Good morning As 1 Family!

Have you ever fell, or went through a really rough season spiritually where you felt completely discouraged and even possibly defeated all together? You could not muster the strength to even think to witness or encourage someone else because you felt like you had nothing to give and the thought of going or being in church seemed contradictory to the state of your heart condition? I have been there!

I hate experiencing defeat. Coming out of one of the worst seasons of my life mentally, emotionally, but especially spiritually, I remember driving in to work one day rigged with self condemnation and guilt because I had been fighting so hard against the Lord and all the good that He is. Once again I had to fall flat on my face just to realize how ever present, beautiful and true He really is but I was having the hardest time forgiving myself and accepting His grace and mercy to the point where I did not feel like I could move forward. I isolated myself because I felt so useless. Then out of nowhere the Lord spoke these words very clearly into my spirit, “I am not interested in you for just this lifetime; I am invested into you for eternity.”

I hate that I have to fall down sometimes to remember how ugly I am without the Lord; but if that is what it take for me to run back to him, I thank Him for sparing me through it and accepting my crazy self into His loving arms. Refining fire. I have sung about it many a times. Now I realize what that means. Refine me Lord. Its not in our fall that we should linger, its in our ability to rise again. “Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.” Proverbs 16:24. When I started opening back up to people, you will be amazed at how many people could relate to my experience. We found hope and encouragement in this crazy life.

Humility is a benefit to our fall. It opens up our heart and mind to realize not only do we need Him, but we now so desperately feel more hungry to share that with others who are also broken. Our greatest witness is not necessarily in our constant success, its in our failures because we all can and will fall down. I remember a lady mentioning at a women in faith conference, “The biggest skeletons in your closet are actually what will bring about your greatest testimony in this lifetime.” If we keep striving with the Lord, keep pressing on towards the goal, we give others hope that they can too with the power that is in Jesus Christ, our Savior. This life is not for just ourselves. It is not perfect, nor will any of us ever be. Most importantly, we are not being shaped for just this lifetime, we are being molded for eternity! Amen!

Let us today, confess our sins to the Lord. For he is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us from our wickedness. (1 john 1:9) Out of the strength and joy in repentance, let’s allow our testimonies of His goodness be a light, versus keeping us back from a dying, hurting world!
Have blessed day everyone!

Ange