All Things

Not sure anyone noticed the month long break I took from social, but holy moly I needed it. In March I came home from back-to-back conferences to start voiding a multitude of contracts, moving money around to issue refunds, and responding to a few people who decided to get hateful online. I decided to take a much needed and very long detox from the platforms which seemed to consume a lot of hours in my days. I needed to be in the precious present and hold tight to my family.

One thing we have always said in our household “you cannot help others until you first help yourself.” I couldn’t cry in the background and then put on a happy face to say “you can do it!” I had to figure out “I can do it” before I could cheer others along.

This week I was chatting with my friend and we were discussing the fact the whole world has been chopped off at the knees. Who has the courage to adapt and change and face the unknown, the uncomfortable, the criticism of trying something new?

In the past three months I have been transitioning into full time work for my husband’s company to help navigate COVID and the day to day “Are we closing? Are we not closing? Does one of our team members have COVID? Who was that team member exposed to? Should we file for the PPP? Who is going on unemployment due to family illness? You get the crap-show because you have been living it too! To date we have had two family members receive positive diagnosis of COVID 19 – one severe and one relatively mild. Both are still alive.

I was on my bike yesterday listening to a sermon titled “Crazy Joy” and the joy Paul had despite his captivity, brutal beatings, and multiple imprisonments. That dude suffered, but he never lost his joy. What?! He suffered far more than my luxury of a comfortable bed, food on the table, and being under house arrest with Netflix and Amazon Prime at my fingertips. What was my pity party about anyway?

The world has changed, but my purpose has not.

Here is what I learned from the podcast streaming through my earbuds as I climbed up and down hills pumping my lungs and getting my blood flowing….

A lot of things have changed but our calling hasn’t changed, our purpose hasn’t changed

Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in ALL THINGS God works for our good!”

“All things include > they shut my school down, I lost my job, my investments are different, my trip got cancelled… our perceived stability has changed… a world-wide pandemic is taking place… this all falls under the category of ALL THINGS.

God is working on our behalf even when we don’t feel it, when we can’t see it, when we don’t understand it… His word trumps our feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Your God is working even if you can’t see it!”

We are in the “All Things” right now, but I will walk by faith because I still have a calling and a purpose and my joy is rooted in my savior and not in All Things. I will face my fears of jumping into the uncomfortable and swimming beyond my comfort zone buoys.

As the message continued to convict and renew my spirit I had joyful tears roll down my face as I rode my bike through a field of vibrant yellow wild flowers overtaking the dead stalks of a multitude of Yucca plants. I loved the visual of life conquering death. Of renewal among hardship.

I’ve realized I have the strength to pivot in ALL Things this world throws our way because I have the promises that God works for the good!

Yes, the picture with this is from the field of flowers and below is a link to the podcast I highly recommend!

Podcast link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-joy/id303359117?i=1000473397896

*Romans 8:28 quoted above is directly from the podcast. I study from the Life Application Study Bible NIV and the same verse in its entirety is “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”