Boundaries

As I was reading in Joshua this morning, I was struck by a long, detailed list of the borders of the land allotted to Judah. I’ve got to be honest; I was bored. It was only twelve verses; however, I couldn’t help but wonder why on earth God thought these details were important enough to include them in the Bible because when I read them, they have no meaning to me since none of the places listed are familiar to me. I can appreciate the historical factor of having it included, but it prompted me to ask God why borders are so important to Him. Within me, I immediately heard, “They create boundaries.”

Hmmmm…that made me wonder why boundaries are so important, which in my mind automatically linked together both physical boundaries and emotional boundaries when I began to consider their importance.

The list I created was this:

• Boundaries provide safety, keeping those things in that should stay in and keeping those things out that are potentially harmful.
• Boundaries create a sense of ownership.
• Boundaries provide a record for future generations to know the history of the area – both what has been conquered and what has been taken.
• When there are boundaries, it provides an understanding for people to know where they belong and also to Whom they belong.
• Boundaries also keep things out that we’re not meant to have dwell among us because those things draw us away from God and His plans for our lives.

So, how does this apply to living a renovated life? In all kinds of ways! More than one book has been written on the topic of establishing healthy boundaries in our lives. I’m not going to try to rewrite what has already been said so well. Put quite simply, boundaries establish a line that we either allow others to cross or we don’t, and there are those for whom we need to have very strong boundaries in place for our mental health and overall well-being. That may mean that we keep them physically out of our lives or, if there is reason for them to remain in our lives, we set up clear limitations of what is allowed, even in the ways in which we’re spoken to, and what isn’t permitted, standing our ground to keep those boundaries in place.

When we set boundaries, we take ownership over that area. We have a sense that it’s ours to tend, keep, nurture and cause to thrive. We know what’s ours and we take care of it. Future generations also know our history as we pass it down through storytelling, written records of marriages, births, home leases and ownership, journals and more. Generations can know what we’ve conquered, where we’ve failed  and also the ground we’ve laid claim to as our own, leaving it as a legacy to their generation and beyond.

Boundaries can create a sense of family, community, tribe and culture. They can be found in any setting and they can be healthy or not. For instance, our past includes being a part of a church culture that became incredibly unhealthy and it took us years to heal from it. Our journey out of it has included setting up boundaries that now also consist of not only being able to identify when things are “off,” but in being able to say no to following a leader when that’s the best decision for us to make.  It’s founded on knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt to Whom we belong and Whose leading we follow.

I think what struck me most in my reading this morning were the notes I read about those whom the Israelites didn’t quite drive out from their midst. Two of the places were in Joshua 15:63 and 16:10, but those certainly aren’t the only places where this idea is mentioned. The notes in my Spirit Filled Life Bible talk about how Israel’s failure to fully drive out the foreigners in their land would affect “the moral and social fiber of their lives for generations” and how it would also “eventually turn the Israelites from following God” (p. 328). I know that I can look back at times when I’ve allowed relationships to become a part of my life, both as friends and as love interests, and those individuals have drawn me away from my relationship with my First Love. If not for His grace, my life would have been train wrecked more than once, most especially when I was engaged at 19 to an abusive alcoholic, all the while professing my faith in Christ, yet not honoring Him with my body or my actions.

I wasn’t following God during those times, but God still pursued me, much as He illustrated through the life of Hosea and his marriage to Gomer. God continued to love me, just as He continued to love Israel despite the multitudes of times they turned away from Him. He restored me and when I read words like these, I see myself in them, “For you have stumbled because of your iniquity (sin); take words with you, and return to the Lord. Say to Him, ‘Take away all iniquity; receive us (me) graciously.’”…To which He responds, “’I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely’” (Hosea 14:1-2, 4, words in parentheses added).

I have enough strong will in me to sometimes fight against things that I may feel have been imposed on me, but I’ve learned that boundaries aren’t for hemming in unnecessarily, imprisoning those within. Instead, they’re a protection, a means of keeping those things out that aren’t meant to come in and keeping within those things that are meant to remain. They create a sense of identity and ownership and within that dual plan, we can know to Whom we belong. We can also know that when we’ve strayed outside of our borders and stumbled, we can return, experience healing and know that we are loved.

Spirit Filled Life Bible (2013), New King James Version, Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Choices

Have you ever decided to paint a room, knew what color you wanted, went to the store to get your paint, then stood before the vast selection of shades in your chosen color and been completely at a loss as to which to select? Frustrating, right? You went into the store thinking you knew exactly what you wanted and came out with a variety of color samples to try on your walls before committing to a decision. One moment you were confident and certain and the next, you were confused and unable to complete your task. Alternatively, maybe you simply wanted to save time and get it done, so you grabbed a color you thought would be right, then got it on your walls and decided you couldn’t stand the choice you made.

How many times do we face that same uncertainty or even the repercussions of impulsive decisions made in our own lives? We head in a direction that seems certain only to find that making our decisions isn’t as easy as we’d thought it would be and we’re left frustrated by not being able to move forward as planned. We may then act on impulse and make a choice that ends up not being what we’d really wanted.  Sometimes, there are simply too many options. Any one of them would be good choices, but we’re left wondering which one is BEST?

Unlike the animals, we were created with a free will – the ability to choose. While there’s great freedom in that, tremendous responsibility comes along with that freedom. Our choices often affect those around us. This knowledge can be a catalyst for positive action or cause paralysis.

Recently, I’ve become very aware of my choices, especially in the area of how I’m feeling at a particular moment and how I’m responding to others. I’ve had opportunities to recognize that I could either be angry, frustrated or discouraged or I could choose joy instead. While this isn’t revelatory, it’s been freeing to remember that I really do have the power to choose and to set the course of the rest of my day based on that choice.

Whether I’ve been “set off” by my son’s bad mood, a decision made at my other son’s school, or poor communication between myself and another, I get to choose how I’ll respond and how I’ll let my response shape the next hours. Sometimes I’m better at making good choices than others. The great thing? If I don’t like the “color” I’ve chosen, I can choose a different color and repaint the walls, much as I had to do this week in the form of an apology to my son when I didn’t react well to his grumpiness. Those are the moments that become object lessons for us both as I model asking for forgiveness, he extends it and we move on choosing joy and transforming our days.

Sometimes we’re faced with much larger life decisions. Should we move? Should we change jobs? Which college is best for our child to attend? Should we take a particular risk and step off a ledge without knowing if there’s a net below? In those moments, we can sense the paralysis caused by the fear of making the wrong decision, especially if there’s more than one good option for us to consider.

Years ago, we heard a message that was life changing for us. In it, the pastor talked about this very issue of having more than one good choice set before us when making a major decision. We create our lists of pros and cons and all the while we’re trying to think ahead as we wonder what would happen if we make one decision over the other. How will that affect the rest of our lives? This pastor said we become so focused on discovering which one is the BEST decision when God is offering us the opportunity to choose between more than one great option. He’s allowing us to exercise our free will and choose, knowing that either one will have His blessing on it. That was incredibly freeing to us because we no longer focused on “what if we make a mistake,” but instead focused on “which would we like to do?” That opened up an entirely new world to us – one in which we partnered with God to determine His options, then enjoyed His delight in us choosing which of these great options we’d like to do, trusting in Him that the outcome would be good because His blessing was on it.

We don’t always get to repaint right away when we make a poor color choice. Sometimes, we have to live with our choices and suffer the consequences of being surrounded by a color we don’t like very much. Those are the times when we have an opportunity to learn how to make better choices next time. We learn  how to spend the time and pay the cost of trying some samples out on the walls before making a final decision, rather than acting impulsively in order be done with the task and move on to the next thing.

We also learn how to listen to the ideas offered by our Master Designer who often presents us with more than one design option knowing we’ll love whichever we choose.  

So, which will you choose? Will it be a shade of blue, yellow, grey, teal, green or red? Whichever it is, listen to the voice of your Designer, try out your samples to see which you like best and make your decision.

Soul Restoration

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, even as your soul prospers.”  (3 John 2)

This morning, I began to listen to Beni Johnson share a recent message in which she started with the above verse.  The latter half of it struck me – “…even as your soul prospers,” and it stayed with me. Our souls comprise our mind, will, and emotions. As I let this verse rest deeply in my heart, I began to realize anew that the changes that have been occurring in every area of my health and the ways that God has been opening doors for Brian and me recently have come directly out of our souls prospering as God has been restoring them within us.

When we were born, we were innocent, unmarred by sin – that of our own or that of others against us. However, over time, our souls become beaten up by the storms of life, including storms of our own making. We become marred, tattered, broken. We forget that we have positions as sons and daughters of the King; that we’re dearly beloved and we’ll one day walk with Him on streets of gold.

I began to think about the treasures I’ve found in garage sales. They were once beautiful and wanted, maybe even kept in a place of honor in the person’s home. Over time, they were used, banged up, and became worn. Now, they’ve been set aside, forgotten, deemed as useless or unneeded. How often do we feel that way about ourselves?

Yet, I’ve laid hold of these “finds” with delight, knowing what they can become with just a little bit of restorative effort. After the work has been completed, I’ve displayed them proudly, used them with joy, and made sure that they were kept in good condition. If I look at that piece that I love and notice that something has become broken, I take the time to fix it again, bringing additional restoration where needed.

Psalm 23:3 begins with, “He restores my soul…” The word “restore” means to repair or renovate so as to return it to its original condition” or to “return (someone or something) to a former condition, place or position.” 

A former condition…place…or position…

He sees us in our broken condition and as Someone with an eye for beauty beneath the surface, He chooses us, lifting us out of the pile of worthless rubble we toss ourselves into. He smiles, knowing what we will become as we are restored, brought back to our original condition, made new. He returns us to our positions as sons and daughters as we walk with Him in the place of His presence. He continues to delight in us simply being with Him, caring for us daily, mending new areas as needed and He does it all with such great love for us, deeply desiring that we would prosper in all things and be in health in every way.

It all begins with our souls. 

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

Over the last four months, God has been accomplishing a lot of renovation within my soul and spirit. He’s been knocking down walls, breaking open vaults filled with things I’d locked away, and opening passageways to hidden rooms within my heart that were meant to be filled with love instead of darkness. I’ve experienced anger and pain as I’ve worked through issues of abandonment, rejection, and even betrayal. My Father has lovingly ripped areas of my heart down to the studs so that it could be rebuilt with beauty and mercy.

Recently, this theme of mercy has been like a revolving door, coming round and round again, within my mind and filling my soul. The lyrics to Amanda Cook’s song, “Mercy,” have captivated me entirely.

My past embraced

My sin forgiven

I'm blameless in Your sight

My history rewritten

Cause You delight in showing mercy

And mercy triumphs over judgment

Oh Love, great Love

Fear cannot be found in You

And there will never be a day

You're uncertain of the ones you choose

So I will awake

And spend my days

Loving the One who has raised me up

From death to life

From wrong to right

You're making all things beautiful

As I worshipped to this song this morning, the thought came to me, “What IS mercy exactly?” I found that the meanings include “unfailing love, kindness, tenderness, and an outward expression of mercy.” To have mercy means to have an “active desire to remove distress, to show compassion, pity, and love.”

This is what Father God has done for me – shown me unfailing love, kindness, and tenderness and He has removed my distress. In the words of the song, my past has been embraced, my sin forgiven, I’m blameless before Him and my history has been rewritten.

Mercy is also what He delights in me showing to others – doing what I can to remove others’ distress, showing compassion, pity and love. It’s in that place that forgiveness can flow, just as it did when Jesus hung on the cross and said with all the love in His heart, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Honestly, the idea of showing pity creates a struggle within me because I immediately think that pity is not what I would want another to have toward me; however, when I look at its meaning, I’m better able to embrace it. Pity defined is the feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortunes of others. I can instantly feel that way for others and often do when those whom I love are suffering. I’ve just never thought of it as pity before.  

As for others showing it toward me? Those who know me well know what I have been walking through and I know they’ve felt measures of sorrow and compassion for what I was suffering. Yet, they’ve also seen God holding me tightly in His embrace. They’ve seen His peace and grace enveloping me and protecting me as if I were surrounded by an impenetrable bubble. There is no pity in that – only sweet smiles of joy at the realization of His mercy bringing me healing and freedom.

I mentioned to Brian this morning that what was on my heart to write today really wasn’t connected in any way to a house. I couldn’t figure out a way to draw from a specific house-related theme and connect it to mercy. Bri immediately answered, “Houses have to be decorated. Why not decorate them with mercy?”

Why not? Mercy triumphs over judgment and our Decorator makes all things beautiful.

 *Definitions for “Mercy” taken from the Spirit Filled Life Bible, Nelson Publishing.

** Bethel Worship Live with Stephanie Gretzinger: "Mercy" & "The More I Seek You"

Letting Go

I’m a hoader – of sorts. I don’t fill our house to overflowing and the things I save aren’t useless pieces of junk. They’re things that have meaning. As our children have grown up, I’ve been saving anything and everything that I was certain they would want to treasure and smile at as they had their own families – like every piece of school work they brought home, including every piece of work we completed during the years that I homeschooled them. I always planned on creating separate boxes for each child and separating everything by year, but since we have four kids close together in age, I was lucky to have one box per year that I tossed everything into as it came home! I know they’ll love me for it someday…

I also still have every note I passed during certain years of school. I thought it would be really important for me to be able to go back and read those as my kids were reaching that particular age. It would help me remember what it was like to be a 7^th grader or a freshman or other ages. I imagined myself sitting with my daughter someday, reading through the notes, laughing about how silly they seemed, while talking through how important that drama was at that time in my life and relating it to what she was going through right then. It was a beautiful picture in my mind…and one never acted upon in real life. In spite of that, those notes sit in a box somewhere with all of the other boxes we’ve stored in the basement because I’m still hanging onto them, unable to let them go.

Our lives can often be a picture of that, can’t they?  There are so many things we hang onto, believing we’ll want or need them someday and while they may not be kept in literal storage rooms, we tuck things away in our minds, preserving them and keeping them more fresh than any box ever could.

Minds are incredible things. It’s amazing to me to realize how much I’ve held onto and yet how much I’ve completely forgotten. I’ve blocked out whole portions of my growing up years because they were hard and I believe that my mind has protected me from remembering every little detail because of the pain it would bring.

Still, some of those things replay over and over in my mind as if I’ve put the film on repeated loop. You know what that’s like, right? Those are things that have been stored away for safekeeping that we then take out every now and again, view in our mind’s eye, memorize every detail (again) and sink into experiencing it over and over. When the memory is a good one, that can be a wonderful experience. When it’s painful, it’s something else entirely.

Sometimes, we’re completely blindsided by a memory that we’ve packed up and placed in a vault with higher security measures than would be found at Fort Knox. It has remained in that place, likened by some to an enclosed time capsule, completely untouched for years. When it’s dug up and unlocked, it can be as fresh and new as if it had just happened and the associated feelings can be almost unbearable.

At times, those things can be blown open, set off by a trigger device that we thought we’d kept out of reach. Then we’re left shell shocked by the breach of that which we thought had been securely locked away.

I believe that at other times and in God’s perfect timing, the Holy Spirit gently and kindly unlocks things within us that we’ve kept hidden away, and even forgotten about, because God wants us to experience the freedom found in letting those things go. He has the master set of keys to every lock and knows the combination to any safe ever created. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows where we’ve buried it and out of His abundant love, He uncovers it, brings it out and offers us an invitation to be rid of it.

The hard part for us can be the letting go. Even in the most practical of terms, when we clean things out in our homes, it can feel painful to let go of things not needed or used because we have an attachment to them. It’s much the same way in letting go of the unseen things - we have an attachment to those things for any number of reasons. Maybe it’s due to shame. Maybe it’s because we’re protecting others. Maybe it’s due to fear of what others might think if they see our junk out at the curb. Maybe it’s simply due to the fact that we’re comfortable with it being where it is and it’s going to take too much effort to get rid of it.

Those things that we hang onto create clutter and eventually leave very little room for the things that we want to hold onto. Like items that are perishable, some things begin to rot, stink, and even decay the things nearest to them. Other things are held onto for so long that the boxes they’re held in begin to break down, toppling over and spilling out everything onto whatever is around them.

We need to let go of the things that we don’t need – things that bring us pain and warp our image of ourselves. Those things need to be removed so that they no longer clutter our thoughts and become such weighty burdens that they’re too heavy or too big to lug around. We don’t need them. They aren’t treasures and there’s no good value in them, even in the eyes of others.

The best way to unlock the vaults and unload the boxes is through the power of forgiveness offered to yourself and to others. While it’s not my intention to make light of it because it’s not a simple matter, it’s easier than you would think. Put simply, Jesus died on the cross on our behalf so that we might be forgiven when we had done nothing to earn that forgiveness. If He did that for us, who are we to not forgive ourselves or others?

It’s time to clean house. Use the power of forgiveness to loosen your grip and make the choice to let go.

You don’t need that stuff anyway.

Monsters Under the Bed

Remember when you were little, you’d been tucked into bed, the lights were out…and you were SURE something was hiding under the bed? You could hear it breathing, were sure it was drooling, and you KNEW that it had its fangs bared, ready to gobble you up. You could hardly breathe and were too scared to cry out. You definitely weren’t going to put your feet on the floor to run out the door because that assured you would instantly be grabbed and dragged under the bed to certain death.

You tried to talk yourself out of it – tell yourself it wasn’t real…but imagination is powerful, paralyzing. Eventually, you’d manage to squeak out a call to your parents or babysitter. They would come in, discover your terror, turn the lights on and show you the truth – no monsters were hiding under your bed. They’d calm your fears, tuck you back in and say goodnight again, this time leaving the door cracked and the hall light on to let the light dispel the darkness. With light shining in, you weren’t afraid. Peace came over you and you could drift off to sleep knowing you were safe because monsters couldn’t hide in the light.

Even as adults, we’re still terrified of monsters – they simply come in a different form. No longer are they hiding under our beds, but inside our minds. Our minds can be dark places and darkness only breeds more darkness. Things look so different in the dark. An innocent shadow can appear to be a living source of imminent danger waiting for the opportune time to make its move; a sudden noise confirmation that it’s about to take place. Then, when we finally awaken in the morning and light floods the room, fear has left us and we realize just how silly we were the night before.

Because of our pasts, many of us have hidden monsters that no one else has seen or known about, but they speak their lies to our minds, paralyzing us with fear and leaving us unable to cry out for help.  We think that if others knew the truth, they would never see us the same again. They would reject or abandon us entirely because the truth makes us too ugly to love, so no one can know it. The monster of shame has come and torn us to shreds with its razor-sharp teeth.

Think about it, though. When you come into a dark room and turn on the light, it dispels the darkness and darkness can no longer fill that space. Did you know that God is personified as LIGHT?

• “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1a)
• “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” (John 8:12)
• “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:5)

Did you know that He calls us out of darkness and into the light? “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (I Peter 2:9, emphasis mine)

Here’s the thing with God – we feel like we need to cry out for help because we’re trapped in darkness with monsters under the bed, but God is actually taking the initiative and proactively calling us out of it and into the light. We don’t have to ask for a rescue, He’s already there and He’s the light Who is able to dispel the darkness for good.

How I wish it were as easy as simply flipping on a light switch…Here’s the hardest part in my mind. We need to actually be willing to respond to His call, which means we need to allow His voice to become louder than the voices of the monsters telling us lies. Lies that would seek to isolate us from others, keep things hidden, cause us to live in shame and paralyze us from taking the first step to come out of the darkness and into the light.

That first step can be terrifying and can feel incredibly costly, as if you’re going to lose everything dear to you. It requires bravery and courage. Even though God is the embodiment of light and He’s calling you out of darkness, you may need to squeak out a cry for help and allow those who love you to come be God’s unconditional love in tangible form, turning on the light on for you and showing you that the light has chased away the monsters. Let those people surround you.

We also need to be willing to let go. There are some who simply shine a RAY of light into the darkness. They want to leave it, but choose stay in the shadows, held there by shame and guilt. They cling to the monsters, unwilling to let them go because they’re familiar to them. Even if they chase them away, they somehow miss them and invite them back. They want them to go, but they may not fully believe in the goodness and love that can be found in the light, that those would be enough to bring healing, acceptance and love, so they cling to that which they know. Somehow, that feels safer for them, without any risk or need to be courageous. They "need" their monster.

Recently, I’ve been allowing God to shine His light into darkness of my own, kicking out monsters that have lived under my bed for far too long. I can tell you that He IS able and through the pain, a depth of grace and peace has rested on me like I’ve never experienced before and I’ve discovered beauty within because of it. Truth has finally been able to illuminate my mind and there is freedom in my soul. I KNOW that I am a beloved daughter, adored by my Father, and I am reveling in the love that He’s pouring out on me. I delight Him and He has brought “my soul out of prison, that I may praise His name; the righteous have surrounded me, for He has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 142:7, paraphrased)

My heart is that you, too, would be able to drive out and let go of the monsters under your bed, discovering the same freedom I’ve found. Be brave. Let His light shine into the darkness and if you need help, let me know. I’d love to surround you with His love. Trust me – monsters can’t hide in the light.

Work in Progress

I could never live in a house under construction. The mess, the people in and out, the delays, the number of decisions to make…I would completely lose it.

I like everything around me to be in its place, neat and tidy. Order brings peace to my world; a feeling that all is right and well in my life. It gives me a sense of protection, with my home being a strong fortress in which I can find refuge.

There are always the small things that need to be repaired, which are easy to handle. Even while doing minor repairs, we can still clean the house and put everything in order. Then we can invite people into our home and no one will see the leak under the bathroom sink…nor do they necessarily know that the inside frig doesn’t work very well, so we really use the one in the garage…or that under the poster on that bedroom door is actually a BIG hole.

While some things can’t be missed, like the driveway caving in or a garage door needing repair, guests have no idea what actually needs to be addressed in our home. We create it that way. We want others to see the very best, not the mess. But, we know. We live with it every day.

That’s pretty much a picture of our lives, isn’t it? We like things to be neat and tidy. We keep things patched up and glued together or even hidden so that it looks like everything is in great shape. If we put a fresh coat of paint on the walls or line them with wallpaper, we can cover up a whole lot of scars and imperfections. It gives us a feeling that everything is all right. We can still invite people in, because we’re able to hide our brokenness.

Yet, it’s all an illusion.

Bri will sometimes look at a bathroom renovation with a potential client and they’ll tell him that for now, they only want to replace the tile on the walls, not the shower base. Bri will show them how their shower base is already beginning to break down and within a short time, they’ll be forced to go ahead and replace the shower base, potentially causing damage to the new tile. Even worse, if they wait on the base, it WILL worsen and it may cause even greater issues that will require the shower having to be completely redone all over again. The clients’ goal is understandably to save money, but in the end, it will cost them so much more to not address it completely and fully from the start.

It’s the same in our lives. We ignore things that are broken within us. We cover it up, make it look pretty and go throughout our days acting like all is well. We like to focus on that which will cost us the least and try to get away with only renovating what we WANT to change.

We’d rather not make a mess of EVERYTHING. People would SEE that.  We couldn’t keep that hidden and it would get all over everything. Besides, a project like that would be a lot of work, it would be costly, and it would likely run over schedule. Who has time to have their life interrupted for that long?

Ask me to live in the midst of renovation? I don’t think so! Stuff would be in piles all around me and dust would cover everything. The constant banging and other construction noises would put me right over the edge. I would get totally over stimulated and “peopled out.” Trust me. It wouldn’t be pretty! Just do the repairs on what I’m willing to do for now and I’ll deal with the rest when it’s REALLY needed.

The problem? Renovation is inevitable. At some point, things will either become so bad that there’s no choice but to fix them or we’ll arrive at the place where we no longer want to live in past decades. Certain things need to be ripped out, let go of, and have the focus shifted to the present day. If we wait to deal with rotting areas, those will begin to affect the areas around them – relationships, work, health and so much more.

Eventually, we’ll be forced to gut everything and live in the mess – a mess we’ve now initiated and invited in. That’s exactly what’s needed to happen all along.

The idea of renovation can be scary. There are so many unknowns. What’s behind that wall? What will I find under the carpet? What if it’s a whole lot worse than what I’m expecting? What if things don’t turn out the way I’ve pictured it in my mind? What if there are delays and I’m stuck in this mess even longer? What if it ends up costing me way more than I had planned on paying?

Terrifying. Real. Paralyzing. Who wants all of that?

But if we wait, the brokenness within keeps getting worse and it begins to affect other things in our lives. As many have been quoted as saying, “Change happens when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of change.”

So, we give in. We welcome the Contractor and His construction crew. We work together with them and we allow them to make a mess in order to create something of greater beauty and function. We allow the work to continue, even past the time when we thought it would be complete. We know that in the midst of the project, we’re still safe and protected because now, our true refuge and fortress is being uncovered and it’s been worth the cost.

Whole. New. Beautiful. We want ALL of that. And, God will give us the grace we need during the process.

Grace to live in the daily mess.

Grace to have things be in process and not immediately completed.

Grace to be patient as the work is done.

Grace to find joy along the way.

Because we trust the One doing the work, it will turn out even better than we could have ever imagined.