Beauty from Pain

I'm going through a class right now called Beauty from Ashes. I'm in my third week and so glad I have an awesome friend who cared enough about me to invite me & tell me that I needed this class. I have a lot of skeletons & demons in my closet that I'm dealing with and fresh wounds from the past year.

Okay, I'm about to be REAL and open up a can of Virg Gran - why? B/c I'm sure there are others out there who are going through or have gone through some of the terrible things that I have & really just need a light & a beacon to know that they can weather the storm & reach the other side. I'm living proof that you'll get through this (thanks max Lucado for always coining that saying - lol), but dear reader - you will. In your darkest moments the enemy throws every temptation at you to kill, steal, and destroy who you are. And he's a sneaky little devil b/c he laces the temptation with something that seems like a fix to your problem & that actually feels really good - at least momentarily, but all it really does is prolong the pain & he's trying to do is kill your very soul & annihilate any good that's left in you. Satan wants you to suffer b/c thats who he is & he uses principalities of darkness & an assault of an evil onslaught of tricks & tools to make you absolutely miserable and honestly to hate yourself and ultimately to hate God for not being there for you.

But I'm going to let you in on a secret.
God hasn't left you & He's right there with you holding you, drying your tears & crying that you have to go through this. But why?! Why is He sitting on the sidelines watching every detail of every horrible thing happen to you and doing absolutely nothing to help you?! I'll tell you why, but it's not b/c God is out to get you or that He doesn't love you and just wants you to suffer. It's because people are sinners and we hurt each other, especially ourselves, without rhyme or reason b/c there is evil in our hearts. And God, as great and powerful as He is, loves everyone of us - He loves us so much and even the evil people in our lives (sometime its ourselves) that He gives us free will to choose to do what we want to each other and ourselves. Free will is a bitch (sorry those of you that don't like cuss words) but it really is. God can't stop the evil in the hearts of others or ourselves (unless peeps are interceding & praying for that person) b/c He loves us all so much that He gives us free will to choose. Free will to make mistakes. Free will to be evil to each other. To hate each other. Despise each other. Be jealous. Hurt one another. To do every evil vice humanly possible to each other. To kill, steal, and destroy each other and we even do this to ourselves.

But wait, there's good news! He also gave us free will to love each other. To lift up. To encourage. To ask forgiveness. To keep no record of wrong. To forgive. To speak/write words of wisdom. To take care of each other when we're going through our darkest hour. You see dear reader, God wanted us all to be in relationship with one another but He never meant for us to hurt, harm, and for us to destroy each other. Unfortunately we live in a fallen world and we do do all these terrible things to each other & ourselves. But there is hope. There is a way out. I promise b/c I know God's promise;) This dark night that is your life is falling to pieces all around you and it seems like there will never be a light to save you. But that is the lie of the enemy. There is way b/c there's Always a way. And here's my biggest secret: the only way out of the miry muck is through God. He is the rock that you need to build your foundation on. He is the strength that will carry you through. He is the light that will take away the darkness. He is exactly what you need to get through this terrible time. And maybe you're running from His love right now...well I'm here to say: STOP! Stop running from the Only one who can save you. Stop running from your problems. Stop. Just stop. He's trying to tell you that He loves you - that he loves all of you - no matter what you've done. I know b/c I've been there. Let go & let God;)

Well I feel like I've written a book, mostly b/c I'm typing this on my iphone and it's taking me forever! Lol, but I didn't even touch that can of Virg I thought i was when I started this post. Guess God had something else in mind and I guess you'll have to keep reading my posts to find out;) muhahahahahahhhahaaaaa! (that was completely & totally an evil laugh like Dracula.) LMAO. Blogging is like a box of chocolates, You never know what you're gonna write or read;) ha! One last nugget before I go - just know you're not alone cuz God never leaves nor forsakes us and I promise God WILL bring beauty from all of this pain;) sheez! Im walking, living, breathing proof! So kick your pain in the ass & start hoping, living, and honestly being you - the best you - the person God meant for you to be.

P.S.
Here's my anthem song that has carried me through a lot of shiz & I hope will carry you also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-GPbYcTDbQ