“The UPside when you face the DOWNside of life…”

Some times life is unpredictable.  Some times it just plain stinks!  Things don’t always turn out the way we would have hoped, planned, or expected.  This year definitely did NOT turn out as I would have expected… that’s for sure.  It’s been a year of struggle for me. 

I know… I’ve had lots of those since being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.  But, this year has seemed like I have faced an onslaught of non-stop sickness.  If it wasn’t one thing, it was another….Kidney stones, upper respiratory infection, urinary tract infection, and on and on.  Currently I am getting over having pneumonia.  At a point, it wears you out and runs you down.  The frustration of wanting to have a healthy day… just ONE overwhelms you.  

I think I am there.

Lately, I have been facing the DOWNside of life… the struggle.  BUT…there is an Upside.  There is hope and I hold on to that tightly when the winds of hopelessness threaten to overtake me.

I know I’m not the only one overwhelmed lately.  I have several friends who are really struggling right now… health problems, heartache, brokenness, grief, and hopelessness. 

Some of them even have friends or family members who have been given a “death sentence” by their doctors.  I can’t even imagine.  I was really sick at a point with my autoimmune disease and felt near death, but I was never given an expiration date.

All I can say is that God is the one who numbers the days of our life not man.  I choose to focus on His report and hope of healing.

Psalm 139:15-16 says…

“You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother’s body.  When I was put together there, you saw my body as it was formed.  All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.”  (NCV)

God knows the numbers of our day’s friends.  If you have committed your life to Him, you have the promise of…

1.   His peace to see you through the struggles of the present with the hope of healing for the future.

And…

2.   The Ultimate Healing:  no more pain or sickness and eternity with Him forever. 

Either way… God promises to be with us.  There is hope and healing.  We can have peace.  If we seek Him in the midst of our struggles, His peace will consume us.

Sometimes when we are facing the DOWNside of life, everything can begin to feel hopeless and we can start to feel helpless.

I’ve been there friend… struggling to keep my head up, stuck in a rut, feeling forgotten, overlooked, or neglected by God. 

John 13:7 says…

“Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” (NLT)

Even though I may not “feel” Him at times, I know He is there.  I know He cares and I know He is at work behind the scenes of my life (working things out for my good).

BUT… when the circumstances of life become overwhelming and things don’t 

come together as quickly as I would like, I can become discouraged.

Discouragement that takes root in our hearts can lead us in a downward

spiral that can eventually cause us to doubt God and potentially sink

into a sea of hopelessness (depression) if we aren’t careful. 

What can we do to steer clear of this danger zone and focus on “The Upside when facing the DOWNside of life”…  Here are a few ideas that have helped me…

Run TO God no matter what happens…

Never give up on God.  He has never given up on YOU!  When bad things happen and we don’t understand why, it’s a natural tendency for us to blame God.  I want to challenge you to do something crazy next time you are caught off guard by life.  Run TO Him instead of away.  Pour your heart out to Him.  Ask for His help and rest in His peace. 

You will never regret a heart surrendered completely to Him during all of life’s storms.  His peace is overwhelming and His presence is a constant source of strength.

Guard your “Grouchy”

I don’t know about you, but when I don’t feel well sometimes I get a little “grouchy”.  My grouchy whether I like it or not affects my family.  “When mama ain’t happy nobody is happy!”  I try to prepare for the fact that I may be grouchy while I’m sick.  Consequently I try to be more sensitive to “how” I say things and “what” I say.  When I fail, which happens often, I try to compensate the grouchiness by saying “I love you” regularly to my family.  I want them to know and feel that this “grouchy” thing is only temporary.   Regardless of what comes out of my mouth unexpectedly I want them to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I really do love them… which I do!  Do what you must to guard your grouchy! 

Feed your spirit

Have you ever seen the “Snickers” commercials before?  I love them!  The latest one I have seen has a guy dressed up giving a photographer a lot of grief.  Finally someone walks over to him and says… “Miss Monroe, here have a Snickers.  You aren’t yourself when you’re hungry.”  Then the man takes a bite of the candy bar and immediately turns into a gorgeous, knockout model.  Tada!

This whole scenario makes me think of me on a bad day.  Sometimes when I don’t MAKE time for God when I am struggling, my grouchy side comes out just like that commercial.  I’m not really “ME” when I don’t spend time with God… and you aren’t really YOU when you don’t either.

Time with God changes things… our perspective, our hearts, our minds, our direction, our attitude, and the like.  When we choose to tackle the day WITHOUT God… things don’t flow as well and many times everyone in our little world suffers as a result.

Just like we take time each day to feed our bodies, we need to make it a priority to feed our spirits.  Our spirits need the strength of God’s word inside of us to prepare us for what is ahead.  Our spirits need communion with Him.  As we read God’s word daily and spend time in His presence talking to Him as well as listening, our spirits get stronger.   The stronger we are on the inside, the MORE prepared we are for what may surprise us unexpectedly.

Whether you read a verse, a paragraph, or a chapter, get God’s word inside of you.  Read it in a real-life Bible, underline and highlight verses that stand out to you.  Listen to it on your phone or online.   Get a Bible App. to remind you, etc…

Talk to God daily (just like you would your best friend)… before you get out of bed, in the shower, driving in the car, on your walks, waiting in the pick up line for your kids, picking weeds in your garden, etc…  The point is… Do what it takes to keep your heart centered on God.

Call on the recruits (Prayer support & help)

Sometimes when we are struggling all we can do is throw up 911 prayers to God and hope the answer comes quickly.  In these moments, we need to call in the recruits.  Discouragement may be setting in and we need help!  Ask your friends and family members closest to you to lift you up in prayer.  If you feel uncomfortable giving any details, just tell them you are struggling and you need them to intercede for you.  In most cases, they will be glad you asked and quickly dedicated to the cause. 

Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help when it comes to everyday tasks.  At times it can be overwhelming to even do the little things when life hits you hard.  Others can help beyond prayer too and it’s just as spiritual.  Your job is to ASK for help… when you need it.  God’s job is to PROVIDE the people you need to help you.

When our pride keeps us from asking for help, we steal the blessings from others who love to serve.  Don’t be stingy… reach out and give others the opportunity to “do life” with you.  Many would be happy to help if only they were aware of the need.

Keep moving forward

Focus on the good…

No matter how bad things are, find something good in the midst of it all to focus on… “At least…  I have a job, car that works, healthy kids, a roof over my head, a supportive church family, etc…”  There is always someone out there worse off than us.  Be thankful for what you CAN do.

Change your perspective…

It’s really hard to move forward when our heads are constantly focused downward.   It’s hard to see the good, when we are SO focused on the bad all the time. 

This whole thought makes me think of the old storybook series called “Winnie the Pooh”.  In the story, Pooh has a friend named Eeyore (a donkey), who always appears depressed, gloomy, and negative no matter what is going on in the story.  Pooh attempts to do whatever he can to change his perspective, but Eeyore will NOT be moved from his disposition.

Some times we are like that old donkey!  We will NOT be moved!  We whine, sulk, and sink our heads in defeat at the deck of cards life has dealt us.  We are SO focused on how bad our life is that we rarely see the good happening all around us… and there IS good happening!

Years ago I started something totally new that has helped me change my perspective.  It keeps me moving forward even on the toughest of days.  It may sound silly, but I made a “Thank You Jar”. 

Well, it’s more of an old mason jar I frilled up with my crafty expertise.  I placed it in a basket with index cards and a pen beside it so I am ready at a moment’s notice to record my findings.

As a family, we write down each GOOD thing that happens to us over the course of a year that we are thankful for and we put it in our jar.  I think we have done it for three years now. 

On New Years Day, we make it a point to pull out all of our papers from the jar we collected over the year and read them.  It is SO powerful to hear how God has provided above and beyond all of our needs.  When we think back over the tough times we faced throughout the year we are overwhelmed.  God was there all along!  He walked with us, provided, and saw us through.  It was all recorded in testimonies on our papers whether we recognized it at the time or not.  Needless to say… tears are plentiful each time we do this.

I don’t know what you are facing today friend, but I know God is faithful.   You may feel like life has knocked you down so hard that you don’t know if you can ever get up.  Believe me you can… with God’s help.  Run TO Him today.  Tell Him how you feel, He cares for you.  Don’t do life alone.  Invite some friends to help you carry the burden.  There is an UPside to this DOWNside you are facing.  Hold onto Jesus and He will see you through. 

I’m praying today that your heart will be filled with HOPE and that regardless of your circumstances you will see GOOD all around you.  I pray your life will overflow with so many blessings (big and small) that you have to grab a jar to collect them all.  May the rest of this year be full of God’s peace and presence as you pursue Him boldly no matter what life throws your way! 

Living to leave a legacy,

Julie

Choices, Choices, Choices...

Have you ever met someone who was super indecisive?  Every single decision they made was overwhelming for them.  I mean I, myself, struggle with the big decisions, but when it comes to simple things like where to eat or what kind of ice cream flavor I want… it’s really no big deal!

Making decisions can be hard at times.  I get it!  There’s really no special training when it comes to decision making in life.  We learn as we go on the spot from our own bad choices or from those of others.  It’s a live and learn kind of process. 

When I was little, I remember learning quickly that touching a hot pan on the stove top hurts a lot and guess what?  I didn’t do it again after that.  Well… not intentionally.   I also learned that walking barefoot through a bunch of dandelions in the yard could open up the possibility of me stepping on a bee… which hurts too.  Hmmm… it seems like a lot of my life lessons have been gleaned from moments of pain.  Interesting?

 

The decisions we make on a daily basis really do matter!  As a matter of fact, sometimes our bad choices (if we aren’t careful) can turn in to life-long consequences that we have to live with forever! 

 The decisions we make today can affect our future tomorrow!

As believers, we should live differently when it comes to decision making.  We should want God to be smack dab in the center of our lives… at the core of who we are and everything we do.  That includes asking Him to help guide us to make “right” decisions.

Many times we rush ahead making decisions about things on the spot never even considering what God might think about it all!  Friend, I don’t know if you realize it or not, but God wants to be involved in our decision making process. 

I know, for many it seems a little crazy to ask God’s opinion about our decisions.  I mean how can we really know what He is thinking?  How can we hear His voice or even expect to know His will for our lives?  Is there a “Learning to hear God’s voice” book for dummies anywhere I can buy? 

I hear you friend.  I’ve been there too, but believe it or not God really can actually speak to us personally.  He’s done it for me time and time again.  Rarely is it ever in an audible voice, but there are lots of other ways God can speak to us and help direct our steps in the right direction. 

The first thing we need to do if we really want God’s help in making better decisions is we need to get to know Him better.   We need to recognize His voice above others.  I can say confidently after twenty three years of marriage that I can recognize my husband’s voice in a crowded room.  It is a unique sound to me.  We have talked often and I have listened intently to Him…. So I am familiar his voice.  (It helps that he is really loud and outgoing making his voice all the more undeniable!)

Connecting with God and growing a stronger relationship with Him takes time and effort.  If you aren’t spending time with Him, I will guarantee you that you won’t hear His voice or sense His leading when it comes to the choices you make.  “Come close to God, and God will come close to you...”  (James 4:8)

As we draw closer to Him by reading His word (The Bible), praying (talking to Him like we would a friend), and going to church (surrounding ourselves with others who love God), we will begin to discern His nudges, sense His promptings, and follow His leading in making right choices.

God speaks in many ways.  Here are a few He has used with me….

The Bible:  God uses His word to speak truth to our hearts for our everyday lives as we read it.   I like to read the book of Proverbs several times a year (one chapter a day over a month).  It’s a book of wisdom.  God’s words placed deep inside of us help us make wise decisions.  “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11). 

Memorizing scripture helps us make wise decisions as well.  Whenever I have been struggling in the past, old scriptures I have memorized have always come back to my mind to encourage me. 

Prayer:  Whatever decision we are seeking guidance on, we need to involve God in the process.  Ask His opinion.  Pray over all of the details involved for an extended period of time.  For major decisions I might pray a week or a month before deciding.  Don’t be in a hurry.  Don’t allow your emotions to lead you.  Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.  “…when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth…” (John 16:13a).

The goal at the end of your focused prayer time should be a sense of God’s peace when you think about your decision.  If you feel uneasiness it may be God directing you AWAY from that particular decision. 

 

“The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever” (Isaiah 32:17).
 

Other People:  God uses other people as instruments to encourage us, speak wisdom into our lives, and tell us the truth in love.  It is always good to have two or three people in our lives that we trust (that are godly examples to us) to confide in and confer with when we need wisdom. “Plans fail without good advice, but they succeed with the advice of many others.” (Proverbs 15:22).

As we are seeking God’s direction in a particular area of our lives, we need to be open to asking those closest to us for wisdom and direction.  Don't just tell them what you are thinking about doing and ask them to pray.  Ask them the following question(s)…

1.  As a friend or mentor in my life, do you feel any hesitation or reservation in me doing this particular thing?  If so, why?

2.  What wisdom do you have to offer me in this particular situation? 

3.  What are your thoughts about this area of my life?

Ask them to be completely honest with you. Be ready to receive, open to correction/godly wisdom, and prepared to love them no matter what they say.

In major decisions involving transition, our goal should be 100% positive responses.  If you get a variety of responses that aren't all positive, then you need to go back to your prayer room and seek God's face. A sense of peace should be the outcome in the end.

Wisdom from others should only confirm to us what God has already been directing us to do.  God’s direction should be our primary goal.

Circumstances:  Sometimes circumstances can help lead us to right decisions.  Let me give you an example….

Years ago my husband and I were serving at a church as youth leaders while in college.  We were heavily involved… practically the unpaid assistant youth pastors.  Before we graduated we were offered a job as just that, but part-time. The only stipulation was that we would have to work as janitors for the church as well.  They weren’t at a place to be able to hire us full-time.

It was an awesome church and we were up for the challenge, but we wanted God’s will.  We decided to pray for a week seeking God intently concerning all of this.  We knew even though it looked like an awesome opportunity, the right thing at the wrong time was still the wrong thing. 

We prayed separately and determined to share our thoughts with one another on Sunday night.  That morning at church as we glanced down at the sermon title for the evening message, we were shocked at what it said…   “When God says GO!” 

With that message, plus our prayers, and the wisdom of others, God was beyond clear in His direction for us.  Even though it didn’t make sense to us at the time in the natural, we were committed to follow God’s leading. 

As I look back today, I can see His hand guiding us specifically to each place we went after that and all the people we encountered.   I am overwhelmed at God’s faithfulness.

Circumstances…  I guess God likes to use this one a lot for me.  Maybe it’s because many times I’m too busy DOING things for Him that I don’t take time enough to really LISTEN. 

Lots of instances come to mind of where circumstances were brought into play to get my attention.  You can check them out at the links below…

Trusting God with the details when the future looks unclear:

 Blind Faith 

Waiting on God’s direction can be scary at times:

The God of Suddenly

Facing difficulty head on in faith:

Redeem Your Storm

 “… when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow…” (James 1:2-3)

  

The decisions we make today can affect our future tomorrow!  I have had Christian friends who have made some horrible decisions. Their bad choices landed them in jail, led them into affairs (that have destroyed their families), and gotten them wrapped up into a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol.  In the end, they discovered (after all of the consequences of their actions) that it’s not where they really wanted to be.  When I think about it all, it baffles my mind. 

How did they get to that place when at one point they seemed so close to God?  It’s not something that happens overnight, friend!  It’s a slow process of us deafening our ears to God day by day.  It begins with us choosing to allow other things to come before Him or replace Him in our lives.  The end result is our hearts far from God and our lives centered on ourselves.  That’s a dangerous place to be!

I challenge you to draw close to God.  Invite Him into every area of your lives (nothing off limits).  Make the decision to keep Him first place in your lives today.  Ask for His help to make “right” decisions.  The decisions we make really do matter!  Do you trust Him with the details of your life?  I dare you to try a new way of living… “Making decisions with God in mind”.  That is one decision you will never regret!

Living to leave a legacy,

Julie

Spare Tire Check

“Is God your spare tire or your steering wheel?” I heard this quote recently and it has stuck with me ever since. Do we use God as a back up plan to run to when things go wrong, or are we allowing Him to lead and guide us daily? Who is in control? Who is holding the steering wheel of our lives? We can survive with out a spare tire, but if the steering wheel of our vehicle goes bad, the whole thing is worthless. We need God to be in the driver’s seat of our lives in good times and in bad.

When I was in Bible College years ago I took a class called “The Minister’s Wife.” It was taught by the president’s wife of the college. It was awesome and oh so practical. I learned a lot! She gave us the realities of true ministry and what to expect. She promised good times and bad and equipped us to be prepared for both. 

One thing she did in particular still sticks with me today. Before she started each class she had us sing a song. She said she wanted this song to be cemented into our spirits so that some day when we needed it, it would be tucked inside of us. It goes something like this (from what I remember)…

The Lord knows the way through the wilderness and all I have to do is follow
The Lord knows the way through the wilderness and all I have to do is follow
Strength for today is mine all the way and all that I need for tomorrow
The Lord knows the way through the wilderness and all I have to do it follow

I remember singing this several times over the course of my life. Sometimes it was at the kitchen sink doing dishes feeling distraught and overwhelmed by life, other times it was driving in my car crying over invisible wounds inflicted by others, in the shower, on a long walk… wherever I sang it, God showed up and brought His peace to calm the storms of my life and heart.

God doesn’t promise that when we give our lives to Him that our life will immediately become easier. He does however promise to walk with us through all of life’s journey. No matter what you are facing today, God is faithful!

Living to leave a legacy,
Julie

What kind of lemonade are you making?

Lemonade is a popular drink in my home.  In fact, it’s almost always available on command.  It’s up there with milk and water for my family.  We don’t like just any kind of lemonade though.  It has to be the sweet kind.  I don’t know about you, but sour lemonade just doesn’t do it for me.  The sour taste just won’t leave me after the first gulp.  It’s like a horrible nightmare that lingers.  Unforgettable… in a bad way!

On the other hand sweet lemonade leaves you wanting more.  My personal favorite kind is strawberry lemonade.  It tastes SO good!   

When I hear the word “lemonade” it makes me think of that old adage…

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!”

This speaks of the fact that at times, life isn’t kind to us.  Life occasionally can be full of seasons of lemons.  I’m not talking about the sweet kind either.  Nope.  It’s those sour moments nobody loves.  Unexpected circumstances that throw us for a loop and shake our faith… SOUR.  Times of hardship struggling to make ends meet striving to thrive, but barely surviving… SOUR.  Facing hurtful, hateful people on a daily basis because it’s your job… SOUR.  A struggling marriage, the loss of a loved one, a painful past, a broken heart… the list could go on and on… SOUR.

Life isn’t fair.  Bad things happen to good people all the time.  We live in a fallen world where people make bad choices every day that affect others in negative ways.  Just because life hurts at the moment doesn’t mean that God doesn’t care or isn’t paying attention.  He loves you dearly friend.

I have faced my fair share of lemons in life… that’s for sure.  Financial hardship, miscarriage, broken relationships, unfortunate circumstances and unexpected delays, not to mention being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease I have struggled with for the past ten years.  Life has been challenging, but God has been faithful. 

I could have given up, blamed God, ran away, lived in denial, or even surrendered to temptation, but I chose differently.  I chose to trust Him, run to Him, and wait for His rescue.  Some how, some way I knew deep down that God would see me through. 

I don’t know if I trusted Him because I heard it so much at church, read about it in my Bible, witnessed God seeing other people through during difficult times, or felt so secure in my own relationship with God that I just knew.   Others I knew who seemed very grounded in God to me faced seemingly insurmountable circumstances as well, but chose differently sending them down a spiraling path away from God.

When trouble comes, when my world spirals out of control, or lemons start flying… the first thing I do is run TO God.  My hearts cry is similar to that of Psalm 28:7

“The Lord is my strength and shield.  I trust Him with all my heart.” (NLT)

We need to learn to trust God in good times and in BAD.  He is faithful friend.  He has never failed me yet each time I have run to Him for safety from all of life’s storms.

We have a choice when the bushel full of lemons begins to fall.  We can allow the circumstances of life to SOUR us or make us SWEET.  Remember the lemonade illustration I shared before?  Sweet tastes better! 

When we run TO God in our moments of despair, heartache, and frustration instead of AWAY from Him, He promises to meet us there.

“In those moments of surrender our spirit is sweetened and our hearts are restored.”

We may not understand all of the “Why’s” in life, but when we rest in Him and His ability to take care of us, peace follows.

On the contrary, when we choose to run AWAY from God instead of running TO Him, our spirits become SOURED by life’s circumstances.  Our countenance can begin to change, our perspective can become gloomy, and our words can become cluttered with negativity.  It’s almost as if those SOUR lemons take root in our hearts and spread like poison ivy over our soul.

Life doesn’t necessarily get easier as we choose to run TO God, but regardless of what happens God promises to carry us through it.  We don’t have to walk it alone and not only that… God gives PEACE, JOY, LOVE, PATIENCE, and scores of other fruits that will pour out of us as we begin to rest in Him.

 Have you ever met one of those people who have faced a lot of hardship yet walk with a glowing smile on their face?  It’s not fake.  It’s almost as if their insides are shining through for all to see… true JOY that doesn’t make sense with all they have endured.  That’s got God written all over it!  That’s someone making sweet lemonade out of the lemons life has dealt them.  That’s someone I want to resemble when trials come my way.

I have a question for you today.  When life deals you a bunch of lemons...

 What kind of lemonade will you choose to make?

  Sweet or sour?

I’m telling you SWEET is so much better when it comes to the beverage and your reaction to the lemons life may deal you!  

Next time the lemons begin to fall do something crazy… run TO God!  You will never regret the peace that will follow.

Will you surrender your lemons to God today friend?  He specializes in making sweet lemonade.

Living to leave a legacy,

Julie

In the Meantime...

“Waiting”… Have you ever met someone who loved the whole idea of waiting? 

Sometimes I’m okay with it and other times I want to scratch my eyes out because I can’t take things dragging on so long.  Have you ever been there friend… tired of the monotony of the “wait”? 

Whether we like it or not, we will all have to face “waiting” at some point in our lives.  It’s inevitable.  Its HOW we wait that makes all of the difference!

When it comes to waiting… I think the most challenging waiting room I have ever sat in would have to be… God’s "Waiting Room”.   

Did you know that God has a “Waiting Room”?   Well, He does! 

Waiting on God is a little different than waiting in a line at the grocery store.  His “waiting” has a more significant purpose.  Many times His waiting is a part of a process.  It’s a process that helps us grow stronger in our decision making and deeper in our faith.

Did you know that God wants to help us make decisions?  The day we committed our life to Him should have been the day we began making our decisions a little differently…. with God in mind.

Isaiah 28:16 says... "Whoever believes will not act hastily." (NKJV)

As Christians when we involve God in our decision making process sometimes He will say YES, sometimes He will say NO, and sometimes He will say WAIT.

God wants to help us make right decisions...  But, why is it so often that we fail to ask Him how He feels about… our relationships, our financial investments, where we spend our time, and the major choices we make in our lives.

The decisions we make today affect our future tomorrow!

I know some of you now are probably thinking… “I need to consult God on EVERY decision that I make… really?” “How can I really know what HE wants me to do if He doesn’t talk to me?”

As we draw closer to God and our relationship with Him grows stronger… we will begin see His direction for our lives more clearly.  We will be able to recognize His voice, sense Holy Spirit promptings to do or NOT do things, and we will become confident in the YES, NO, and more patient in the WAIT.

When it comes to the WAIT... delay doesn't necessarily mean God is disappointed with us.  God's "Waiting Room" isn't a place of punishment.  It’s a place of spiritual growth and direction.  

There are many good reasons WHY God might ask us to wait.  You can check out what some of those might be in a previous blog post I made called God's "Waiting Room".

I have spent A LOT of time in God’s “Waiting Room” on many occasions…

I have waited on direction for my future, a husband, a job, a child, financial provision, a house… when our rental sold (THREE different houses, three different times.  I’m not kidding!), and the list goes on…

Most recently I have prayed for healing for an autoimmune disease I have suffered with for the past ten years.  It is a disease that weakens my muscles. 

At its worst… I was bedridden for up to a year struggling to talk, eat, walk, and care for myself.  I lost 75 pounds in 6 months and dropped under 100 pounds to just skin and bones. 

At its best…(in a sense of remission) I was able to walk the mini marathon 5K in downtown Indianapolis and complete it.  That is a huge deal for someone who struggles with weak muscles!

I have faced many ups and downs with my health over the years.  Needless to say it has been very challenging for me and my family.

"When you are stuck in a bed with no HOPE of leaving your room or even your 

house any time soon, you can begin to feel that your time is WASTED."

I mean who has a couple months or even a year to throw away.  I didn’t think I did!

In each of those faith-growing moments I made a choice to run straight to God. Trust was built in me and my family as He prepared us for the next chapter ahead.

Not to say that it was ever easy by any means.  But with God’s help, we pushed through!

There are many things we can do while we wait on God.  You can check out WHAT some of those things might be in a previous blog post I made called God's "Waiting Room" (Part Two)

Let me give you some ideas of what I did in my long seemingly endless WAIT…

1.  I ran TO God

I prayed MORE.  I read my Bible MORE.  I went to church MORE... as I was able.  I spent MORE time in worship.  I learned to hear and recognize God’s voice and discern the Holy Spirit’s promptings.  I grew closer to God during this season.  And you know what?  …when the time was right for the Green GO light with God, I was close enough to Him to hear the whisper of the next steps He had ahead for me.

All of this didn’t come natural for me.  I had to get some “fight” in me

to push hard for MORE of God.

When we struggle, our natural inclination is to run AWAY or hide.   It takes a huge EFFORT to run TOWARD God when everything in you wants to run the other direction.  Whether you feel it or not, I promise you this is the best place to be in the midst of your “wait”.

What did I do while waiting on God?

2.  I let God LOVE through ME

Don’t allow the length of the “WAIT” or the circumstances surrounding it to cause you to become bitter.  In the midst of your “waiting” time… keep loving people.  Don’t let the stupidity of others scar you and shape who you become.  People can be hurtful and hateful at times… (Believe me I know this first hand) choose to forgive anyway.  Un-forgiveness only hurts YOU.  Choose to let God love through you.

  

What did I do while waiting on God?

3.  I stayed CONNECTED and busy

It’s a natural tendency for us to want to HIDE or isolate ourselves from the world when we are hurting.    But this doesn’t bring healing to our hearts, it only postpones it.  Depression and hopelessness can grow when we bury ourselves away.  Instead choose to stay involved.  Stay involved in your family, your church, in your favorite hobbies or areas of interest, and living.   

I realized in the midst of my long seasons of being sick that my kids needed me.  They needed to “see” me (sick or well), “hear” my encouragement, and “feel” my loving touch.  I mattered to them.  Whether they realize it or not, their special visits to my sick bed brought “life” to my room and maybe even a glimmer or two of HOPE.  They gave me a reason to keep fighting in the midst of my health struggle.  They made life worth living.

My husband has been a continual support to me as well.  One significant thing he did in the midst of my sickness that sticks out to me was keep me busy. 

During my sick seasons he has always found something for me to do to keep busy and distracted from my sickness.  His best investment in distracting me was giving me a laptop and telling me to start writing.  I began journaling at first.  This eventually grew to a devotional style of writing where I shared my life experiences and struggles in hopes of encouraging others.  Later, my husband was so impressed that he challenged me to start a blog so others could read my musings.  In 2010, I joined the blogging world and the rest is history. 

We were never meant to do life alone friends!  Find people to share your life with and invite them to journey with you.  We need each other. 

What did I do while waiting on God?

 4.  I kept moving FORWARD

No matter how many set backs you have… Keep moving forward! 

Forward progress is my word for the year.  Even if it feels like I am taking one step forward and two steps back health-wise, I have determined that I will keep moving FORWARD.

Something that has really helped me keep this “Forward Progress” mind set has been to focus MORE on others than myself. 

Over the years (in my many seasons of waiting) God has developed within me the ability to encourage others through writing.

I noticed that something crazy happened as I shared my raw and real struggles with others on my blog.  They identified with me and felt encouraged!

When I think about all of the days, months, and years that have felt WASTED by being sick with this dreaded disease it puts knots in my stomach.

BUT… when I think about HOW God has continued to REDEEM those seemingly wasted times each time I share my story and someone is filled with hope, I am overwhelmed with awe!

My ultimate God-dream is to write a book sharing my story with others so nothing will ever be wasted and God will REDEEM it all for good!

I am currently finishing up the last chapter of that book called “Surviving Life’s Mud Puddles” and then it will be ready for publication… God willing! 

God sees you friend.  You are not forgotten.  He knows right where you are and He wants to walk THROUGH this journey with you.  He has amazing plans ahead for you. 

Will you TRUST Him with the details of your life? 

Whenever I struggle to trust Him, this verse always comes to mind for me...

Proverbs 3:5-6 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”  (NLT)

He is trustworthy!  He hasn’t disappointed me yet.  I’m looking forward to hearing all of the testimonies of HOW God has redeemed YOUR “wait” for good.  He is good like that!  Hang in there friend!  God has something amazing in store for you and it is SO worth the wait!

Living to leave a legacy,

Julie