{Roller Coaster Ride}

"The same roller coaster that brought you to your nightmare, will bring you to your dreams."  Beth Moore

Photo Found HERE

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am doing a wonderful Beth Moore study called, James: Mercy Triumphs.  This has been very eye opening for me, as the first few weeks we have been learning about trials and adversity.  Mrs. Moore made the statement above the photo, and I quickly wrote it down, because the visual makes so much sense to me.

The last year has been a struggle, in so many ways, just as it's been absolutely wonderful.  We made the decision to move to GA from Florida because we just were not happy.  As wonderfully blessed as we were, we just knew that our life there was not right.  I know it sounds CRAZY!  We had very good jobs, a home of our own, friends, family, a wonderful church.  Yet, there were things that came up, behaviors and situations that Kevin and I put ourselves in, that really made it clear to us that our life in Florida was not what God had in mind.  That was not an easy notion to come by...at all!   My husband and I fought, cried, and prayed over some pretty serious emotional and physical struggles, before finally deciding that things had to change.  Frankly, the first half of last year was, by far, the most difficult season of my life. 

When we made the move to Georgia, for some reason, I thought that everything would magically get better.  POOF...No More Struggles!  I was wrong!  As a family, we struggled to acclimate to our new environment.  Kevin struggled to find a job.  We struggled to find a church home that would create a stirring in us, like Christ Fellowship did.  It was not easy!

But, somewhere along the way, this stressful, anxiety filled season morphed into one of the best things that has ever happened to me.  From anguish to absolute joy!  I have been able to watch my babies blossom and develop a very special brotherly bond.  My husband just landed the job of his dreams, which was initially on his 5 year plan.  I have kinda found myself again in all of the chaos.  We have been able to spend so much time together as a family...more than we ever would have in Florida.  And, to top it all off, we found a church that we love, one that has completely embraced us and encouraged us when we really needed it most.

We are blessed in the good and the bad.  Without the bad, I don't think we would have been brave enough to take a chance and ultimately find the good we were so desperately seeking.

If you are in a season of just plain difficult...I feel ya!  Been there / Done that! But take heart...it does get better.  Our Heavenly Father made that promise to us.  Stay faithful and praise Him in the good and in the bad!  Because after the trouble passes, the joy is sooooo much sweeter!!!!

"Then fix this firmly in your minds: You're going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You'll be sad, very sad, but your sadness will develop into gladness. "When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there's no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you." John 16: 20-22 MSG

Have a lovely and blessed weekend, friends!