Okay, so I like to write but I don’t do it nearly as often as I would like or should so I’ve decided to try to make myself do it more and you’ll be the lucky person to read it. I’ve found that writing or journaling really helps me process the things I’ve been going through or to clarify my thoughts about life. So hear goes some thought sharing and hopefully a little clarifying.
There are times in my life when I feel like I’m lost in a densely wooded forest. The funny thing is that life doesn’t become all dark, damp and confusing right away. The breeze blows the branches about so I can still see the sun. Then all of a sudden the wind stills and I realize I’m no longer in the wide open space. Life gets a little gloomy then.
I was in one of those times when I was just within the borders of the densely wooded forest. I felt like I was being me. I thought life was going marvelously, but then all of a sudden I began to realize I felt somewhat lost…kind of like Hansel and Gretel. There was familiarity around but no certainty. The thing is, we sometimes get caught up in comparing ourselves with others, in my case photographers, or we try to be someone else because we BELIEVE we’ll be liked if we were more like “that”. I began to realize that I wasn’t happy anymore. I was too consumed with what others thought and worried about what the future would hold for me instead of just being me and enjoying the journey.
The light began to break through the leaves of the forest one Sunday morning. I think I had come to the end of myself and decided to just be me in worship and not worry about what others thought. I just closed my eyes and met with God. Then, as only God can do, He ministered to me through a song. It was a new song from Bethel Church by Jeremy Riddle. The line that caught my attention was “Here we are waiting for this house to be shaken, for the boldness to carry Your name to the nations“. I had forgeten that my heart had been to go to the nations (not quite sure how that looks yet), to minister God’s love to others, and I had even had many people speak that over my life. It was like with those words I entered a sunny spot of the forest and my desire to be who I was created to be was renewed.
It’s been quite a bit of time since that Sunday when the wind blew the branches and let the sunlight in and God has definitely been stirring, shaking, revealing, and filling me with anticipation for my future. I can’t wait to share more thoughts with you but these seem good enough for now. If you feel like you’re in the forest know that the wind will blow and light will shine and show you the way.
Until later…
