Enjoyment Leads To Progress.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

I was prompted the other day to make two lists. One listing all of the things I “should” do, today, this week, this month this year etc. The second list was a list of all the things I could do that would bring me great joy. I don’t particularly like these little exercises because I’m not a very deep thinker and I fret that my answers don’t sound very mature or educated. What’s funny is I am the only one reading them but I still feel like they should have a bit more depth and I struggle that I can’t seem to find any.

After I got over myself and began to make the lists I realized that my should do list and my could do list were almost identical. It was kind of nice to see that a lot of the things I should be doing, working, running, writing, working out, and cooking are all things that bring me great joy. What was also interesting was to look at the lists and realize how much effort I have to put in to get myself to do these things each day.

Why are things that bring great joy difficult to begin? Because every single one of those things is hard for me. I don’t excel at any of it. What I do at our office doesn’t come naturally to me, I have to focus and be detailed with paperwork and processes. My favorite part? Interacting with our clients and catching up on their lives, I love the people part, the detailed paperwork? Not so much.

Running and working out make me feel great when I look back at what I have accomplished for the day but I am a bit on the fluffy side right now and well, let’s be honest even when I am not fluffy I am not great at either one. Yes, I am putting in the work and yes it makes me feel good about myself. But, it’s a struggle to get out that door 5 days a week when I am also aware that in the gym classes I am consistently one or two moves behind everyone else and out on the road I can always be found at the back of the pack.

Ready to Run! / TiffanyAOlson.com

26.2 Baby! Spring, 2018

I didn’t learn how to cook until I got married. I didn’t get married until I was 30. I always joked that Mr. Wonderful, Rachel Ray and Pioneer Woman taught me everything I know. What I really loved to do was bake. When the kids were little and the days were rainy, we baked. I measured the ingredients and they dumped everything into the bowls and mixed it all together. I so enjoyed that time with them and what we were able to create together. What greater joy there then making something yummy from nothing with the people you love most?

Easter Cake 2014 / Tiffanyaolson.com

Easter! 2014

In my post breast cancer world, I have attempted to be much healthier. I still find joy in creating something amazing but changing how you do everything midstream is difficult and not nearly as fun or tasty as it once was. I have not mastered the art of making vegetables taste so good that my family is overwhelmed with joy at what is placed before them. There are many nights when my 13-year-old son doesn’t eat because lentils and kale make him want to gag.

And then there is the writing. Once I get going and get in the zone, time flies, the thoughts keep coming and the world around me fades away. The key phrase above is “once I get going,” I am getting better at sitting down and forcing my fingers to move until something begins to formulate but I have a ways to go. Writing is my therapy. When I was 15 we moved from Eugene, Oregon to Coronado, California. (Poor Me, Right?) My mom gave me a journal and told me to use it to process my thoughts and feelings regarding all of the changes we were experiencing. I have seasons where I didn’t journal but for the most part, I have been journaling for the last 34 years. The other day I pulled out those old journals to see if I could find a thread throughout that would give me insight and direction about who I am and how I am wired. The only thread I found is that I was never a deep thinker and I was boy crazy from the womb. At least I’m consistent.

Let it out / Tiffanyaolson.com

Filled Journals From The Last Few Years

When I look back at my list, however, I am wondering if maybe the struggle is part of what brings the joy. Each time I make the choice to get out the door for a run, come up with a new recipe to try, write down some thoughts or love on the people I encounter at work.  I am choosing to hunker down, give it my best shot and hope that I do it a little better today than I did it yesterday. I take pride in looking back at my day knowing that I have intentionally added in things that don’t come easily for me because it makes my little world a better place to live in.

 

Have A Beautiful Day My Friends!

If You Are Still Breathing… It’s Not Over.

One week from today I turn 49. Forty-Nine! I do not feel this old… okay maybe a little. I think the hardest part is how close it is to 50 and in my mind, I still think I am in my mid 30’s. Mind you, I don’t LOOK like I’m in my 30’s but who cares about those small little details?

Interestingly enough, I find myself doing what I did when our daughter turned 15 last year. I remembered what it was like to be 15 and it was strange to think I had a person in my care who was the same age as a year that I remembered so well. This time, however, I am reflecting on when my mom turned 50. How many of your parents birthdays do you truly remember? This one stands out because our family was going through a hard time. My parents were in the middle of a divorce and my mom who was mostly a stay home mom up until I was 15 had to learn how to support herself and start over.

As one of her birthday gifts, my sister wrapped up a picture of an ultrasound of the 1st grandbaby to be welcomed into our family. What a huge gift Taylor Kate was, is, and always will be. Her little life brought hope and joy to a family who desperately needed something positive to focus on.

When I look at my mom’s life over the last 23 years it is amazing to see all that she accomplished after 50. When I was 15 she purchased a fur store she was working in at the Hotel Del Coronado. Overnight she went from housewife to business owner. After the divorce, she had to figure out how to make something that was supplementing income into something that was her sole source of income. Over the years she changed it over to a women’s clothing store and eventually ended up in a nice space on Orange Ave in Coronado, right next to the Brigantine. She loved that store. It was hard work and she was exhausted a lot of the time but owning a store in one of the most sought out vacation towns in the country had its perks. She met a few famous people, made a few good friends and made enough money to live on and help out her kids every now and again.

I sometimes fear that life has passed me by. That somehow I missed out on doing something I really loved doing or I didn’t try hard enough to chase my dreams. But when I stop and reflect on the life my mother has lived I realize that my life is only just beginning. There are more races to be run and more words to be written. There is a lot of life to be lived and I am ready to live it.

Here’s To Living…

Have A Beautiful Day My Friends!

Tiffany

How Do You See Yourself?

If I could give you one thing in life, I would give you the ability to see yourself through my eyes, only then you would realize how special you are to me.

My friend Taryn posted this quote beneath a photo of her four kids on Instagram. Her kids aren’t little anymore, two are in college, and the other two are in middle school. They are well past the “everything you do is adorable,” stage. They have lives and opinions and dreams of their own now. They are old enough to have experienced things that have begun to form opinions about who they think they are and what they might possibly become. Taryn see’s the innocence and childlike qualities, she always will, they are her babies.

Kirks / TiffanyAOlson.com

Somewhere along the way in life we begin to see ourselves in a certain way. We either label ourselves based on past experience or we get labeled by others and right or wrong we take those words and let them form who we become. When I was young people told me I was personable and friendly. I liked this label and it has propelled me to be a person who enjoys being around others and has given me the confidence to be open and outgoing which has fostered a multitude of lifelong friendships.

Another label spoken over me that I held onto for years and years is that I wasn’t pretty. I hit that Jr High awkward stage right about the same time my sister hit the senior in high school beauty stage. My mom was in her 40’s and well, they got a lot of attention. At one point someone said to me, “If you ever want to be a head turner you will need to dye your hair, get a nose job and a boob job.” I was 15. It wasn’t true but it sure shaped how I viewed myself for the next 10 years.

Sedberry's 1983 / TiffanyAOIson.com

…”Wow! You look so much like your dad!”

I became the family historian and have spent the last several years pouring over family photos. I ran across my freshmen year school picture the other day and other than the frosted hair and blue eyeshadow, I liked what I saw. I was pretty. I wished I could go back to the awkward 15-year-old me and tell her it was a lie and that she had so much to look forward to as she would grow up to be a college graduate, wife, mom, small business owner, runner, breast cancer survivor and a writer.  Her beauty is different than that of her sister and mother but she is still pretty. The confidence that knowledge would have given me would have saved me from years of poor decisions trying to make up for what I thought I lacked.

 

Tiffany 1987 / TiffanyAOlson.com

I loved Taryn’s quote because it reminds me of what God sees when He looks at her, her children and all of us. He sees the whole picture. And he likes what he sees. What if we lived  life seeing ourselves through our Father’s eyes? How much different would our lives look? How much more confident would we be? I’m guessing we would spend a whole lot less time thinking about ourselves and get on with the business of living.

Have A Beautiful Day!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

13.1- 2017 / TiffanyAOlson.com

 

Thanksgiving! Wow. Wasn’t it August, yesterday? 2017 is quickly winding down and I find myself looking back and wondering where it went. This year I think I will write myself a letter. In it I will write out what I am thankful for and what I  accomplished or could have done a bit better in 2017. Then I will turn my attention to what lies ahead and write out dreams and goals for the coming year. At the end of next year I will reread the letter so I will have better perspective on how things went and where I want to go from there.

Isn’t this a great idea? Since this is Thanksgiving week what a perfect week to get started on all I am thankful for in this season. If I get started now writing the letter won’t be so daunting when the 1st rolls around. I find any time I do any thinking or writing, if I begin with what I am thankful for the words begin to flow and the harder things I’m dealing with diminish a bit in the glow of what I have been given.

One of the greatest things standing out the most to me right now is the gift of friendship. I enjoy having a lot of people in my life, the variety provides perspective in a way nothing else can. I have a very special friend who went to be with Jesus this past week. She lived a long, full life and was dearly loved by her family and friends. She shared my love of reading and at 80 years old was over at my house cleaning with my besties when I was in chemo two years ago. She was very strong and never complained. She liked to hang with the girls and have a glass of wine or two but never wanted to be a burden or in the way. She was neither of these things. Instead, she was a delight to be around and was smart, kind and funny. She will be greatly missed.

I am grateful for is the gift God gave her daughter in her last hour of life. My friend was never one to discuss faith and although her daughter and friends had tried over the years to be an example of Christ’s love for her, we were never quite sure where she stood. The daughter prayed and God answered her prayer. He allowed an exchange to happen in a small but notable way that gave the daughter enough peace to know that God had intervened and was going to take her mother home to be with Him. As hard as it is to say goodbye, there is peace in being given the assurance of where she is now and I can’t think of anything to be more grateful for right now than this. There is beauty in the midst of the pain. I dearly wish there was no pain but I am grateful for the beauty.

As you gather with your family and friends this week, focus on the beauty. Find the good in the midst of the hard. Take a deep breath, look at all you have been given and be grateful.

Nutcracker 2017 / TiffanyAOlson.com

Nutcracker 2017

 

Have A Wonderful Thanksgiving My Friends!

 

 

 

 

and read it to yourself on the last day of 2018. I loved the idea of writing down all my hopes, dreams, goals and things I am thankful for and to have something tangible in my hand to see how much I a

Remember Not To Forget…

The older I get the more  I am discovering how much I forget. Don’t get me wrong, I have always failed a bit in the whole short-term memory category. These days however, if it’s not written down, it’s not happening.  No matter how big or small, whatever the event or task that lies ahead it needs to be on a list or on a calendar and there have to be several notifications to remind me.

In January of 2016, I wrote a post called … Don’t Forget To Remember. It was me reflecting on my cancer diagnosis and how faithful God had been in orchestrating the diagnosis and all the hurdles we were able to jump in order to come up with a treatment plan. I wanted to remind myself to remember his faithfulness because life is super hard and if I can remember that He was faithful then, then I can know He will be faithful in the future.

Fast forward another year and a half or so and I am finding other areas of life where I can find reminders of God’s love and faithfulness. If your phone is nearby, pick it up and open your photos. Scroll. Look at all those faces of people you love and who love you back. I’ll bet you have a smile on your face right now. Such a simple act but a powerful reminder of what and who God has placed in your life.

On those days when I have seen one too many photos of someone’s fabulous vacation on Instagram or I have allowed the accomplishments and achievements of others make me feel like I am not enough and will never achieve anything, I remind myself to look at my photos. In biblical times God instructed his people to set up altars to remind them of what took place. He wanted them to pass by these altars and remember what He had done.

 In the ancient world the altar was almost exclusively built as a monument to remember or commemorate a divine occurrence which took place at a certain location. In ancient Israel altars were very significant, they symbolized communion with the LORD. They were a place of worship and a place to remember His covenant. The “altar’ was a place of “approach”, a place to call upon the name of the LORD and remember His glorious promises.

Photos are my Altars. They remind me of my place in this world and that without me some of those faces wouldn’t even exist. God created me to be exactly who I am and He placed little reminders along the way to show me how much I am loved and needed in the lives of the people he has given me. Take the time to look. Look at your life. Let your photos remind you about your significance in this world and how much you love and are loved in return.

Photos bring me great joy. They are my glimpses of love. They help me remember.

Have A Fabulous Day My Friends!

17 Years Baby!!!

 

Wedding Day 2000

 

17 years!! Tomorrow October 21, 2017, Mr. Wonderful and I will have been married for 17 years! Yay Us! It has been quite a wild ride and far from perfect, but sometimes the imperfection is what makes you perfect for each other.

There were a whole host of people who were unsure if Mr. Wonderful and I were a good fit. He’s very quiet and a “Steady Eddy,” emotionally. I am neither quiet or steady. Happy, sad, excited, mad or indifferent you will know it and most of the time … loudly. Some thought I was just, “too much,” for him and that in time he would struggle with my inability to be a wallflower.

Fortunately, he laughed off these remarks and reassured me that I was the woman he had prayed to God for while fly fishing on the Mckenzie River early one Spring morning. He wanted a woman that would bring vitality and laughter to his life so he too could lighten up and breathe a little deeper. On the flip side, I could be the perfect example of, “be careful what you pray for.” HA!

What I love about him the most are the little things. He’s thoughtful and kind and he remembers what is important to me. Soon after I was diagnosed with cancer we were in Eugene (2.5 hours from home) for some Dr. appointments. We wandered over to the University of Oregon as this is where we lived when we were dating. He began to drive the all too familiar roads of days gone by. After a bit of reminiscing our glory days, he pulled over. I looked up and said, “this is the exact spot where we had our 1st kiss.” He said, “I know, now get out of the car.”

My sweet, introverted, quiet husband reenacted that kiss with me at least 20 times so I could get the perfect selfie. He is not a selfie kind of guy but he loves me and patiently kissed me again and again until we got it right.

1st Kiss Reenactment / Number Your Days

Reenacting our 1st kiss – just after cancer diagnosis

I have no idea what our future will hold and I could never have predicted what we have been through so far. For today, I am grateful for all the years I have been called, Mrs. Wonderful Olson. I am going to forget about the intense conversation we had this week and cherish the fact that the good has far outweighed the bad. I will look at the two lives God helped us create and be thankful they are ours.  I will say a prayer for the two babies that never made it into this world and be hopeful about one day being introduced.

Happy Anniversary, Mr. Wonderful! You have brought more joy to my life than I ever thought possible. Life is incredibly hard but sharing it with you makes the road a little less cumbersome. You are the greatest gift I have ever received.

Here’s To Forever…

On The Run…

On The Run 2017 / TiffanyAOlson.com

 

It’s a new season both literally and figuratively. Fall is upon us and the mornings are crisp and clear, the afternoons are sunny and filled with the sights of red, yellow and orange leaves as they are beginning to show us their glory. I love color and the slow switch from Summer to Fall couldn’t make me happier.

Along with the leaves changing my running routine has had a few adjustments this season as well. At the beginning of the year, I set my sights on racing my 1st Marathon in October. I  started the running process over again due to surgery in December. I set a big goal for myself so that I would be forced to get out the door and finally make this marathon dream a reality. So, I trained and in June I ran a half marathon to test the waters for my ability to continue to pack on the miles until I reached October.

Running this year has been harder for me not only physically but mentally. I finished the 1/2 marathon … barely and was discouraged at how much more difficult it was compared to last year. I trudged through the Summer months and came to the conclusion that my body just wasn’t ready for the push it was going to take to finish a marathon this year.

Several years ago I ran with a group of ladies that hit the pavement at 4:00 am Monday through Friday. When I began running again after treatment for my breast cancer they graciously offered for me to rejoin the group once again. Last year’s 1/2 marathon was something I needed to do on my own. I needed the time and space and the long country roads to process what I had been through and to relish in what my body was still able to do no matter what had happened.

Fall rolled around and it became overly apparent that I no longer needed so many hours on the road alone. I needed friendship, encouragement and accountability. For those of you who don’t know me, I love to run, but I am by no means quick. These girls are all faster than me and have been running consistently together for several years so it took some courage for me to ask if I could rejoin. The response was simple… we run at 4:00 am, if you are willing to show up, we will be there. I am willing.

What a difference it has made! I am always a proponent of doing things with others but sometimes I let insecurity or fear get in the way of stepping out or stepping into other people’s lives. I am running farther and faster than I was before and I have people who like to talk about running and who can celebrate the accomplishment of a 10 mile run on a Wednesday morning before 6:30 am.

There are four total runners in the group. 3 of us have our sights set on a full marathon at the end of April. I have already purchased the plane ticket… Our 4th runner in the group is actually the 1st. She has run The Boston Marathon 4 times and she said the other morning, “I really enjoy running. I sometimes find myself actually smiling while I am running down the road.” I am breathing too hard to smile but I know it will come in time.

With so many hard things going on around us in our daily lives or in our country as a whole, it’s good to seek out the small things that bring us joy. When our cup is full it is much easier to reach into the lives of others and lend a helping hand.

I am thankful for this new season, cool mornings, good friends and long runs.

Have A Fabulous Day My Friends!

She’s Still There

Summer Running 2017 / TiffanyAIOlson.com

My Favorite Running Partner …

She’s Still There: Rescuing The Girl In You is the title of a book that has come out recently by author Chrystal Evans Hurst. I am anxiously awaiting its arrival in the mail which I am pretty sure is today. I am intrigued by the title because at 47 years old, a wife of almost 17 years, a mom of a teen and a tween as well as being a breast cancer survivor, I have wondered more than once over the last few years if, with all that has changed, is the wonder eyed girl still in there. What I am hoping for in the pages of this book is to be reminded of how much God loves me. I want to be able to hear Him say that no matter how out of whack life feels at times that He is going to use whatever is going on to fulfill the plans He laid out for me in the beginning.

Life changes you. I look at the state of our nation right now with all of the natural disasters, people’s lives are in upheaval. Not only did we have Harvey in Houston but Irma in Florida and for those of you who don’t know, a great portion of the Pacific Northwest is on fire. Some of the most beautiful places in this great country have been utterly devastated. (I knew beginning the summer with reading the book of Job was a bad idea!)  It will take years in some cases a hundred years to restore what has been lost. Unlike nature, we humans although a little worse for the ware at the moment, will bounce back quicker because we have each other and the opportunity to trust that God is in control and will see us through.

I have been reminded time and again over the last several years that God uses the really hard things in life to sluff off the junk in our lives so we become more like what He created us to be. Right now when so many are hurting and wondering what to do and where to go next, what’s happening? People are stepping in and helping those who can’t help themselves. My friend Melissa, four days ago, was in a Costco parking lot in Florida. She and her friend watched an older gentleman shuffling his way to the entrance. They asked him if he was coming for water and he jovially told them that he was. They informed him that there was no more water, turned back to their car grabbed out a case and an extra gallon of water from their own stash, loaded it into his car, and told him to be safe. This is just a small example of countless stories and rescues and of communities coming together to help those that have lost everything.

What does all of this have to do with Rescuing The Girl In You? Well, maybe the girl in you has needed a reason to jump in and help. We all have gifts and talents that can be utilized to aid those around us who could use a little assistance right now. Maybe your hardships and struggles are just the background someone needs in order to empathize with those that feel lost in their current circumstances. And maybe, just maybe while you are out there making other people’s lives a bit easier, the girl inside of you, the one that has been missing for so long will reappear because in the end, life is not about us and what we have lost, it’s about love and what we can all gain when we step out help each other.

Have A Fabulous Day My Friends!

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Almost Here…

I read my 1st article of the season about gratefulness yesterday and it flipped the switch for me. I think I am ready to enter the Fall season. I am aware that many schools across the country have already begun but here in Oregon, we do not go back to school until after Labor Day. It’s kind of nice since August and September are our two best weather months of the year.

I was a bit worried I wouldn’t be ready for summer to end. Living on the Oregon Coast does not provide a ton of opportunities for warm weather so when the warmer season comes around, I cherish every single second. I am grateful we were given so many opportunities to enjoy warm weather this year. The beginning of Summer found us in Phoenix and San Diego visiting family. Shortly after this, we spent a week in Myrtle Point, at the Coos County Fair with our kids as they readied their sheep for auction through our local 4H program. On a side note, I have to mention that we have the best 4H program ever. The local businesses come out in droves and generously support these kids, many of whom are trying to earn money for college. Auction day is amazing and a great reward for all those who get to participate. Best of all? Myrtle Point is 45 minutes south and inland from us, so it’s warm.

After fair, we spent the next two weekends camping on two of the most beautiful rivers in Oregon. The Rogue and the Umpqua. Our son squealed in delight as Jerry’s Jet Boats came screaming by on the Rogue and went out of their way to spray him with water. I’m not sure who enjoyed it more, Bridger or the passengers. While on the Umpqua we floated calm waters in inner tubes and kayaks as well as snuck in a few hours of fishing. The rivers?  Inland and warm. Are you sensing a theme here?




These adventures led up to last week which I posted about here. School registration begins this week, along with eye Dr. appointments, sports physicals and hair cuts. My dad is coming to visit for a few days next week and then we are off for one last camping adventure over labor day weekend. I am hoping for warm.

The article on gratefulness came at a perfect time. With Mr. Wonderful’s hand surgery last week we have had several hours of down time and moments to reflect on all that has occurred over the last few months. We have a lot to be grateful for. We have been able to spend a significant amount of time as a family which doesn’t happen as much during the school year due to kids activities and tax season. Don’t get me wrong, we have meals and attend events together but there is just something about leaving it all behind for a few days, floating down a river and sitting by the campfire. It’s togetherness in a whole different way.

I began dreaming of these moments on December 31st, 2014. We had gotten off track and lost our sense of family and fun. When I was forced to stop and given ample opportunity to reflect on our life and the direction it was heading, I made a vow that when I was healed, all would be different.

Look at us! Here we are, living. It’s not extravagant by any means, in fact, most memories of this summer involved a camp trailer, floaties for the river and marshmallows. Okay, the water park in Phoenix was pretty great as well. The point is that for the 1st time in many years we spent Summer, together. We laughed, played, worked and even shed a few tears as no season no matter how great is perfect. But overall it was wonderful and the glow of these memories will keep me warm during the next few seasons.

Phoenix 2017 / TiffanyAOlson.com

Water Park! Phoenix, AZ 2017

Have a Fabulous Day My Friends!

Beauty Out Of Ashes

Thankfulness / Tiffanyaolson.com

Last photos before surgery… Jan 2015

There is nothing more thrilling than taking one of the sunniest and most relaxing times of the year and saddling up to read a book on suffering. Yet, this is where I find myself. I am enjoying it so much that I have found multitudes of excuses not to sit down and read so I am several days behind the rest of the group. I use a daily app from Proverbs 31 Ministries called 1st 5. Right now we are reading the book of Job. For those of you who might not know, Job is a book in the Bible. Job pronounced J – O – B, is a man who lived a decent life, suffered greatly and then returned to a decent life.

At this point in the narrative Job has in a few days time lost all his children, (he had 10) and all his livestock (all his wealth). They perished in a series of raids from neighboring tribes and natural disasters which also consumed his land and dwellings. Shortly thereafter Job was physically struck with boils all over his body. The only thing that was spared was his life and his wife. She’s not the most helpful soul and I suppose she was spared to cause Job even more grief.

Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” Job 2:3

He spends the whole of chapter 3 cursing the day he was born. Job wondered aloud why if God knew he was going to suffer this much, why had he allowed him to be born at all?

A little over a year ago I was gearing up for my 2nd mastectomy surgery. I had recently finished chemo and radiation. During chemo, our business had taken a huge hit as a result of circumstances out of our control. These circumstances had forced us to contact a lawyer as the situation rendered us in a position to not be able to make the monthly note payments (note to future self … don’t go into debt for any reason!) and keep the doors open at the same time.

The day before surgery my besties had gathered at our favorite sandwich shop to hang with me and offer their love and support for the upcoming weeks of recovery. Just as I was headed out the door to meet them, Mr. Wonderful called and said we were being counter sued. I had no time for lunch. I showed up at the restaurant and for the 5 minutes I had to spare, I sat there and cried. Breast removal, lawyers, chemo, radiation, medical bills… it was just too much. I told my friends I wish I knew what I was doing wrong so that I could fix it and the suffering would end. There were more than a few times during that season when I asked God if he would just take me home. I didn’t curse my birth but I was so ready to be done living.

The Art of Thankfulness / Tiffanyaolson.com

Besties…

God was fulfilling a promise in my life clearly stated in the book of John…

…. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

He promised there would be trouble/suffering/pain. No one is spared, not even his one and only son. What I tried to do and what Job did do is to trust God in the midst of the pain. There is grief and tears and a lot of times no horizon of relief to look towards but whether we can see it or not God is always in control. I wasn’t real thrilled at the prospect of reading this particular book of the Bible. Focusing on suffering makes me feel anxious about what our next round will look like. I still have a hard time approaching suffering with an attitude of joy. In my head, I know God creates beauty out of ashes but I have to keep reminding my heart.

Have A Fabulous Day My Friends!