Embracing Your Story

This summer at West Ridge, the ladies have been meeting to study and discuss the book, “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp.  I’ve gotta say, I have really enjoyed reading this book! Ann takes us on a beautiful journey as she learns eucharisteo – to live fully – understanding and embracing grace, finding joy, and practicing thanksgiving in ALL things. 

First of all, I love to read! I thoroughly enjoy a great page turner and I can zip through books pretty quickly.  But this one, oh, have I slowed down!  I’m reading and rereading chapters. Highlighting sentences, paragraphs even!  Which is sooo not me.  Normally, I dare not to even smudge pages of books (respect for the printed page, lol!).  But with this book, I’m just trying to soak in all I can and letting my yellow highlighter run rampant!

There is a quote though, right from the very first chapter, that I simply haven’t been able to shake.  Now, I don’t want to ruin the book for anyone who has yet to read it, so I don’t want to share too much.  But after I read this quote, I haven’t been able to escape this thought…

“Maybe you don’t want to change the story, because you don’t know what a different ending holds.”

I’ve read that sentence over and over these last few weeks. Mulling it over in my head.  How many times have I ever thought to myself…

“If I only had made this decision instead of that one.”

“If only this had happened instead of that.

“If I would have only taken this path instead of that one.”

I could go on.  I’m sure you can relate.  Ever get caught traveling down memory lane, pondering how life would be different if you had made different choices or if situations had different outcomes?

This book has had me thinking about my life.  Wondering if I had done something differently, would my story have been different? Or, if a certain situation that I thought was bad at the time would have turned out differently, would my life be what it is today?  When I get stuck in those thoughts though, I go back to Scripture:

“For he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Ephesians 1:11b (NLT)

And I can confidently say, no.  No, I would not want to change the story, because I don’t know what a different ending would hold. I would not want to change the story because it’s God’s story!  It is His story of love and redemption.  It is a story of how He can take what was meant for evil and use it for good.  It is a story of His grace and beauty.  All those heartbreaking and dark times, all the times of pain and desperation, all the times of bringing me down low, if they were erased, where would I be?! What would my future hold?

I would never have needed a Savior.  I would never have known real, true, extravagant love.  I would never have learned who I truly am and how God sees me.  I would not be the woman I am now, on this amazing journey with my Lord! 

I love how Ann goes on in Chapter One to come to this thought, “There’s a reason I am not writing the story and God is.  He knows how it all works out, where it all leads, what it all means.”

I want to encourage you today, to embrace your story. I’m not saying we should live in the past or repeat our past sins.  But to realize that your story – all the ups, downs, everything – is His story.  The pain you have experienced or the hurt you are going through, God knows.  He has a purpose for it and He knows what it all means for your life.  And we can trust Him in it.  He knows how it all works out and He’s got you in the palm of His hand. To quote Ann one last time, “God is always good and I am always loved.”

Ladies, take your story – His story – and give thanks for it! I dare you to see through all those things you wished would have turned out differently and realize God has or will redeem them.  Be thankful for them, even the ugly and painful parts.  Because God IS always good! And you, sweet friend, ARE always loved!

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20 (NIV)

“Give thanks in ALL circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (emphasis mine)

Ladies, we love you and are always here for you! Please email us at: women@westridge.cc with questions or prayers...

Post by: Marcy Gates

What To Do When You Doubt Your Purpose

God has been teaching me about purpose and what it means for my life and I think it applies to all of us. I would love to encourage you by sharing some of that journey today...

Over the course of my Christian walk, I have listened to plenty of sermons on purpose: finding your purpose, the purpose driven life, living out your purpose, etc. I thought I had it all figured out. I knew what it meant to have purpose, I knew God created us for a purpose and I thought I knew what my purpose was. I was in college in this season of my life, bright eyed and bushy tailed, dreaming dreams of dreamers.

That’s right I had a plan! Oh yes! I was going to graduate earning my Master’s degree, get married, become a school social worker and live happily ever after. I was certain I knew my purpose and that was to be a social worker. This was my calling and my ministry. And in my young girl mind, it was set in stone. Looking back now I can hear a sweet southern voice chime out, “Well, bless her heart!” (You know how they say that in the South when they feel pity for someone else... That is what I would have said to me back then!)

You see somewhere along the way I caught on to the notion that you have only one purpose and you have to find that purpose then live it out. For some, this rings true! But for me it wasn’t that simple. For me, each turn of rejection meant I wasn’t fulfilling my purpose. Each dead end social work job felt like failure. It didn’t take long for me to walk around looking defeated and feeling frustrated. I begin to feel like I got it all wrong. Like I heard God wrong, maybe social work wasn’t my purpose at all?!

Have you been there? Have you felt the heavy weight of lies that scream failure?

God says:

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Seven years later, I am still not a school social worker but I can assure you I am fulfilling my purpose. We all go through seasons and God appoints a time for everything…

“There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

    

    a time to be born and a time to die,

    a time to plant and a time to uproot,

    a time to kill and a time to heal,

    a time to tear down and a time to build,

    a time to weep and a time to laugh,

    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

    a time to search and a time to give up,

    a time to keep and a time to throw away,

    a time to tear and a time to mend,

    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

    a time to love and a time to hate,

    a time for war and a time for peace.”  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)

A time for everything.

Recently I was having a particularly rough day, I felt high strung, frazzled and was losing focus. There was an event for work that evening and I was all out of sorts. I drove home to pick up a few items and change for the event. While at home I tried to regain focus. I didn’t want to show up at the event with my grumpy face on, so I prayed. I got back in the car and turned up the worship music, when I was reminded of a quote I had seen earlier in the week…

Photo courtesy of Daystar

And so I asked God, “What is my purpose here tonight, Father?” He answered in three simple words “Grace, joy, light.” I repeated His answer all the way back to work. Grace, Joy, Light. My purpose that night, for that event, for those people, was to pour out God’s grace, walk in His joy and to be His light. I asked, God answered, and He set my heart right.

That night God showed me that maybe I didn’t need to follow and pursue only one purpose, but many. He showed me that in this season, my purpose can be different each day and for each moment. Now, I wake up every morning and ask God, “What is my purpose for this day?” Because if I can walk out my purpose each day, then I go with confidence. Rather than continue to question my purpose, God has shown me to trust Him for my purpose.

The Word tells us that God’s purpose prevails. Our purpose is living, breathing, and transforming to fulfill God’s purpose. For some, it is that one thing. For others, like me, it is the daily asking of God how He can use me. Social work may have been my purpose for a season, it brought me to right now, right where I am supposed to be. Each step of this journey was appointed and not in vain.

“Many are the plans in man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

Do you wrestle with figuring out your purpose? Ask God how He can use you today. Ask Him to reveal what His purpose is for you right where you are and at this very moment. You may be surprised with God’s answer…

Post by: Jimmie Lee