What's Your Story?

What you have heard is true. God is good. What you have heard is true. You are loved. What you have heard is true. Life is hard. What you have heard is true. Life is worth living. What you have heard is true. Suffering is real. What you have heard is true. Healing can happen. 

    This is me. I cannot only see the good in life. But I also cannot only see the bad. I am sure you also, have lived this way in some way or another. Just like many, my life has been full of ups and downs. Happiness and sadness. Hope and despair. Shame and loving myself at the same time. For my whole life I said that when I grow up, I want to either be a teacher or a bereavement counselor. Teacher, because I loved little kids, and bereavement counselor because I have had a lot of people die in my life, and know I'd be good at loving others through that new harsh reality that is inevitable. I became a teacher to kids with autism almost a year ago and it was not for me. So now, I am on track to graduate in a year with my bachelor's in applied human behavior, so I can work in the mental health field. My family always thought I would be a teacher, because that is what I had been saying my whole life, and I have my associates in teaching. But one thing I am learning is that life changes and you have to be open to God's plan for you, no matter what others' perceptions or expectations are for you. 

    The more my story unfolds, the more I am learning that the way I view and love myself is really the only thing that matters. "Love yourself." These words used to be so hard for me to hear, and still are sometimes. I have held so much shame within myself for the longest time about my dismissive heart that I can sometimes have toward the Lord. He has let things happen to me that I would have never wanted for my life. But I have learned that life isn't always what you want it to be. Most of the time it is is the opposite of what you had pictured. Can you relate? It's weird that sometimes your deepest pain can remind you of your deepest purpose. This rings true to me. As I have shared before, I went through a hard period in my life. But if there is anything I learned throughout that journey, it is that God made me to serve others. To help others know that they are not alone in feeling alone. Loneliness has helped me deepen my relationship with the Lord. Have you ever felt that your pain could be a blessing in disguise? 

    If you are like me in any way, I want you to know that you are not alone. If you have low self-esteem, you are not alone. If you feel lost, you are not alone. If you are unsure what God wants from you, you are not alone. Live loved and aspire to be the greatest person you have ever met because you are already a pretty amazing person. 

    Do you ever have a hard time imagining your life five years from now? I do, but I have an even harder time believing that my desired outcomes will come true. I want to meet an amazing man who loves God more than he loves me, someone who forces me to pray with him when I would rather not, and someone who loves to love kids as much as I do. Have you ever heard of Proverbs 31:25? It says, "She is clothed in strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future." Boy, have I been doing this wrong! For as long as I can remember I have been living in fear. Fear of the future, and fear of failure. But, I am slowly learning that no matter what life throws at you, as long as you have passion, and faith, you can do anything. 

    To anyone reading this, God is for you and He is not against you! He is smiling at you daily, and saying, "if you only look up I can help you." He says, "I love you and I am here when you want me," I am working on growing in my faith constantly, and it is infinitely easier said than done. The one thing I am fully certain of though is that the Lord is patient and will be there for us in the midst of struggle and in the midst of happiness. 

    Be kind and live loved. Serve others and remember that healing is not linear but is possible. Lastly, if you feel like you are missing something in life, get to know God. He can help you with anything! :) 

What a life we get to live. 

Maggie