Former Turkey

I've been reading this fantastic book by Anne Graham Lotz called Just Give Me Jesus.  It seems like every time I read it the Holy Spirit gives me insight into God or my relationship with him.  This book has been a lot of confirmation for me about what God has been teaching me over the past year.  In a nut shell since 2012 things just keep falling apart in one way or another in my life.  By the world's standards its been the worst year of my life.  However, God has used all the trials to finally get me to the place where I have a deep relationship with him.  So despite what I "should" feel about 2012 I consider it to be the best year I've ever had because the benefits are so great.

So back to Lotz's book...in the chapter about the blind man Jesus heals she confirmed God's use of  trials to draw us into a deeper relationship with him.  Lotz emphasizes that how we face trials is important.  We can look at our difficulties like turkeys or like eagles.  When a storm comes turkeys hide under the closest structure and put their head under their wings.  That has pretty much been my approach, "If I pretend like this isn't happening and wait it out then it will go away!"

In all honesty this is a working approach to life's tough stuff but as a believer there are no benefits to facing a storm like a turkey.  The other option is to anticipate that the storm is coming, because really when is life EVER perfectly calm.  I've discovered life is really just one storm after another.  If I'm prepared in my relationship with God to face whatever is on the horizon in the Lord's strength then I get to take an entirely different perspective.  Lotz uses the example of an eagle who leaves the security of it's nest to ride the air currents of the approaching storm, knowing the wind will carry it higher in the sky than it could soar on its own.

I know this is a way over used example but somewhere between having to quit my job because of adrenal fatigue last year and the heartbreak of infertility this year with all the junk in between God has taught me how to soar.  It's hard to describe because I know the peace the I have is from God.  Suddenly the things that I have been missing in my relationship with God have been filled in as I have been forced to lean into the Lord for my daily sanity.  I am so different now then I was last year!  I have so much more on my plate now then I did then and yet by the grace of God I'm not freaking out or succumbing to the stress.  God is faithful and I am so grateful for everything that has brought me to this place.  I can't even begin to imagine the heights and the depths to come in my life but I know God will use them and that I no longer need to hide like a turkey!