a year later and some words of encouragement

 

Happy Tuesday, friends! It's time for another surprise Tuesday blog post. I had some time this weekend to write, so I thought I'd work on some extra blog posts for this week. I was scrolling on Facebook this weekend and came across some memories that sparked the idea for this blog post. I thought I'd speak from my heart and share some encouragement for anyone walking through something difficult. I pray these words bring you comfort and that they're uplifting. Some of these will be words that I wrote over the weekend, and others will be things I shared on social media during a very dark time in my life. 

I still read the Bible with The Bible Recap community every morning before work; and on this day one year ago, this was what I said. I can't remember where I'd read in God's word that day, but this was what stood out to me during that time. I love looking back to see this time in my life; I can honestly say that God carried me through that time. I don't even remember most of the days and how I passed the time, but I know that He is the one who strengthened me to walk through an unwanted divorce. I know that if you're facing something hard today, He will carry you through as well, if you lean on Him and rely on His word, His strength, and His timing. I have found that He never lets me down! Even in His time, His will is always perfect. 

Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no needs in the stalls, yet I will celebrate in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! The LORD my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights! Habakkuk 3:17-19

The LORD (is):
My Lord
My strength
Makes me able like a deer
Enables me to walk on mountain heights

I remember reading this passage last year, and then again this year. At the time when this was written, the Israelites were facing being taken captive by the Babylonians; or maybe it was already during that time of captivity, but either way, God was going to take care of them. He did! He strengthened them, He strengthened me, and He'll strengthen you. 

God's mercy is infinite! It's never too late to be forgiven for sin, no matter what. The gospel of Luke points to this as well when Jesus was being crucified; in Luke 23:32-43, Jesus was crying out to the Father for forgiveness of the very ones killing Him, and at the last minute, Jesus told one of the criminals He hung between that he would be with Him that day in Heaven. It's never too late! Because He has forgiven us as sinners, we are to forgive others; not once, not twice, but infinitely.


I shared in a blog post on Friday about the fact that I'm able to be friends with my ex-husband's girlfriend; I think some of you were surprised by that, but this is how I'm able to do that. As God has forgiven us for our sins, so we are to forgive others. It's not easy, it's not for anyone else, but we do this so that we can walk in freedom. 

The LORD who made the earth, the LORD who forms it to establish it, the LORD is his name, say this: "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:2-3

The Lord wants us to talk to Him everyday, just like we would talk to our best friend. Who better to pour your heart out to than Him? There is no one better, I assure you.

I love Jeremiah 33 and what it says about God: once we belong to Him, He writes His words on our hearts. And it doesn't say this in the text, but I know for a fact that because His words are in my heart, He recalls them to me often! He will do that for you too, if you know Him and His word. He helps us to remember, and to remember all that He has done is biblical. Jeremiah 31:33 says He will be our God and we will be His people. The original text was not meant for us today, but as His kids, it does include us right now. Verse 35 of the same chapter says these things about God:

He gives the sun for light by day.
He gives the fixed order of the moon and stars for light by night.
He stirs up the sea and makes its waves roar.
The LORD of Armies is His name.

Do you know Him? Reach out if you want to talk more about how to have a relationship with Him! You can always reach me by email at allboys@gmail.com.

The LORD:

is among us

is a warrior who saves

rejoices over us (who are His kids, because though we are all His creation, we are not all His kids) with gladness

is quiet in His love

delights in us with singing.

My God shot from the Scripture reading this morning was from Isaiah 32:17, which says this: The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever. I loved what @taraleighcobble reminded us of in a couple verses above that: this is the result of the Holy Spirit pouring out that righteousness on us. This is nothing we could ever strive for on our own! It's all the Lord, friends. Also, this is what I'll start answering with when people ask me how I'm still standing, in light of my last year. I'm continuing to ask the Lord to take away any bitterness in my heart, because I can't walk in that. I am choosing to walk in the joy, love, and faithfulness of my Savior. He is the only One who will never let me down.

I'm saving my favorite for last.

Then he said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the LORD's presence." At that moment, the LORD passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and shattering cliffs before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire, there was a voice, a soft whisper...(1 Kings 19:11-12)

For context read 1 Kings 19, specifically verses 9-18. God is vast and huge, yes, but His presence doesn't always feel that way; at other times His presence is felt as a soft whisper. He is near at all times, for those of us who love Him and know Him. All we have to do is call out to Him. Do you know Him? He is always so good to me, especially to have me right where I needed to be in His word today. Won't He do it?

I can attest to feeling God move in my life in both big ways and in the small, still moments of the everyday mundane. Both are equally as wonderful and encouraging, because I know that He is always working on my behalf. I know He'll work on yours, too! 

We're certainly never promised an easy life here on earth, but He will always equip us with whatever we need to get through the impossible moments. Ask me how I know! I know He will do this for you; it seems so simple to say that He is trustworthy, but He really is. It's scary to remember that He's trustworthy, but He is. It's hard to let go of life as we know it and surrender it to Him, but it's always worth it do just that. He is always good, on the good days and especially on the bad days, and He loves us. Do you know Him? I haven't asked that in a while, but please reach out if you want to talk more about this. My email address is allboys@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all. 

Jenn