you’s for the good things He’s blessed me with before I ever begin my list of petitions. I can always find something to complain about. I prefer not to. 

I actively choose to look for the good in life. I purposely place painful things behind me, sometimes even as I’m walking through them. I don’t dismiss them. I walk through them because I know God is with me. I know He will give me rest on the other side of my trials. Good and bad circumstances are both a part of life. There are always two sides to every coin. 

Knowing this truth, I elect to dwell in the shelter of the Most High. I can find joy through even the most difficult of circumstances because I commit to rest in the shadow of the Almighty. God is with me. He’s walked me through the valleys and has placed me on mountaintops. I know He will continue to do so, all the remaining days of my life.  

I don’t know how exciting a reality television show would be if it were to focus on someone who refuses to stay down, no matter how many punches are thrown – but that is my existence. I’ve been leveled more than a few times in my lifetime, and I expect to be decimated a few more – but that’s okay. I know who my Savior is, and I know He will always be with me. There’s no storm He can’t see me through and no heartache I can’t overcome with His help.

Rest in His shadow, beloved, and you, too, can say the same.

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)

Tomorrow isn’t promised to us. How well I know this to be true. I’ve said it many times and live my life knowing that today’s joy might be gone tomorrow. Every day is a gift. 

Last Monday, I received a phone call from a dear friend of mine, telling me that she had fallen, broken her hip, and would be undergoing surgery, later that day. Such news had significant ramifications for both her and me. As her primary point of contact, the hospital called me, advising me of her health status and requesting decisions to be made regarding the next steps for her care. 

I was not prepared to make such decisions and knew I needed to discuss things with my friend, in-person. In the blink of an eye, her world and mine were looking quite different than those of the two independent women we once were. I contacted all my prayer warriors, and we began praying for everything to end well – with a full recovery for my dear friend. 

During the week, I returned to my crisis mode of thinking – taking everything one step at a time. God was, is, and always will be in control. I know this with my whole heart – yet the many considerations that were weighing on my mind were pressing down on my spirit. 

Two days after the surgery, my daily scripture reading took me to Matthew 6 – Christ’s Sermon on the Mount – where I was reminded, anew, not to worry about tomorrow. 

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” (V. 25-26) 

My new Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible boasts a half-page breakdown to the above, discussing the question of how we can overcome anxiety. Dr. Stanley equates our reaction to stress as similar to that of a mouse running on a wheel.

“The faster he runs, the faster the wheel moves – but he doesn’t make the slightest progress. He does not even have the sense to get off the wheel. This is exactly what anxiety does to you. As fearful thoughts fill your mind, you begin to run faster, trying harder to meet the demands of others or to prevent an uncertain disaster. But you will never gain complete control over your circumstances because God is the One who is solely in control of all things. 

“There is only one way to step off the wheel: by acknowledging the Lord’s ability to take care of every need you have.” (1) 

Such insight came to me precisely when I needed it. While I knew in my heart that God had everything under control, anxiety was seeping into my spirit as I worried about what was going to happen in the future. I was needlessly running on a wheel with no possible outcome other than stress. 

God holds supremacy over all of our lives. He alone knows what the future holds. I can spend my days worrying about what tomorrow will look like – or I can give my concerns to the only one who already knows how they will resolve. There is tremendous comfort in that submission. 

Today, I am stepping off the worry wheel and fully acknowledging God’s ability to handle my future as well as my friend’s. He is in control, and His will is sovereign. He alone knows what will happen tomorrow. I relinquish my burdens to His omniscient hands.

Reference: 

1. Stanley, C.F. “How can I overcome anxiety?” in the Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible: New American Standard Version. Nashville. Thomas Nelson, 2011. Pg. 32. 

She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. (Proverbs 31: 25)

My name is Sara, and I love beautiful clothes. There I said it. I’m a clothes-horse, and I’m not afraid to admit it. My work wardrobe is so large that it can’t fit in one closet. I probably have enough business apparel that I could go for months and never wear the same outfit twice.

Have no fear. I spend very little on clothing, and I never buy anything at full price. My two favorite clothing stores are Goodwill and JC Penney; so, that should speak volumes. While I formerly worked for someone who spent hundreds of dollars on single pairs of shoes, I’m happiest when I can use a sale coupon, rewards dollars, and clearance mark-down to buy a dress at a fraction of the retail cost. 

I’ll never forget being complimented by a former employer, whose wardrobe would shame any A-lister, on a gorgeous sapphire blue dress I wore with matching shoes and earrings. My entire ensemble may have cost me a total of twenty-five dollars, but it looked like a million bucks. It’s all in how you wear it. Own it, I say. Beauty emanates from assurance.

Much more important to me than anything I wear on the outside will always be the substance of my inner spirit. My internal character determines how I will approach each day and is continually on display.

God promised never to leave me or forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6). He is my strength and my defense (Psalm 118:14). God gives me fortitude and blesses me with peace (Psalm 29:11). He promised that He would be with me through fire and water (Isaiah 43:2). I take hope in His unfailing love (Psalm 147:11). His joy gives me strength (Nehemiah 8:10). He puts a new song in my heart (Psalm 40:3) 

God’s faithfulness and the presence of His eternal compassion give me confidence. I’m clothed with His promises as I bathe myself in daily sermon podcasts. I ingest His Word through committed everyday Bible reading. I blanket my mind with contemporary Christian music in every possible free moment. These are the choices I make to sustain my sense of peace.

The love of God is much more important to me than any article of clothing I may wear on my body. God lifted me from the ashes and restored my spirit. He gives me assurance, contentment, and security. Nothing on earth can ever come close to the magnitude of Christ’s love for me. 

As wall-art above my bed, I’ve fastened the vinyl letters of today’s focus verse. Each day, I see these words and smile, knowing that God made them real to me. Strength and dignity are my clothing, and I have no fear of the future. How could I when I walk with the confidence of Christ? 

May you say the same, too, my beloved.

Christ’s love for you cost him everything. He paid for it with His blood. Own it. Wear it with confidence. Let it cover you with strength and dignity. Let God’s grace emanate from the inside out so you, too, may display the beauty of this internal assurance. It’s the single-best item you will ever possess and the only one that will matter in the end, anyway.

Once you put on God’s love, you, too, will be able to “laugh without fear of the future.” Clothe yourself with Christ’s blood, and you will forever own the perfect wardrobe.

You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance. (Psalm 65:11)

There’s an old expression that says hindsight is 2020 – meaning looking back often reveals a more perfect understanding of things that have happened to us. We can’t understand the whys of painful experiences when we are walking through them, but we can trust that God does. His vision and purpose are always faultless. 

Today marks the dawn of a new year and a new decade. While I can’t begin to contemplate what my life will be like ten years from now, I can look back over the past ten in astonishment of the changes in my world. 

Ten years ago, I had just moved to Georgia, in desperate hope for happiness. While this emotion has often eluded me, I can affirm the fact that I am happy today – truly happy. 

That’s not to say that the journey to joy has been smooth – far from it. The past decade has walked me through some of the most painful memories of my lifetime.

Nothing significant is ever accomplished without heartache. As I look back over the past decagon, I can mark the years with the following trials and triumphs:

1. Four career changes;
2. A second divorce;
3. A total rebirth and name change;
4. A mission trip to Nicaragua;
5. Three significant health challenges;
6. Six journeys to Europe with my mother;
7. The acquisition of my Bachelor’s Degree; 
8. The purchase of my home;
9. The death of my best friend; and
10. The start of this blog. 

While the above is an oversimplification of some pretty monumental moments in my life, I can honestly say that God has been with me through every one of these events. The highs and lows that accompanied these turning points have brought me closer to Christ and more confident in my faith than ever before. 

While people, places, and things may change in my life, one thing remains the same – God’s love for me. Christ demonstrated His steadfast pursuit of my heart through every twist and turn of my existence. When people fail, stress consumes, or mistakes level me, one thing remains constant – God will never leave me or betray me. There is confidence in that statement. 

Life is change. I’ve learned to fully celebrate the beauty of each stellar day that God gives me as I know that my whole existence could alter tomorrow. The next breath, the next moment, the next phone call or prognosis could transform my life forever. Tomorrow isn’t promised, nor are we, as Christians, granted immunity from heartache. How well I know that to be true. 

For today, for tomorrow, and for every day of the next decade or next ten seconds that God gives me, I will love, honor, and serve my Savior. I am the clay in His hands, and I surrender all to Him. He has my full submission to do with my life as He sees fit. I can only marvel at the milestones He’s already brought me through and the joy He gives me in the aftermath of my selfish failures. 

As we move forward into the new decade, may we continue to look back with perfect vision at the way God journeys with us. 

I, for one, eagerly anticipate what He has in store for me in the remaining days determined for my life. 

God is making a masterpiece out of me, and I can hardly wait to see how it will all turn out. After all, hindsight and the new year are both 2020. 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3)

Yesterday was a gift. No other Christmas presents are required.

For the first time ever, I traveled to visit my family in Colorado a full six days before Christmas. The flights, the travel, the sight of my brother coming to greet me at the train station – all of it was sheer perfection.

This is my seventh year making the trip, and every year is special. I have only been able to do so since leaving my husband in 2012. Previously, he never allowed me to visit here. Controllers don’t easily allow anyone else to influence whomever they’re controlling – especially family. Visits could be made to me, but only under close supervision. Visits without him were strictly prohibited.

Words can hardly express how meaningful our first Christmas together was. I could scarcely contain my joy at seeing my mom’s tree and opening our gifts in each other’s presence. The elation I felt at the annual Christmas Eve candlelight service understandably flooded my heart and spilled out of my eyes. Such precious memories.

This year, I felt as if my trek was escorted by a higher power. Everything worked together like a perfect symphony, orchestrated by the Master’s hand.

Exquisite skies, smooth flights, festooned airports, seamless luggage retrieval, and a joyous reunion – every portion of my trip was sheer perfection.

I challenge you, this holiday season, to add God’s peace to your preparations. Wherever you are and in whatever you do, share His joy with everyone you encounter. Smile more. Grumble less. Keep your thoughts fixed on Christ. Love one another – even as He first loved us.

How often do we get so caught up in the preparations and busyness of the season that we forget the simple pleasures and peace that God longs to fill us with over the holidays? Do we take time to reflect on the magnitude of love that brought a king down to a humble manger for wretched sinners like you and me?

Is it all about the material things, or do we ever stop to remember the jubilance found in family, friends, and nature?

Perfect peace is within your reach. You need only reach out to the Savior to find it.

Let your roots grow down into Him, and let our lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:7)

I’m the most thankful person you will ever meet. Appreciation is ingrained in my soul. I take nothing for granted and appreciate life, all the way down to the wrapping paper. I don’t just value the gifts God gives me; I treasure the packaging.

I thank God every day for my home, my health, my job, and all the people that touch my life. I pray for my friends and family as I recount my daily blessings. I pray for each of my former team members laid off in October before I eat dinner at night – asking God to help them find jobs and move forward. Prayer keeps me humble and grateful for everything I have.

I demonstrate that gratitude to co-workers who ask me how I’m doing each day. Instead of my former, “I’m doing great,” I now say, “I’m greatly blessed – every single day.” It takes most people by surprise the first time they hear me say it as they don’t know how to respond. It’s a simple way to put a different perspective on a standard greeting and provides me with the means of sharing my grateful spirit with those I work with. Above all, it makes people think about how blessed we all are.

Some of my associates are more than eager to share what’s wrong with their lives, but not me.

I adopted an attitude of gratitude, years ago, that governs my entire existence – how I talk, act, and perceive my life. It used to be easy for me to see what was wrong, to grumble about what could be better, and to lament the things that hurt or upset me.

Now, I focus my attention on my blessings as I show appreciation to God and others for the great things that comprise my world.

For example, I may experience a long, stressful day at work – but I have a great job with a boss who values me.

I have had tinnitus for over a month now, but I can hear correctly and don’t have any pain in my ears.

I am single, but I am happy and fulfilled in my singleness. If God chooses to change this aspect of my life, I fully trust that He will do so, in His time.

I have delicious food to eat, a cozy bed to sleep in, a plethora of pretty clothes in my closet, and a fun car to drive. How blessed am I? How could I not share my gratitude with others in everything I say and do?

Sure, there are things I could complain about. But why should I? What good would it do? Complaining would only give me a sour attitude that could emanate from me to others in my world. I never want that to happen.

Instead, I choose to live life with an attitude of gratitude – seeking out God’s blessings and celebrating them, every day. Being grateful makes me joyful, and my joyfulness, in turn, blesses others. Happiness is contagious. If my grateful spirit can make even one person content each day, then I’ve accomplished my mission.

It’s simple to demonstrate gratitude. Look past what’s wrong in the world. Search for what’s significant and blessed in your life. Celebrate little victories. Cherish the beauty in the world around you. Smile more. Complain less. Speak kindness. Show compassion. Share words of praise. Capture a spirit of contentment.

You won’t just change your perspective. Adopting an attitude of gratitude will change the lives of everyone around you. Appreciation breeds joy, and joy is contagious. You won’t be able to keep it to yourself.

Once you’ve embraced this perspective, spread it around to everyone and everything you touch. You might just make the world a little brighter if you do!

Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. (Colossians 1:10) 

If you were to be tried as a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? This question has haunted me most of my life. While it’s true that good works do not save us, there should be a notable difference between the way Christians and non-Christians live their respective lives. 

Primarily, love should guide everything that we do as believers: how we talk, act, and think. Love motivates us to be kind to one another. It helps govern our words and actions in a distinct way that separates us from non-believers.  

But what do we do with our love? Do we keep it to ourselves, or only love those who can love us in return? Perish the thought. The way we show love to others provides evidence that our lives have been touched by a heavenly Father who first loved us. When Christ resides in our hearts, His love prompts us to demonstrate that love to others. 

When I left my second abusive husband, I was a woman on a mission with three immediate goals in mind: 

1. Completing my degree; 
2. Changing my name; and  
3. Going on a mission trip. 

I desperately wanted to do something with my life – something impactful and demonstrative to make up for lost time. While I completed these goals in the reverse order, I took steps to fulfill each of them almost immediately. The satisfaction I felt in achieving these accomplishments is hard to quantify – yet I knew I had so much more to do, so many more goals to fulfill. 

I recently met another goal – face-on – serving as a Salvation Army bell-ringer at Christmas-time. Yesterday, I completed my first shift. I dressed warmly, in a festive new dress with Santa-heads on the skirt, a pretty black crinoline underneath, and black leggings. With Christmas music playing on my Pandora app, I connected my power bank to my phone and a BlueTooth speaker – ready for action. 

When I arrived, I learned that the kettle, bell, and apron had not yet been dropped off at the location. While waiting for my kettle, an older man approached me, wanting to donate. “I don’t have my kettle yet,” I informed him, with a laugh. 

“That’s okay,” he said, as he opened his wallet and gave me a dollar. I asked him if I could take our picture to commemorate the first dollar received, and he agreed. “I’m Carlton,” he told me, and the two of us chatted together for the next 35 minutes while waiting for the kettle to arrive. 

We talked about how blessed we both were, and how we both believed God treated us better than we deserved. Had my kettle been ready, I would not have had the opportunity to talk to this amazing man who brightened my day. Incredible how perfect God’s timing is when we least expect it. 

A few minutes after Carlton left, my kettle arrived, and I took another photo to send to the organizer. Carlton drove by, honked his horn, and waved as I put my kettle in place and added his contribution to the container. 

For the next two and a half hours, I danced to music, rang my bell, and wished everyone passing by a “Merry Christmas.” I hugged all the children, with their penny donations, and the elderly contributors who told me how much they loved my skirt. I thanked everyone who donated with a “God bless you,” and another “Merry Christmas.” By the time my shift was over, my kettle and heart were overflowing, in equal measure. 

Isn’t that how God’s love is? The more we give, the more we get in return. 

Ring a bell. Stand up for the weak and defenseless. Donate food to the hungry. Help serve a meal or paint a shelter. Give a hug to someone who is hurting. Listen when people are talking to you. Share the love of Christ from the core of your being down to your fingertips. Be His hands and feet. 

Matthew West’s song, “Do Something” perfectly embodies this sentiment:

I’m so tired of talking about

How we are God’s hands and feet

But it’s easier to say than to be

Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves

It’s alright, “somebody else will do something”

Well, I don’t know about you

But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire

I don’t want a flame. I want a fire and

I wanna be the one who stands up and says

“I’m gonna do something.” (1)

We all have the power to make a difference by demonstrating simple acts of love to the hurting world around us. The evidence of our Christianity is inside each of us, just waiting to come out. After all, they will know we are Christians by our love!

Reference: 

West, M. (2012). Do Something. [Recorded by Matthew West]. On Into the Light. [Music album]. Warner Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

“…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy 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.” (Isaiah 61:3) 

Some of life’s fiercest blows hit us outside the punching ring, apart from the battlefield, and separate from the courtroom. Sometimes, the hardest hits we take are those we face emotionally – disappointment, rejection, fear, heartache. My tender heart still feels the sting of such things, in spite of my best defenses.

As one who loves deeply, I can attest to all the emotions it represents – both the euphoric and the debilitating. Love has given me both a desire to dance in the daytime and mourn in the moonlight.

And that’s okay. While I could stand with a few less earthly sorrows, I have grown through each experience. I’ve learned empathy for those who have lost jobs, been homeless, survived violence, suffered betrayal, endured physical pain, lost a loved one, and rebuilt their lives from scratch.

In God’s mercy, He has walked me through all these challenges to elevate my comprehension of the otherwise incomprehensible heartache of others. I understand anxiety, despondency, and rejection because I’ve been there. I’ve lived these emotions. I’ve felt the sting of pain in more areas of my life than even I’d care to admit.

Nevertheless, I know that if God chooses affliction for me, it will always be for His purpose.

I recently started volunteering in our local women’s shelter, where those fleeing domestic violence situations can safely reside. While I’ve only worked in the “clothes closet,” thus far, I’ve spoken to the coordinator about my desire to do more.

While sorting, hanging, and organizing shoe and clothing donations is valuable, I fervently aspire to speak to the women themselves. I advised the coordinator that I’d like to share my story of victory in overcoming this same type of life. I’ve traveled light-years, after all, since leaving my former spouse – with little more than a duffle bag of clothing.

Unlike these women, I was extremely fortunate – with formidable resources – when I fled. I had a car, a job, money in the bank, a network of allies, and a fierce belief that God was with me. I stayed in a hotel for a while, with points donated from friends, and then at a lovely beach condo, rented by a vendor for his own, frequent in-town business. I even stayed in a corporate apartment for a week, where I’d placed short-term business guests at the consent of the property owners.

When I eventually found my apartment, my first purchase was a futon to sleep on, then a table, chairs, and kitchen equipment from my local thrift shop. I often joked that I lived in the apartment that Goodwill built. I’ll never forget the joy I felt from my ultimate splurge – a real bed. It was like heaven on earth. I still delight in sleeping on it to this day.

While my apartment was sparse for months, I will always savor the liberty and sense of accomplishment I felt with each acquisition for my home. Knowing I could get up in the middle of the night and raid my fridge without judgment was tantamount to winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Each new-found freedom represented a supreme triumph and testament to God’s power and grace over my life.

I hope to imbue that same sense of strength and victory to the women at the shelter. The coordinator is connecting me with the woman who conducts their group sessions, so I can speak to the residents about hope, planning for a better future, and preparing for job interviews. I want to help them practice answering interview questions and instill the confidence they need to move forward and into a brighter tomorrow – without regret or the stigma of failure.

In God’s sight, we are more precious than diamonds. He has promised, “to bestow on [the heartbroken] a crown of beauty instead of ashes.” I look forward to sharing that assurance with every woman I’m privileged to meet. Such a pledge has given me strength and resolve to conquer any challenges that come my way – no matter how formidable they may seem.

Don’t listen to the lies of the devil, beloved. Do not let him overpower you. Wear your crown of beauty as a symbol of His love and victory. You are, after all, more valuable than gold.