Strength

STRENGTH, OR THE APPEARANCE OF IT, SOMETIMES IS ILLUSIONARY!!

Throughout my life I've heard compliments as, "You are one of the strongest women I know" or "I have no idea how you get through times like this." When going through trying times, sometimes it is all I can do to remind myself to breath or to force myself to get out of bed in the morning. Believe me, I deserve no recognition, unless its for not leaving my children in the grocery store when they were too young to find their own way home, or not burning our house down after crying myself to sleep while leaving a candle burning.

If you think about it, what real alternative do we have other than to go through this life and the situations it brings? It's all about choices. We can use our experiences to make us bitter or better? We can learn from what we undergo and God can turn those encounters into life-changing events for ourselves or others. I have chosen to live life outloud. YES, I struggle. YES, I fail. YES, I fall down. But, YES, I get back up. Without Jesus' grace, I don't know where I would be.


Throughout everything, God continues to bless me indeed. He has given me strength to get through what I've needed to walk through. He's given me faith to believe for what He's wanted me to believe for. He's given me staying power. He's given me hope, and joy, and love. I am blessed. I am thankful. I am thankful for two beautiful children who did not ever quit believing in me as their mom and friend. I'm thankful to be loved by a wonderful husband and hold his hand as we walk through the rest of our lives together.

I love the following verse and the way it reads. I hope it encourages you today the way it did me.


2 Cor. 12:7 - Message: My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size — abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.



Disclaimer: I'm not at all saying that in times of pain we shouldn't take time to regroup and refocus. It takes time for wounds to heal and hearts to mend. However, staying out of the race of life on a long-term basis isn't helpful for any of us, including yourself. We need each other. As the above verse encourages us all to do, let's quit focusing on the handicap and begin to appreciate the gift. All my best to each of you!!