Saturday, May 21, 2016

After The Storm

These past couple of months I’ve been stuck on a theme. From my last two blogs you will see it begin to form. Both of them had to do with storms in our lives. The first of the two talked about what I did before my “storm,” ways I tried to avoid it, cover it up…etc. The second was what I did throughout the “storm,” suffered, worshiped, watched butterflies….etc. So now I have decided it is only fair to finish this series with a blog about what I’ve been doing after the “storm.”

If you have been following along on my blog for quite some time you’ll have noticed that recently I’ve been struggling a little bit with this thing called life. I wrote about the bump in the road I had created. How it not only affected me and God, but also three of the most important people in my life. I expressed how deep the Father’s love was for me, despite my bump. The next blog was written in the midst of my storm. I was suffering, emotionally and in all honesty, I was suffering physically as well. Eating was hard and emotions were high. I wrote out a prayer for those who were suffering, one which I whispered through tears as I typed it out. 

God has been gracious and faithful and forgiving. He has restored my joy, my love for life and my appetite! So now that I’ve gone through this rough patch what am I doing about it? Have I shrugged it off as if it didn’t happen or have I learned from it? Have I used it to witness to others in their own storms or have I kept it hidden? Here’s the answer to all of those questions that may be going through your head. 

I have seen struggle,pain, lessons learned, people hurting from my decisions, abundant tears and sleepless nights. But above everything else I have seen God’s grace, joy, guidance, forgiveness, love and His hands wrapped around me. Through it all my eyes have been opened and on Him and through it all I’ve learned so much! So have I kept this all hidden? OF COURSE NOT! Although sometimes it’s hard to share what I went through I believe God gave me my storm in order for me to witness His greatness to other people around me. I’m currently home now and will not be returning to Children’s Lifeline. It has not been easy leaving the place I love but since I have been home God has spoken to me in many different ways and has truly shown me why He guided me back home. 

So yes, I had a “storm” in my life. We all go through the phases. But the most important part is if we run from them or learn from them. I’d like to think my “storm” has made me stronger as well as strengthened my relationship with certain people in my life as well. So next time you’re going through a storm just stop and listen to Him, He is the true rainbow at the end and just as He promised He will hold you and guide you the entire time.