Break Through

Have you ever noticed how plants can break through blacktop and cement without hands or tools?

Somehow they know they must push on to survive. Once they make it through their barrier, they don’t know their life or outcome. They may not get enough water or sun or they may get cut off or trampled, and yet they still grow and push forward. It takes deep roots to give them the determination and energy to grow no matter what comes their way.

I pray God gives me their same determination, strength, and faith to grow no matter what barriers come my way. When I have looked to my own power to break through something in my life, it didn’t end well. In fact, some of the consequences from my decisions and actions will last for the rest of my life.

I, like the plants have an innate drive to keep pushing on through my own limited wisdom and power or through faith that God knows what’s best for me and He will lead me and guide me when I listen. I am either growing and pushing onward or giving up and dying. To ensure my best life, I choose to be deeply grafted in God so I can have the tenacity and endurance to love others and myself no matter what comes my way.  This is just what Jesus says in John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” I am living proof of this scripture. Even though I bear the pruning scars of the bad decisions and actions in my life, I am now experiencing and celebrating the fresh fruit and love through Christ. We can all bear good fruit. It just takes one decision, to follow Christ.

What barriers have you pushed through in your life?

Oh the Winds of Life

The winds of life swirl to and fro inside and outside wherever you go. You can’t run and you can’t hide. How can you face them and live to thrive?

I stepped out my front door into a beautiful breezy, partly cloudy, sixty-degree day with my trusty friend Molly who lives to smell the grass, bushes, and trees on our walks.  Half a mile into our walk a mighty puff of wind hit me from the side, making it difficult to keep walking in a straight line.

“Molly, maybe this wasn’t a good idea and we should turn back,” I said, stopping to ponder my choices. “If we quit and turn around, you won’t get your exercise watching me on the treadmill and I won’t get the fresh air. Molly, we’re going to persevere because it’s only wind.”

We endured the side winds until we turned the corner. Suddenly we felt the thrust of the wind at our backs, challenging us to stay in control and not rush ahead of our feet. We persevered and kept going. We continued along a curved path to meet a gale wind head on, taking our breath away.

“Come on, Molly, we can finish,” I said, reaching down patting her head. “Let’s lean into the wind and thrust our arms and legs forward until we make it around the next corner.” We persevered and kept going to reach our last corner two blocks from home.

It would have been easy to turn around at the half mile and let the wind push us back home. Instead, I decided and committed to start and finish our journey, no matter where the wind came from or where it tried to make us go, and we made it home. 

Today’s walk was intense, leaving me weary but triumphant like many winds of trial in my life. Some come from the outside and we are aware of the conditions before we step into them; some come out of nowhere and leave us little if any control. For me, the harder winds often come from deep inside, winds of fear, sadness, uncertainty, and self doubt.

We will all have winds and be tempted to take the easy way out or to avoid them. When you decide or you are forced to walk through the winds of your life, you will find times of stillness, peace, strength, and courage in the midst of the storm, and joy on the other side. They can help sand off the rough parts of our character and build our faith and endurance, transforming us into mature Christians with more of Christ’s character so we can stay our course, just like He says in Ephesians 4:14, 15.

 ¹⁴ “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Be strong and persevere no matter how you feel. Don’t allow your winds of marriage, parenting, self value, doubt, fear or any other force of the destroyer have a foothold in your mind, heart, or spirit. End strong with a song.

There is a song by Casting Crowns, “Praise you in the storm,” I have linked to this blog. Please click on the video link and be inspired.

Lyrics to “Praise you in the Storm” (words by Mark Hall)                                                      

I remember when I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry you raised me up again

My strength is almost gone how can I carry on 

If I can’t find you

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear you whisper through the rain

“I’m with you”

And as your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise

The God who gives and takes away

Chorus

And I will praise you in the storm

And I will lift my hands

That you are who you are

No matter where I am

And every tear I’ve cried

You hold in your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I’ll praise you in the storm

What winds or storms of life have you endured?       Praise you in the Storm Video