Two P's to Persevere

Happy [[last]] Friday of 2018!

Where did that year go? It lasted all of two seconds. I guess they weren't kidding when they said the older you get, the faster time goes... Where's the slow down button?!

On January 1, the Lord had put it on my heart that "perseverance" would be my word for this year. Little did I know that there would be high highs and low lows that would push me to persevere.. more than I would have hoped and anticipated. 

Now, a few days away from another January 1, I look back and as crazy at it seems, thank the Lord for those moments of 2018 and for the moments that are yet to come in 2019 and beyond, for through them, I found and continue to find a peace, strength, joy, dependence, and love that only He provides.

I was listening to a podcast last night on my drive home, and he was talking about how we oftentimes find peace in the weakest of moments- the moments where all we can do is surrender our hopes, plans, dreams, and future to the one who has complete knowledge of what He is doing, both in our lives and behind the scenes. Can I get an amen?

Surrender. That's been an action I've been trying to practice lately, key word, trying. I'm one to plan, to have things organized and figured out, to understand what's happening and why, to have an idea of what's going on today, tomorrow, next week..

Well, that's where the trying comes in, as many moments I haven't understood, still don't understand and might not ever understand a variety of different things on this side of heaven. 

What have you been needing to surrender and persevere through today? This month? This year?

Are there pieces of uncertainty, rejection, doubt, insecurity, fear, anxiety, or other things that are holding you back from being all that God created you to be?

Giving it all to Him and trusting Him isn't just a once a year or every few years kinda thing. It's something I personally have to do daily, sometimes multiple times daily. Honestly, sometimes it even occurs multiple times in a ten minute time frame.

Hey, nobody said we have to have it all together, and I can assure you, I certainly don't. If you feel like you're the only one who struggles with this, I'll be the first to tell you, you're definitely not! 

I know and trust with all my heart He's got it. I know He has a plan. I know His plans will always be far greater than anything I can dream up. I know that He is good, and I know He is faithful.

It's the act of fully trusting and believing it without a doubt, not worrying, not being afraid. It's the act of surrendering it all to Him. Easier said than done, and I'm one that is continually learning to practice this day by day. 

As the year comes to an end, that's something we can all learn from and bring into 2019.. but how do we do that? 

Two things that have been a big part of 2018, two P's.. Prayer & Praise.
{{If you have any that have helped you, I'd love to hear about them! Wanna grab coffee and chat? Great, same :) }}

Prayer can be a tricky thing. As easy as it is, because we can literally do it any time and any where. It's so easy, but something we oftentimes overlook and casually will do every now and then. When I was growing up, we said our prayers at bedtime and as I grew older, I'd pray every now and then, but nothing super consistent. As I've learned more about who Jesus is and developed my own personal relationship with Him outside of school and going to church with my family, it's taken on a new meaning.

Rather than something to do, it's become a time when I can just bring it all to Him, no matter where I am or what I'm doing. To bring Him whatever I'm feeling- whatever I'm afraid of, worrying or stressing about, anxious about, happy about, excited for, any and every emotion, because guess what? He likes hearing about it all. You can be specific or as broad, He'll be there to listen. ​​

"But what if He isn't listening?" Are there times you've felt that He doesn't hear your prayers, that He wasn't answering them, and what's the point?.. I've felt it and I've wondered the same thing.. I know He hears them all, but why wouldn't He change this or that which has been part of these prayers for so long? It might be hard and we might not understand, but He hears every single one of them. He knows your heart, He sees your tears, He knows your pain, your joy, every bit of how you're feeling.

Have you ever heard the song "Unanswered Prayers?"

The chorus says: 
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
And just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers

I look back, and couldn't agree more with those very lyrics. It's crazy to think what life might look like if He did, and I'm sure glad He knows better than us and is the one in control, and not me. Cue the praise. 

The truth is, He hears you. He cares for you, and He loves you more in a single moment than any other individual could love you in a lifetime. You might feel as if He isn't listening, but can I encourage you to trust Him? 

He will answer you. Maybe not in the way you expected, in the time you hoped, or how you had planned it all out, but He is faithful and He isn't going to let you down. He will be with you every moment, and as Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

So maybe you feel as if He doesn't hear you, isn't working, nothing's changing.. but I assure you, just because you can't physically see things changing, He's constantly working everything together for your good, behind-the-scenes. In the meantime, can you praise Him through the trials, the tough times, the good times, the uncertain times? 

As strange as it sounds, try thanking Him next time you're going through a less-than-ideal circumstance. Thank Him for strengthening you, shaping you, molding you, holding you, having your best in mind, and never giving up on you, for being the one constant, for preparing you to receive the promises that He has in store for you. 

Keep persevering, keep going, keep stepping and keep trusting. He will provide you with exactly what you need, at just the right time, not a second early or a second late. He has the best in store and it's going to be beautiful.

​ 2019 will be your best year yet!

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