In Every Season, Be THANKFUL

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Every time I read Jeremiah 29:11, I cry.  It’s so overwhelming to think that He is planning “me” and “you” an amazing future, especially when we’re walking out our journeys of recovery.  It’s hard to sit in the middle of something life-changing and even be able to grasp a thought of there being a future.  Oftentimes we’re led to ask, “Why? If God loves me, why would He let this happen?  If God loves me, He would’ve let me be stronger.”  He’s settled us where we are, He’s planted our feet right where He wants us, for a purpose.  We always think we know what’s best for us, and often, it’s the path that’s less painful, but then He has to step in and show us we don’t always know what’s best for us.  We can’t see the whole picture, like He does, and if we could, we wouldn’t have to trust Him.  Those are the hard days, the hard weeks, and months.  Those are the breaths that come hard, and the nights when sleep isn’t a part of your story.  Philippians 1:6, Paul writes, (from prison I might add)

 

“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you 

will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

 

I truly believe that just like Paul, we are where we are, for a reason.  Our God doesn’t make mistakes, so allow Him to work in your life, even if you feel imprisoned, and bound by what brought you to recovery.  My prayer is that with each week, you will feel the chains lesson and begin to walk in thankfulness for your story.

 

Our lives are not lived without struggle, chaos, fear, agony, and yes, defeat – sometimes much defeat.  In each season, seek Him, and find Him.  Leaves change, droop, and eventually detach from their branches to lie broken on the ground, and this may be just how you feel, but, like the leaves, seasons don’t last forever, but what we learn from them does.  He has a Plan and it’s unfolding with each breath.

 

Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  

When you walk through the fire, 

you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze.”

 

There is both hope and a future, so be thankful for this season, and what you’re learning.  Be thankful you chose recovery, not everyone has the courage to.  You are brave and you will be victorious, my friend.  

 

Victory is yours!

 

Shelley Taylor

(originally posted in Fellowship of the Parks NFW - Celebrate Recovery blog)

BlooM

I have been waiting all summer for this ONE bloom.  

I have nurtured this plant to the nth degree.  I hand watered it, pulled it away from the scorching hot brick and on days that i felt its roots were exposed, i gently covered it with extra dirt.   Finally, this past week IT BLOOMED.  

It reminds me of how God must feel when He puts forth so much effort into me and i take much longer to bloom and flourish than He was expecting.  I am so thankful that He doesn't give up on me and I'm certainly glad that i'm worth Hand watering.  

I pray that when my roots are exposed that He is proud of who i am.

I hope that i am as beautiful to Him as this precious flower is to me.

Reflections of THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving truly is my most favorite time of the year.  I love to sit and reflect on what has been taken, what I’ve been given, and God’s perfect plan for me and mine. 

Psalm 66:12 “We went through the fire and through water; yet You have brought us out to a place of abundance.”

God certainly had His hand in every detail.  I am walking this life out by His grace and love with those who love and encourage me.  God provided!  I am living my dream with my happily ever after.  He provided the most tender, compassionate, caring man that my heart desired.

God had to unclench my hands in order for me to

raise them to His glory. 

There is power, freedom and beauty in the smallest open palm.  When I had nothing else to hold onto, I gave Him what I had.  Nothing, everything!  I offered my open hands to Him. 

Jehovah Jireh “The Lord will provide.”  Indeed!

He showed me how to jump in the deep end instead of tipping my toes in the shallow.  He taught me trust!  He taught me how to spill joy again and to drip His light everywhere I go.

Exodus 14:14 “The Lord will fight for you.

You need only be still.”

So many prayers prayed, so many prayers answered. 

I will never stop thanking Him

 for all I have and all He has done.

All He wants us to do is ask.  All He wants us to do is step out of His way and trust Him.  He will meet you where you are, whether you are full or empty, thirsty or quenched, bring Him what you have, and bring Him what you are.     

I am so magnificently grateful for who He has provided, how he has provided and that He continues to provide for me and Taylor!  I couldn't be prouder of who Taylor has become through all of her diversities.         

Whether you are on a mountaintop, arms flailing or deep in a valley of stillness, never forget where you’ve come from, where you’ve been.  Look back occasionally just to see how far you’ve come and never be afraid to return to the Well.  Life gets hard every now and then, even during times of plenty and great blessings.

By God’s grace, He took my drips of hope and gave me strength.

A million “THANK YOU’S” Lord.          

His grace is certainly glue for the broken.

I will continue to embrace the big and small moments, every breath I’m given, especially the ones that I struggle to breathe. 

So many people watched me go through the fire and come out the other side and I hope they gained strength and renewed their trust in Him along the way.  I am forever grateful for each of you.  I hope God is using my life now as a witness, a form of daily encouragement, strength and hope to others.

 I hope my life is a picture of what He can do if we let Him.

                                                                                  

When I feel the warmth of David’s hand laced in mine, it is a simple reminder of thousands of prayers that were prayed and answered. 

Gratefulness and thanksgiving overcome me!

i DID IT! through Christ who STRENGTHENED me!!

Philippians 4:13

"i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"

WHO? could not LOVE this??  i think TODAY is my favorite or favourite day of 40 DAYS IN THE WORD so far...i'm stoked!!  long story short, AND please quote me on this..."GOD DOES GIVE YOU STRENGTH".  end of story!!  You CAN do ALL things with HIS help! 

• seek HIM
• allow HIM
• trust HIM
• THANK HIM THANK HIM THANK HIM

HE will meet you where you are!  He is waiting!!

mercy vs grace

once again, i am so humbled by His grace! can't tell you how many days that has happened in this new life. on many occassions i have sat, or laid in bed pondering over the difference in "mercy and grace". often times i think people mistakedly use them interchangeably, as did i. the longer this remains in the forefront of my mind i believe that i finally get it. God has and is continually showing me the difference in my real life.

take for instance the past few years that were woven with pain, sadness and countless tears....

can't tell you how many prayers i prayed for God to provide His healing or provide me a way to my heart's safety. did i believe that would happen? not TRULY for many years! i kept getting in the way of His blessing, HIS ANSWERED PRAYER! His MERCY! once i truly believed, i mean TRULY believed...(got face down and butt up), HE answered my prayer! and, that story of HIS GREAT BLESSING will indeed be another writing when i have more time to give it the amount of words that it deserves!

however, it was His MERCY that provided a way to my heart's safety! His MERCY is what allows us to escape, be provided for, succeed! His GRACE is where the BLESSINGS come! so many times in my life i have MERCIFULLY been provided for. God shown His MERCY on my mother and at the same time He was there for her children. every time my mother was absent from my life...HE never left me! He was there molding me into who i am today. (the person i am so much that He has provided me the talent to put this into words.) that's where His GRACE comes in! as far back as i can remember, He has POURED HIS GRACE ON ME! when the dark veil of my mother's drugs and alcohol covered us in darkness, His MERCY allowed us girls to "unwrap" the darkness, the sin, the filth, the shame and begin again, walking with Him in His grace! my sister and i frequently and intentionally tell people it is His "grace" that has been poured on our heads to have allowed us to have survived, prevail into the women we are today. well, as i write this i am understanding that it wasn't His "grace", but His MERCY that allowed us to survive and it is His GRACE that we continue to live in so wonderfully!

this is where last night comes into play...as i sat and watched generations play, laugh and LOVE! i was a part of that. so GRACIOUSLY a part of that! i have always been a "simple" girl, loving the simple things in life! the things you can't buy, but have a worth beyond belief! enter one special lady who gripped my heart and reminded me so much of my mam maw. when i saw this jewel i realized God had sprinkled these women all over to provide His blessings in so many deserving places. my mam maw was a true woman of God who touched so many lives during hers. God provided me precious times with her growing up and all along He was instilling in me some of her wonderful qualities. God used this special woman last night as not only a reminder to me of those wonderful qualities that have been passed down through the generations, but as a reminder of His goodness to us!!

i am so magnificently GRATEFUL for who He has provided, how he has provided and that He continues to provide for me and Taylor! some mornings, this one included i open my eyes and sometimes say outloud, "is this my life?" with tears streaming down my face, i answer myself! let me be the first to tell you i have had His grace POURED on me, but right now IT IS RAINING GRACE! it is everywhere i look, everywhere i go, everywhere i breath!

now, anyone who knows me, KNOWS that i am scooping up the grace, puting it in bottles and buckets as fast as i can for those who i might encounter who need some as well! that's just who i am!! p.s....I LOVE THAT!!! my GRACE just called and i'm about to get ready for the day and it's blessings.

today we will celebrate a very special blessing who is turning two. thank you God for allowing me to be a part of his life and belly laughs. may today be a true blessing to many, a raining of Your grace. today will be a day where no umbrella is needed...let me dance in the rain!!!!