About five years ago while going through a mid-life crisis, sitting in front of a computer at a job I hated, I discovered blogs! I LOVED these things! Fashion, lifestyle, career, inspirational – I couldn’t get enough of these online magazines (as I thought of them). It may have been the escape factor for me, fantasizing about these lifestyle stories! Also, I have to mention, at this time, I’m not at all into social media, but one day, clicking on the little camera icon, Instagram appeared! This was even better than reading the blogs! Yeah, I guess I just like looking at the pictures (they’re worth a thousand words, you know!)
It became a dream of mine to quit my job, work from home, write and use my creativity to produce a blog! Well, parts of this fantasy came true! I left the job and worked from home. In addition, I started my first social media account, Instagram of course! Fast forward to about 3 months ago and an account I’d been following and engaging; an account with thousands of followers wanted to know if I wanted to contribute! What! OMG! This was a definite mountaintop moment for me! This was another part of the DREAM coming true! Then just a few weeks later, the work from home job ended! (Yes, this is the job that pays the bills, and I still have a house payment). Isn’t life crazy! True story, and the reason and belief for the title – life has its ups and downs, highs and lows, but either or, you gotta have faith!
It takes time to build the kind of faith you know you can always turn to when life is going good or bad. Faith to know you’ll always be taken care of financially, mentally, physically, regardless of the situation! The money’s going to be there, no need to worry or get anxious about things. Healing will come. That lesson is taught in “Give us this day our daily bread”. God will always give us what we need, when we need it. Just like in the wilderness, the manna, take what was needed for the day. He will provide new tomorrow, each day. Whether loss of a job, a loved one or a relationship – He’ll give us what we need each day to make it through.
Life is going to happen. The good times and the bad. The celebrations – new job, new relationships, births! Then those things come to an end – the bad times. Speaking from personal experience, if there’s no faith, life will spin out of control! Bad health resulting after worrying, anxiety attacks, breaking out in rashes, immune system crashing, hair falling out, you name it! There has to be a solid foundation to get back up, get your footing, and start moving forward. And whatever you do, don’t look back! That’s nothing but a waste of time! The only time God tells us to look back is to see from where He brought us. That builds faith.
Without faith, Peter not being on a solid foundation (water), started going down. It took Jesus’ outstretched arm to lift him up! Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2).
Believe – Rock bottom is the most solid foundation. There’s no place to go but up. It’s the best place to get steady, stand strong, and start building. My most traumatic time happened in my youth (20’s). Hate to admit it, but it was a breakup (eyes down, red cheek emoji). I lost 30 lbs.; gave up a dream, career building job; left a city and life I loved; and went back to my small hometown; lived with my mother and literally cried for months. I’m so glad that happened because through the healing, I realized I was a true child of the King! Years later – new job, new town, new friends. BAM! Another job ends! A new friend stops by to check on me. During her visit, she says in amazement, the most encouraging beautiful thing. “You act as if nothing has happened, no worry at all!” That is when I realized how much faith I had built and how strong it had become.
There’s nothing like having faith so strong that people can’t even tell what’s gone on! (The peace of God). Again personal experience, it’s hard getting through life without it! Don’t think this is what George Michael was talking about, but that’s the kind of faith I’ve gotta have!
Old soul, still young at heart. Country girl, loves what the big city offers. Lifelong learner, trying to remember to put God first. Connect with Lynn on Instagram at @lyving50
Fail Forward – Creative Souls
September 26, 2019 at 2:31 pm[…] a follow-up to my last month’s story, after losing my job I sure enough didn’t look at it as a failure. I honestly looked at it […]