I went to a meeting last night to hear our Co-Founder Rhonda Anderson from Creative Memories. She is a wonderful example of a Christian woman who keeps her values and priorities in order – God, husband, children, and then her business. She was talking last night about the “bumps in the road” that we can see as problems or hardships, but to take a step back and see them as God’s gifts to help us build character and to learn to be more like Him.
Wow, that’s the lesson I have so been trying to learn this past 2 years – and to brag on myself – I think I’m doing great!
In the past 2 years, I have had to move away from my “home”, learn quickly how to create and implement an entire children’s ministry, how to swallow my pride and ask for free lunches for my children and go grocery shopping at the local food bank, how to realize my “deformed” body is a gift for the parts all still work, to feel alive during chemo when I know I’m filled with poison, and to realize that the whole cancer thing has blessed me by giving me a new outlook on living and has introduced me to some wonderful people.
I could easily take anyone of those things and pout, get depressed, and feel like giving up. I could do the “life isn’t fair” routine – and it’s not! I could give up or withdraw. God has so blessed me by holding my hand through this all and showing me the life lessons I’m learning! The lessons I’ve learned and the person I am today is well worth the hardships. I LOVE my heavenly Daddy like I never have before! I have a crazier faith than I could have ever dreamed I would achieve. I truly CARE about people! I see their needs and instantly want to know how God can use me to help them – much less self focused!
The key though is to realize that God may not always be able to show us the lessons we are learning as we go through the hardships. We need to dig deep and find that faith if the lessons or outcomes are not shown to us! My prayer for my self, is that the biggest lesson I learn is to find joy in everything – even the unknown!
Think about it…. How do you handle your “bumps in the road”?