Are you willing to reveal…to let God heal?

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depression, God's plan, heal, healing, loss, pain, reveal, revelation, shame, testimony, trials, worthlessness

I recently shared a personal story with close friends and acquaintances.  It was a difficult subject to speak on, but I knew that sharing was an integral part of my healing process.  As I gave my testimony, many began to share the fact that they had gone through similar situations.  Sadly, for some, it was the first time they had ever revealed the impact of the loss or trials.  For months or years, they kept their emotions inside and dealt with the pain.

Many of us have grown up in families that teach us from a very early age to refrain from telling family or personal business.  This practice has kept us in bondage for years.  In addition, the enemy seeks to use painful situations to make us withdraw and isolate ourselves.  The result? We are buried in feelings of worthlessness, we suffer from depression, and we endure a sense of shame.

There are some things that can only be healed through revelation. Revelation takes you through a process of accepting the circumstances and realizing you are not alone.  It then allows you to transition from feeling helpless to being secure in knowing that everything is a part of God’s plan.

Revelation must be balanced with prayer and wisdom to ensure we are sharing only with those who can be trusted or those God has called us to minister to.  The great thing about revelation? Your testimony not only begins your healing process, but it often assists others in their healing process as well.

Don’t be afraid to reveal to allow God to heal.

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Do You Trust God’s Plan for Your Life?

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despair, faith, God, God's plan, hardships, hopelessness, intimate relationship, peach, provision, Purpose, sadness, trials, trust

You will face many trial and hardships.  It’s just the natural cycle of life.  In those difficult times, you have a choice to put your total trust in God or to continually question his will.  What will you decide?

It was only a few days ago that I carried the joy of the world inside.  In a split second, my joy turned to sadness.  My sadness turned to despair.  My despair turned to hopelessness.  Tears became the hourglass of my day and I found myself asking “God, why?  Why did this happen?”

There was no reasonable explanation.  There was no one to blame.  There was only the still, quiet voice of God whispering, “Will You Trust Me?”  At first, I kept questioning God as to why this happened.  Then a calm came over me.  Though I didn’t understand why such a sorrowful event had taken place, I knew that God was faithful.  I knew that God was loving.  I knew that that even though this event was very painful, it was a part of God’s unique plan for my life.

I trust God’s plan for my life, though I may not always understand.  My trust comes in knowing that God can see my beginning and my end.  My faith stems from God’s unconditional love and constant provision for my life.  My acceptance flows from an intimate relationship with God.

Dedicated to “Jordan Avery Reid”

Your Plan, God’s Method

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God's plan, layoff, Purpose, unemployment

I’m normally a rather methodical person. I believe that that most events occur or can be solved in a systematic orderly fashion. For most situations, this thought process works well. However, this approach has proved to be ineffective when trying to determine why God allows certain physical or emotional hardships to occur.

After my 4th corporate layoff, I assumed that God was telling me not to work in Corporate America. In my heart, I felt that the series of unemployment hardships were leading me to pursue my Life Coach business full-time. This assumption came with great relief. I had grown tired of corporate politics and was demotivated by the continual cycle of budget cuts and headcount reductions.

I was excited about the thought of being a full-time Life Coach and started to focus on action items that would expand my business. However, after only a month of unemployment, I received a job offer from a corporate educational institution. In my heart, I knew that the job offer was a blessing. However, I couldn’t help but question God as to why I was being pulled back into yet another corporate environment. Hadn’t I heard from God clearly? Wasn’t the series of unemployment hardships supposed to now lead me into full-time coaching?

The answer was clear, but a little heartbreaking. This was not my time to be a full-time Life Coach. There was more that God needed me to do and retain from a different type of corporate environment.

Sometimes God’s method to enable us to live a purpose-based life may different from our ideal plan. Be open to God’s will and trust that he’s strategically preparing you for greatness.

Your Plan or God’s Purpose?

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God's plan, plans, Purpose

Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Do you often find yourself making plans that don’t turn out like you hoped? You planned on completing your college degree in four years, but it took five. You planned on having a successful career, but economic factors greatly limited your career options. You planned on getting married and having a family by the age of 35, but at 38 years old you are still single. Why didn’t your plans work out as expected? Were you plans aligned to God’s purpose for your life?

We tend to make plans without seeking God’s divine wisdom and insight. As a result, we often find ourselves discouraged and disappointed when things don’t work out as expected. God must be the guiding force for every plan that we initiate. We must seek God and continually work to cultivate a close relationship with Him to gain insight into why we were created.

God’s purpose for our lives is so much greater than our plans.