Keepin' it Real...

One of the things I promised myself when I finally made the decision to start blogging was that I wouldn't just share the good days.  My heart's desire is that our family be able to look back on this journey and be able to see how Jesus walked us through the hard days...how He met us regardless of our choices...how He was ALWAYS there.  Sunday was one of those days...

...a day when sickness and fatigue threatened to take over my body

...a day when the task in front of us seemed insurmountable

...a day when the lies of loneliness permeated all my thoughts

...a day when I questioned whether our children would forever carry the scars of the sacrifices we were asking them to make

...a day where honestly, I just wanted to curl up in my bed until it was over.


This may seem a little intense for my 6th blog post but days like this ARE intense...and they are REAL.  Following Jesus in any capacity isn't always easy.  We are at the beginning of a difficult journey and we realize that there will be days when we feel sad...lonely...overwhelmed...and we will struggle to choose JOY.  On Sunday, getting really sick put me over the edge and I struggled with all of these things.  But Jesus was there.  He gave me the strength to get through the weekend...HE was strong when I was weak.

...and then a couple days later, He reminded me again through my 8 year old daughter why days like this exist.  Our conversation went like this...

Libby: "Mom, I was thinking.  I know it was a hard thing when our house didn't sell like we thought it did and things didn't go the way we wanted.  But I was reading in my book that when problems happen, we can choose to throw a fit or we can choose to let Jesus make us stronger.  Maybe our house didn't sell because Jesus has a different plan and He wants to help us grow."

Me:  "I think you are exactly right, honey."

Libby:  "Mom, I think Sarah Young [author of Jesus Calling for Kids that she had been reading] is an encourager.  I was thinking that maybe you would be encouraged by reading this section.  I pretty much underlined all of it because it was all really good."

[she handed me her book marked with the section that she was asking me to read]

Libby:  "And if you don't mind, I would really love to hear what you think."


Ummm.... at this point I was thinking, "Whoa!  I just had a grown up conversation with my little girl!"  It was a special moment to see the beautiful heart God is continuing to grow in her.

I left her room that night so thankful...thankful that Jesus can use all circumstances to sow truth in my heart and in the hearts of my children.  He's ALWAYS pursuing...ALWAYS loving...ALWAYS working...ALWAYS there!


So we walk forward...praying for the strength to embrace the hard days as an opportunity to grow stronger and more dependent on Jesus!