What would happen if you just got still? Would the world as you know it fall apart? Would you?
Sometimes we stay busy to outrun our fear of failure or keep us distracted from thinking. Sometimes, when we are overwhelmed by sorrow or stress, we just long to fix something, clean something … you know, do something!
Research shows that women cry anywhere between 30 and 64 times a year. That means most of us girls shed tears at least twice a month and some of us cry about every five days!
Happy tears. Sad tears. Angry tears. We cry for all sorts of reasons.
Some of us are “Tricklers.” You know, we have an occasional tear drip from the eye, but it’s usually quick, controlled, and rare.
And, then there are the “Niagaras” among us! Do I even need to explain? A gushing flood of liquid emotion pours from both eyes at a moment’s notice! Then the waterfall lasts much longer than that one moment!
Any worn-out, weary women out there?
Oh, girl, we all feel it from time to time. I’ve been in the fast lane for the last several months and I’m feeling it! Between all the emotion of losing my dad paired with all the ministry travel, I feel like I’m running on fumes.
Life can just deplete us, can’t it? And I know you know exactly what I’m talking about.
When we feel weak, we need strength. It’s just that simple—and that difficult. That’s when we most need to pray.
I travel and speak to women, as well as work with them during the week. So, I’m surrounded by women all the time. Younger ones, older ones, happy ones … uh, not so happy ones! (That last one would be me every now and then! Ha!)
And, what I have noticed is that I am not only surrounded by women, but I am surrounded by excellence!
Oh, girl, none of us are perfect. We all have our bad days. But in all of these women, I have seen some great qualities that make up an excellent woman.
Do me a favor and close your eyes. Now, imagine you have to walk from where you are to your refrigerator without the help of your sight.
How would you feel? If you’re brave, try it. I’ll wait.
It probably wasn’t easy, was it? And, it may have even been dangerous or comical.
The truth is, when you can’t see, life is a whole lot easier if you have a guide—someone to lead you, show you the way, and teach you where to step so you end up in the right place.
Being blind, I need a guide to get me to the right place. But even if you see 20/20 (or good enough), you need a guide, too.
Have you ever been to Seattle? Girl, it’s stunning!! We had perfect weather, ate fish and chips on the pier, visited Starbucks’ headquarters, went to Pike Place Market, rode the ferry, and … went to the dentist.
Dentist? Yes.
Phil and I sat outside Pike Place Market, sipping Starbucks and nibbling on a cinnamon roll. Until one fatal bite changed everything.
Do you ever choose a word for the year? I do! I pick one so I can take the whole year to learn it, live it, receive it, and understand it!
So, what was my word for this year?
Happy.
Not long after I picked that word, though, I broke my finger and my hero dad passed away. Those aren’t exactly ingredients for happiness, huh?
A broken finger was a painful annoyance, but losing my dad broke my heart. Even so, in the midst of it all, I am still learning what it means to be happy.
Before I lost my hero dad, I had no idea grief would make me feel fatigued and hollow. There were many days I thought, “I can’t do this” or “I can’t face this.”
And then, I thought about my mom.
The strength I see in my mom is beyond what I imagine possible. Dad was her best friend. For 55 years, they did life and ministry together. Now, she is alone.
Don’t you just sometimes get tired of dealing with hard stuff?!
You know … strained relationships, difficult bosses, constant conflict, illness, financial stress … hard stuff!
Our hands can droop and our knees can wobble. We can look over our shoulder and think about turning back.
I’ve got 5 pieces of good news for you today (psst…and a cute gift), and they’re all from the Old Testament book of Hosea…
If you need this truth to be real in your life, then you need to join 13,000 women just like you who are doing my Hosea Bible study online with LifeWay Women!
