Trials in life | Personal Update & Encouragement

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

Wow.... things can certainly change over a year can't they?!?

Just I year ago our family went through a big change. After 6 years in Las Vegas, we moved to Texas... the life of military right? It was a welcomed change, but still a big change. Even though we were pretty excited to move, being completely honest, it has been a very very hard year... Hard in a lot of ways... Mentally, Physically & Emotionally.

This past year we have been met with many challenges...

- Adjusting to a new home, town & climate

- Dealing with illnesses within the family

- My sweet Papaw passed away

- Battling with decisions & figuring things out

- Strained relationships

Etc....

These are just a few of the things that have come up this year, and without going into much detail, we'll say that it was a lot on us. I thought I was handling everything pretty well until recently when I think all the stress caught up with me. I finally realized how much has happened in the past year and how hard it was.

So, a few days ago I took time to reflect and although it was hard to think about, it also helped me work through some things. Yes, there were a lot of hard times this past, but there were also some really beautiful things about the past year too.

You may have heard the saying "a bad day doesn't mean a bad life." and oh how true that is!

Maybe you can feel me on this, and you have hit a rough patch lately... It's tough, but it doesn't mean that all is bad.

We all go through trying times, and those trials will change you.... but you get to decide how they change you.

Will you let the hard times mold you or break you?

That's right; it's our choice how we let trials in life change us. We can breakdown and be defeated, or we can choose to acknowledge the hard times, dust ourselves off and keep going anyway.

I don't know about you, but I choose to become stronger and keep going.

"He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might, he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40: 29-31

I know for me, when I'm dealing with hard times, the best thing I can do is to have faith, pray a lot and look for the good.

If you are going through a tough time, I encourage you to:

- lean on those you love

- Let yourself feel all the feels and then keep going

- Get your feelings out by talking, writing, working out, getting outside... whatever your thing is.

- Know that it's okay to not be okay for a bit.... as long as you don't stay in that place for long.