It's the process...

I'll start this post with lyrics from one of my favorite songs right now...

No mountain, no valley, no gain or loss we know
could keep us from Your love
No sickness, no secret, no chain is strong enough
to keep us from Your love
to keep us from Your love

How high, how wide
No matter where I am, healing is in Your hands
How deep, How strong,
And now by Your grace I stand, healing is in Your hands

Our present, our future, our past is in Your hands
We're covered by Your blood
We're covered by Your blood

-Healing Is In Your Hands (Christy Nockels)

Now that school has officially begun I have found it is so easy to get in a routine and stuck in the same routine that I have grown so comfortable in since beginning at Troy. That is exactly why I have decided to do the opposite, and make no plans and let go of "believing" I am in control. I am such a planner, need to know what's going on, but lately not only has the Lord shaken that concept up but has made it to where my plans have not happened. When this first happened I become frustrated, but then became thankful, let me explain. This summer I had the opportunity to serve at Bayside Church in Sacramento California where I learned comfort is not a place the Lord calls us to, in fact where in the bible did God choose to use people who were comfortable? You won't find it because he chose to use not only the weak to lead the strong, but those who were willing to abandon there comfort zone and trust in the Lord with everything they had.

After arriving back in Alabama many people have asked what is one of the biggest thing you learned this summer and I say this: I learned I had become so comfortable in my life/settings/friends/etc that I had completely taken the Lord out of being in control. Life had become such a routine, that I was not only missing out on the joys of life but I wasn't experiencing the freedom that we have in Christ. Freedom to not worry about the little things, but to trust God in and with EVERYTHING! Seems like a basic concept right, so how did I miss it?

I let so many "good" things fill my life, serving in this ministry, helping out with this, and so on, that although they were good things, I was missing it!

Lie:If I can stay in control (If I am strong), then I will be safe.

*Truth: True strength and safety come through surrender.

(Psalm 62:6-8)

All this to say, I have realized how easy it is to slip right back in to the very thing the Lord broke me free from this summer, so what can i do? Cling more to his word now more than ever! After all, we may struggle with the same thing time and time again, but if we are truly giving it to the Lord, a pattern often occurs. Each time the realization of the pattern shortens and eventually, we break free. This isn't always the case, there are times when it is instantaneously; however, I often find its the process that makes it worthwhile. Its in our state of desperation and our times of crying out to him that He shows us in his own sweet way He is there and has been all along. He is there to comfort us, hold us, and even cry with us as he patiently waits for us to realize our strong need for him!

Take this time to ask what process the Lord is trying to take you through right now. What does he want to heal you from today? What are your struggles/desires you just can't seem to let go of? I encourage you to let go and let God take it. It may take time, it may not, but let him love on you as he wants nothing more than for you to cling to him.

He cares for us more than we can ever imagine. What an incredible God!

-Han