Great Is Your FaithfulnessSample

Faithful to Break Down + Build Up

To be frank, I am quickly approaching age 50, the decade known for midlife crises, introspective reevaluation, renewed self-awareness, and the launch of senior discounts in the McDonald's drive-through. While I plan to skip the midlife crises (fail to plan, plan to fail), and the McDonald's drive-through, a healthy practice of introspective reevaluation can be helpful as you navigate from one season to the next. In many ways it tethers you to what you know about the God you serve and reminds you of His faithfulness in each season of your life thus far. If He did it before, He will do it again!

I think back to the path my life has forged over the decades.

• Teen's--Self-Discovery
• Twenties--Fresh Experiences in Young Adulthood
• Thirties--More Self-Discovery + Mega Transition
• Forties--Harvesting from the Thirties + Planting More Seed

Each decade has required surrendering more of myself. While I surrendered my life to fulfill the call of God on my life as a 14-year-old girl, I had no way of knowing the required Pathway of Discomfort that would lead to the off-the-charts growth trajectory that came in my 20's. College, a brand-new marriage, forging a path as rookies in full-time ministry, and so much more demanded "less of me and more of Him". But just as I was starting to find my legs and walk with more confidence, the rigors of parenthood sat me back down, requiring me to surrender what I'd grown to love doing in platform ministry in exchange for some of the most hidden years I have encountered to date.

The season shifted. And while my husband kept moving forward with opportunities to preach and minister, I remained behind to focus on the ministry of motherhood. I loved being a mother and it's one of my most prized callings to this day. But to do it effectively, the Lord was asking me to surrender the stage for the secret place.

I didn't crave the stage, make no mistake. But this introvert had surrendered to His plan and embraced that. And now it was time to let it go, too.

Decade Three seemed to be God's means of breaking me down. Was it all doom and gloom? Not on your life. Raising those two amazing girls brought so much joy, I can't even adequately express it. But it also cost more of me than I had thought possible.

The beautiful harvest of surrender, however, is the faithfulness of God to break down and build back up. He takes what you thought was so great as you hand it off with trembling hands and, in exchange, leads you to the next pasture over, which is loaded with ripe potential. From that season, I harvested Sanctuary , a ministry for ministry wives. I learned I loved to write, even if no one was reading it at the time. I grew in discernment, dove into the deep recesses of prayer, and discovered the beauty of discipling and shaping two incredible young women named Bonnie and Libbie.

What is God asking you to lay down right now that you're holding onto with white knuckles? Let me encourage you today, friend: God is faithful to break down, but He's also faithful to build up.

Dig a Little Deeper

Be still and know today. Know that your heavenly Father's exchange program is second to none. He gives good gifts to His children when we are willing to trust Him with what we hold in our hands.

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