Well that was my word for this year! I have been very quiet this year and sorting through emotions from the last three years! I have been gradually “rising up” in some ways behind the scenes but until today wasn’t ready to share!
Last year began with water flowing through our house when we got home from vacation in March! you might as well say that we rebuilt the whole first floor of our house. Then when it was getting on its way to be finished, the end of September, we took a trip to North Carolina and on down to a Marriage Retreat in Orlando.
While in North Carolina a hurricane came through Florida which destroyed our family’s whole area. We were going to be heading down there after the retreat but of course it didn’t happen. We stayed in the northern part of Florida and came on home.
We still had work to do when we got home and basically picked up the pieces. Just a few months later we had our tenth grand baby, a little boy named Oscar Everette, or Ozzie. What a sweet little boy!
When we have floods, hurricanes, new babies, and all the other things that happen in between we just have to sit down a minute and sort things out! I’m sure you know what I mean!
It just has to take it’s course and sometimes we just have to wait. We have to wait five months for the word we picked for the year in January to start making some sense. I am finally “rising up” and it’s finally a new day and new things are breaking through!
We’ve still been doing the things on our path, but as far as creating or moving forward with the things I had started, the brakes were on, until now!
You’ve heard the saying, “You weren’t created to fit in, you were born to stand out!” Well, from what I’ve experienced the only way we can get there is to walk through tough things.
Those tough things take us right out of the boxes that we are in. Those tough places change EVERYTHING! It changes our comfort zone, it changes our relationships, it may make us stronger and bolder, it may make us calm down and be quieter.
Whatever change needs to happen seems to happen in tough situations. Have you learned to not run from tough things in your life? To accept them as part of the formation that you are supposed to be walking through?
If we were born in a hard family, maybe it was meant to be. If we were in a hard marriage that even ended in divorce just maybe that was part of our story to shape who we are today.
Every hard thing can be restored and renewed! Anything is redeemable. Isn’t that a wonderful miracle? That’s great news! Our story is very valuable and can change lives!
Sometimes suffering can even bring protection. These words that I’m speaking are tough to listen to and accept. We could be heading completely off in a wrong direction and God can see the whole picture in our lives. Consequences in life can put the skids on us to stop, wake up, and get on track in certain ways.
Maybe we are taking people for granted, maybe we are wearing ourselves out, maybe we need to be closer to God and hear His voice. Obstacles in our life can guide and direct us to get all of these things lined out.
Marty and I love to help people with these hard places! We love to help people be on track in their lives and go the right direction. Contact us for a free session to help get the right perspective for your life and destiny.
Your story is worth sharing and helping others change. There are so many hurting in our world today that need help. Stop hiding and let your light shine in dark places.
•Break the Box that you are in and help others Break their Box!!
Last time I wrote was the morning that I was leaving from Florida. Little did I know that when we walked in the door we would see water running through our house. Another interesting adventure that we have absolutely no control over.
We got home March 17th and it is now April 28th and the only thing accomplished was tearing out damaged things and running big fans and trying to dry things out. So we are waiting. We are trying to get things sorted out little by little.
We have been doing a study in our small group called, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.” By Peter & Geri Scazzero. It encourages resting and spending time with God and journaling. It’s so amazing how everything that I run into always directs me right into that again.
Two days ago I got so excited because a little bit of creativity clicked in… we ordered a new cabinet for my salon and it’s a rolling big cabinet to put all of my hair tools in. It actually felt like something was being restored, only temporarily of course, but for a few moments it can feel together and be used. I really am retired from my hair styling business but the station comes in handy for when I want to help friends or family with skincare or even a hairstyle.
From the time we actually got going with the final steps of Pier 7 Healing House we have been going through huge character building trials. We are learning to wait and trust God in this process. He is perfecting things in us to be able to do the things that are ahead. He keeps assuring me not to be concerned at all about our age, we will get through this and be able to help many.
We are taking on prayer sessions and helping people here even in the middle of the hot mess that we are living in. We do not ask for money we trust God. It is what we are about, and what all the trauma that we both have walked through is about. We just keep persevering and are grateful for the good things and new mindsets during the process.
We help out at our local church in an Overcomers Recovery Group, attend a local recovery meeting among other things in the community. I believe that why this all happened on the first floor while we were diligently trying to get the second floor finished was because our Heavenly Father wanted the whole building to be finished with excellence for the people coming so they would feel special and valued.
There is another couple that we know that has a big beautiful mansion in our town and offers free meals to people from all walks of life on Sunday evenings. It’s so wonderful to see things that people are giving away for free, prospering so much. I give away natural Lemongrass Spa Products when I can too, and our prayer sessions with people. Sometimes people need encouragement to take good care of themselves! They need to understand that they deserve it!
We are already in the middle of March for 2022. This year is moving slowly for me. I’ve been trying to get serious about starting my vision board and all I could put is Peace all over the board. That seems to be all I can concentrate on.
That doesn’t seem to be a bad thing to be crying out for this year. In some ways I feel like I can’t move forward out of resting, to pursue goals that I was able to conquer not long ago. I think there may be times of resting and peace and we just can’t feel guilty about it. We just have to roll with what is before us.
Oh I have written several chapters for Marty’s book, we’ve spoken several times at different places, we’ve been very blessed to help out at the Overcomers group at our church, I’ve got a few people that I have the honor of sponsoring from recovery, I get to watch my grandchildren on Fridays, spend time with friends, kids, and my mom… yes these things are some of my favorite things.
I just took on a course that helps with graphic design, Canva, photography and setting up a more professional looking Instagram. We also became a part of a Kingdom Entrepreneur group that helps with ideas and wisdom about many things.
Maybe I just need to go with what’s rolling and not expect it to be like it was a couple of years ago. Yes maybe last year when we went through a year with the word “re-invent” as the word for the year, we should say that it happened. Things got re-invented. Goals are now new, a new normal is evolving. I suppose that it just takes time for the ship to turn around.
Naples Beach, Florida
We can be in the most beautiful place, seeing beautiful sights, experiencing God’s wonderful plan but happen to miss the lesson, the purpose, the story, and the meaning of it all! Yes, there may be a deeper purpose, a deeper thing that we are supposed to catch, something that we can learn, a way that we can dig deeper within ourselves.
What is the bright side? The things to celebrate and be grateful for? What can we be honest about and change? What can we conquer? I’m ready to be home from our trip, we will be leaving in an hour with our two day drive. What can I take home from my trip?
What have I learned from the people I’ve been around? Good and bad? What have I done with situations that were uncomfortable and I couldn’t control? Are there people I have to forgive and not expect too much from? I’m ready to get back home to my own normal and just take time to ponder some of these things.
I think honestly, the only thing that I need to get back in the groove in is my exercise and self-care of me. I’ve been trying to get my habit of doing that going again for several months but haven’t gotten over the hump yet. When I get home I am going to write that on my vision board. It’s time to take the plunge. It’s time to put it in writing and sign my name to it!
See you soon