Refuge for a Single Mom

7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.  II Corinthians 12:7-10

Last week was very interesting and very busy – to say the least.  Among a lot of other things, I’ve been feeling very discouraged and very alone.

Fortunately, no matter how rough I get to feeling, no matter the reason, I always have one true and loyal friend that is always there, always listening and best of all, loves me unconditionally.  (Thank goodness for that!!!)  *smile*

So, while praying one night last week, I got to thinking about how much God has touched my life, how much He has changed me.  I got to thinking about who and what I was without Him and how far along He has brought me.  

Imagine a puppet, a marionette, if you will, with just a string or two.  Kind of flopping around aimlessly, with little to no direction, no coordination, no charisma, no personality…nothing.  That was me – totally!

Like a lot of people, I too ‘asked Jesus into my heart’ at a very tender age, during some highly emotional altar call at Church Camp, however, for many years, I wandered, I rebelled, I went in every direction but the one God called me to.  Therefore, I don’t consider myself truly saved until 4 ½ years ago when I deeply and honestly repented of my sins and made a total commitment to follow Him and glorify Him in everything I do.

In this very short, but productive 4 ½ years, God has added more ‘strings’ and ‘details’ to this ‘doll’.  By His grace I have become more focused, more convicted, more committed, and overall, more beautiful and coordinated in every way!

For a little while now, I’ve been working on a little side project - something that is extremely dear to my heart and has no monetary value whatsoever.  Just a true ‘vision’ to do the will of God and glorify Him in the best way I know how.  I’m not quite ready to talk about it yet, but it’s been coming along quite well.  I truly believe that this is something that God would have me to do!

On Friday, I suffered a bit of a setback.  Something someone said led me to believe that I had nothing to offer, that I couldn’t be a good example to others because I’m essentially not a finished product.  Well, Hello?  Who is?  Can I not witness to the grace of God and His goodness in my life?  Can I not be a good example because of my accomplishments thus far?

The thing here is this; we MUST be happy and content with WHERE we are in Christ, WHO we are in Christ!  Not that we don’t continue to strive to be more, to be a ‘better’ version, or to be all that we can be through Him on this Earth, but we have to love ourselves and be happy where we are.  We can’t consume ourselves with being someone or something we are not.

This has been one of the hardest lessons for me to learn.  I am typically the type of person to care what other people think and to over analyze everything!  The past, the future - usually a lot of things that I have no control over anyway.  One thing I found that I could control, however, was me.  I could ‘decide’ to be happy and joyful and let things roll.  I can praise God for the lessons I’ve learned, the blessings I’ve received and the victory that He has planned for me!


10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.  Philippians 4:10-14

Only when we are satisfied with what He has given us, will He trust us with more.  More blessings, more responsibility, etc.

Obviously, we all have a long way to go.  We all have ‘fine-tuning’ to undergo.  In the meantime, however, most of us have learned a lot and we’ve experience a lot.  Therefore, most of us have some insight to lend to those in a different place, those still struggling to surrender to the will of God.  (They just have to be willing to listen.)

Someday, when God is truly finished, and I am home in Heaven with Him, I will finally get to be a REAL little girl!  In the meantime, I’m just me.  –The ME that God created me to be trusting Him to guide my strings in the right directions!

Labels: Believe, Control, Encouragement, Growth, Learning, Positive Thinking, Praise, Way of Thinking