by Stacy Turley | May 3, 2022 | Behind the Scenes, Uncategorized |
In summary, the message I was hearing from God, “YES! But, WAIT!!” My response, “I hate waiting!” The truth is that God’s message for me to WAIT has been a saving grace. Over the next two years from Spring 2020 to Spring 2022, my life changed in many ways including times of high stress, moves, COVID pandemic, a wedding, multiple illnesses, and more. (More details on this in a future blog post in Life’s Journey. Blog post number to be updated soon.) The WAITing was a blessing! Thank you, Jesus, for your perfect timing.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord. ~ Psalm 27:14
Below is a summary of the steps… forward and back… over the last two years. More details will be provided in a future blog post in Life’s Journey.
Two Steps Forward: I completed my Calling Workshop with Dave Rodriguez in the spring of 2020 (Behind the Scenes #1). I received several affirmations of my calling from multiple other sources over the summer and fall of 2020 (Behind the Scenes #2). I was ready to GO!!
One Step Back: August 2020, our daughter was moving from Plymouth, IN, to Corvallis, OR, to go to Oregon State University for Veterinary Medicine. The same weekend our daughter was driving to Oregon with my husband, our son requested help moving from one house to another house in West Lafayette, IN. I was packing, boxing, painting, organizing, cleaning and moving both of our kids within one month. WAITing for more time and less stress.
Another Step Back: By December 2020, I tested positive for COVID. Within two days, my husband tested positive for COVID. WAITing to feel better.
Two Steps Forward: I had a clear vision of the website flow, the tabs, the content ideas and the look & feel. It seemed easy enough. I will create my own website using YouTube videos. How bad can this be? Thank you, Jesus, for clarifying the purpose, flow for this website, and the online tutorial videos.
One Step Back: In the months of attempting to complete the website on my own, the instructions in the video no longer followed the reality of what I was experiencing online. WAITing for help.
Two Steps Forward: I set a budget and plan to find a website designer. No problem! I was introduced to a web designer by a group of men I bumped into at a coffee shop. Yay!! Jesus take the wheel! What a blessing!
One Step Back: I did contact the web designer who was recommended, but his offer and my needs did not align. WAITing again for new opportunity and a new contact. Ok, God. What now?
Two Steps Forward: In late Spring 2021, I was recommended two more website designer ideas through the church as well as through a friend of mine who had just published a book and started a website. (My Favorite Things – Book is called Finding Your Yes by Christine Wagoner) Fantastic! I love referrals. I interviewed the website designer from my friend Christine and we were a match! She loved the website idea and my story. And I loved her quote for her services and her excitement. We were moving forward.
“When God closes a door, He opens a window.” ~ Malachi 3:10
One Step Back: In the summer of 2021, I was experiencing multiple health issues: insomnia, headaches, muscle fatigue, trouble speaking complete sentences, exhaustion, brain fog, anemia, mouth blisters. I made a request to my website designer that we put a hold on our meetings until Fall 2021 with the hopes that I would feel better by then.
Another Step Back: In October 2021, I contacted my website designer to let her know I was ready to resume working on the design at a slow pace. I had upcoming treatment and tests to complete for my health. She offered her apologies as she had taken a new corporate job and would no longer be able to work on the website with me. WAITing for the next window!
Another Step Back: In November 2021, I had three weeks of IV iron infusions for the anemia. In December 2021, I had two biopsies in my mouth and tested positive for a rare autoimmune disease called Cicatricial Pemphigoid. I was emotionally and physically exhausted. WAITing for better health.
Two Steps Forward: I have a team of doctors now working with me to manage my autoimmune disease. Thank you, Lord, for your strength when I feel weak. Thank you for your support and encouragement through my friends and the doctors. I also bumped into another website designer in a coffee shop. Her name is Amy Durbin. (My Favorite Things – Other Stuff). She created this site and she ROCKS!!
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11
WHAT DID I LEARN OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS?
- God asked me to WAIT. He was RIGHT! I learned to be patient through this process through the help of prayer, the support of my husband, family & friends, and the strength of the Holy Spirit. “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” ~ Lamentations 3:25-26
- Satan wants to slow me down. God has a better plan. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 8:37-39
- My timing is not so important. God’s timing is perfect and he has a reason for everything. “ In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” ~ Proverbs 16:9
- Just because we have trials does not mean that God is saying, “STOP.” He may be saying, “WAIT! I am still refining you.” He uses our trials to build perseverance, character, and hope. “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” ~ Romans 5:3-5
- God will use all of our story for His greater purpose. We must NOT give up. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 1:6 AND “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10
My stretch goal for turning on this website was March 18th. My no-later-than goal was my birthday at April 10th, 2022.
We went LIVE on Good Friday, April 15th, 2022!!
I am grateful for ALL who helped me and prayed for me over the last two years. Thank you all for your encouragement, your kind words, your pushes when I felt like giving up, and your love through it all!
And most importantly, thank you, Jesus, for counseling, guiding, strengthening, and fulfilling your plan for me.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
- Where is God showing up in your life?
- In your trials, where do you see His helping hand and encouragement?
- In your celebrations, how is He celebrating with you? Are you giving Him the credit? Are you praising Him with gratitude?
- Do you feel like giving up? What is the NEXT small step you can take to move forward?
- If you are not seeing him in your daily life, take a moment to pray and invite Him in. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you in the small things. Ask Him to help you recognize Him in the daily moments. Then praise and thank Him!
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for showing me your plan for me. You promised you would never leave us. You promised you had a plan for each of us. Help us all to see our next step in your plan and help us to have the courage to obey and take the next step. We are called to have no fear when we follow you, Lord. You have overcome death and evil. You will WIN always. May we trust you and allow our faith and hope to grown more and more each day as we let you lead in our lives. Amen.
Hugs & blessings, Sweet Circle,
Stacy
by Stacy Turley | Apr 29, 2022 | In the Word |
A humorous quote that I have heard many times is that “If we want to hear God laugh, we only need to tell Him our plans.” We so often think we are in control of our lives. So many of the self-help books and modern day quotes enforce this fallacy…for example:
- “No one has power over you unless you give it to them, you are in control of your life and your choices decide your own fate.” Anonymous
- “If you don’t like the situation you are in, change it. You are in control of your own life.” Anonymous
- “You control you.” Anonymous
- and SO MANY MORE!!
However, as a Christ follower, I know that the true control in my life is through God when I am submitting to His will. I am not saying that I do not have free will. Clearly, I do… as seen when I examine the poor decisions that I have made throughout my life and the resulting painful outcomes. I know God would not have lead me to some of the places I have gone! However, I do believe that God is able to redeem my life and my poor choices. He will use my life for the good of His kingdom. When I choose Him, he will lead me to the path that He has laid out for me. And my experiences and poor decisions, the trials that I have endured by my own choices, He is able, willing, and delighted to bring beauty from the ashes. He will use all my story to equip me for the journey He has for me. There is nothing that I have done that will surprise him. He is omniscient…He knows all things. I do not need to hide from Him. I may be my true self and He will accept me. And He is willing to work with all the outcomes of my life due to my own choices towards the good of His kingdom. A few of the scripture verses that I choose to remember and hold as Truth regarding God’s control in my life as as follows:
- “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8
- “He refreshes my soul, He guides me along the right paths for his names’ sake.” Psalm 23:3
- “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” – Proverbs 19:21
- “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:17
Thank you, Jesus!! You are my God and my strength. You lead me in paths of righteousness for Your purpose. (Psalm 23:1-3) I desire to submit to you. I have hope because I know you will make right the things that I have done wrong. All of my poor decisions will be redeemed by You as my Lord and Savior.
REFLECTION:
- What choices have you made in your life that you are not proud of?
- Have you given these to God? If not, why not, my Friend?
- Have you confessed your sin to Him and accepted His forgiveness?
We are saved, my Friends, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus. Not by our works.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)We will never be good enough on our own to redeem our story. But God desires this most of all. That we come running to Him in faith, and He will have His arms open wide to accept us just as we are. To shed light in the darkest parts of our heart. He will hold us and comfort us as we pour out our hearts to him in repentance. He will wipe our tears away and adorn us in white by cleansing all our sin. (Isaiah 1:18)
Live no longer, my Friends, in the chains of bondage from sin. Break free. Rejoice. Praise our Lord. For He is waiting for us to come to Him, and He freely gives us the forgiveness we desire. Let this be your next free choice! Ask for forgiveness, and it will be given to you when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
PRAYER: Lord, our Father, we praise your name as our Redeemer and our Lord. You offer us freedom from bondage. You offer us a better path. You are willing and able to redeem our story as we submit control of our lives to your capable hands. Lord, help us to submit to you. To confess our sin to You. To seek your guidance. To choose You! And as a result of choosing You, we also choose joy! Amen.
Hugs & blessings, Sweet Circle,
Stacy Turley
by Stacy Turley | Apr 26, 2022 | Behind the Scenes |
“Writing…Really? Writing…This can’t be right. Writing…I am not trained for this. Writing…what would I say? Who would listen? Writing…What if I say the wrong thing? Writing…oh, boy!”
My mind was filled with doubts and fear. However, God was not done planting seeds in my mind to help me overcome these doubts, step out in faith, and surrender to Him. He has gently persisted in revealing His plan. And He has firmly reminded me that it is His plan, His words, and His strength that will work through me…not my own. My desire to hear His voice spurred me on in prayer. My prayers allowed God to open my eyes and ears to an awareness that I did not perceive before. I cried out to Him for direction. My plea included phrases like,
- “Don’t leave me in the wilderness, Lord.”
- “Help me hear you, Jesus.”
- “Help me say YES even if I am afraid or feel ‘not good enough’. For it is not me but YOU that I want people to hear.”
Here are the places God met me:
- I received an email from an online Christian devotional site asking if I would be interested in submitting a writing sample to them in order to apply to be a devotional writer. I don’t recall receiving this ever in the past.
- My step: Sadly, nothing. I did not submit a sample, but I did feel God leading me to consider this calling.
- I received an email from Proverbs 31 Ministries to attend a women’s conference called She Speaks for writers and speakers. Again, this was the first time I recall receiving this information on this conference.
- My step: I signed up for the conference!
- I read several devotionals over the subsequent weeks about other servants of God where God was telling them that their wait was over. It was time for them to take the next steps. I felt God saying a similar message in my spirit.
- My step: I spent time in praise and prayer letting God know I see Him moving, and I hear His message for me being affirmed.
- As the She Speaks conference approached, I realized I could not attend the weekend of the conference as I was going to be helping my son pack to move from Indiana to Washington D.C. on a Friday night and then flying out on Sunday to help my daughter move from Indiana to Oregon.
- My step: Doubt and fear. “Did I misunderstand you, Lord?”
- I called the conference coordinator to tell them of my dilemma. To my surprise, they said that the entire conference is videotaped, and I could watch it anytime I wanted to on my own time.
- My step: Praise to God. He provided a window!
- I watched the She Speaks conference online. It was so powerful and provided tools and guidance I much needed on writing and speaking. It also comforted me that other writers and speakers had to overcome doubts and fears when they got started too.
- My step: I wrote my Calling Statement. A Calling Statement is a unique filter to make decisions based on God’s vision and provision for us.
- I received a call from one of our associate pastors at church. She had two women who were looking for a mentor. She said she thought of me and wanted to know if I would meet with them.
- My step: I said YES. I met with one of them and we are still meeting over a year later. We support and encourage each other and I am practicing sharing my faith with her.
Not only does God continue to affirm His plan for me, He also helps me battle the doubt and fear that still sneaks up on me.
- The last speaker of the 2020 She Speaks conference was Jennie Allen. She wrote a book called Get Out of Your Head. Jennie shared how one of the most important battles we will face in life is the battle in our minds. We must find victory of the negative thoughts that circle over and over in our minds. The enemy loves to fill our minds with lies. We must fight this battle with the Truth of God’s Word.
- My step: I bought the book and read it with a friend to discuss and process.
- The same week, I noticed a book on my shelf that caught my eye called, The Storm Inside by Sheila Walsh. It continued to speak God’s Truth to me about overcoming the lies and doubts with God’s Truth of faith and trust.
- My step: I read the book and found many of the same messages from Get Out of You Head. I felt God’s whispers assuring me to keep pressing on. Thank you, Jesus.
- At the same time, I lead a women’s ministry small group at church called Chasing Vines by Beth Moore. So many messages of hope, resilience, and trust that God will walk with us in our calling. It is not to be done on our own but with Him. He is in the lead.
All of these books, speakers, and experiences have become sources of Truth for me. I heard in the words and wisdom of these women writers and speakers that God’s plan is better than my plan. God’s Truth will break the enemy. God’s purpose for me is perfect for where I am and how He has equipped me. He uses ordinary people for extraordinary work, and He does not require educational or societal credentials first. Thank you, Jesus.
Three lessons I learned in this journey of affirming my calling.
- My doubts and fears are not from God. Doubt and fear are from the enemy trying to stop me from doing God’s work.
- God is asking me to step out in faith…to say YES to His purpose for me. I only need to take the steps, but He will complete the tasks, touch the hearts, and change the lives of His people.
- This is about God’s work, not my work. I am a vessel He uses…an obedient servant. I hope to be smaller so that He may be bigger. I want women to hear His message of hope, not my words.
Look for upcoming post for more at Behind the Scenes #3: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back.
Hugs and blessings, Sweet Circle,
Stacy
by Stacy Turley | Apr 22, 2022 | In the Word |
A few years ago I read a quote from a book that stated ANGER IS FEAR’S BODYGURAD by Celeste Ng in Little Fires Everywhere. I had never heard this statement before and it stirred something in me. Was this true? Was anger fear’s bodyguard?
“I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy, no shadow of shame will darken their faces.” – Psalm 34:4-5
When we are experiencing anger or fear, we tend to lash out or withdrawal inside ourselves. We can become emotional and yell, stomp our feet, cry, behave irrationally, or all of the above. In this verse, King David was afraid for his safety as this is likely addressing his escape from the Philistine king, Abimelech (1 Samual 21:10-15). In this Psalm, David is determined to give honor and glory to God who has saved him in the past. As David remembers the faithfulness of God to strengthen him and protect him, his hope and confidence in the Lord to be with him and deliver him from this current fear is also strengthened.
What can we learn from David’s experience in this passage? Here are a few lessons:
- Pray to the Lord. Anger may drive us to lash out to others with hurtful words or actions if we let it rule us. Fear may chain us in our own internal prison with the inability to act at all. When we stop and pray, not only do we give ourselves a moment to calm down, we allow our great counselor to step in and help us.
- The Lord answers us. Jesus hears our prayers. In 1 Peter 3:12 the scripture states, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” As followers of Christ, we have a direct line to the Jesus’s phone. His is waiting for our call…our prayer to Him. When we must invite him into our life and our experiences, he will hear us and he will answer. Maybe not the way we want it answered but he will answer.
- Jesus frees us. We are in bondage when we allow fear and anger to control us. The enemy would love for us to stay chained. Through prayer and the guidance from the Holy Spirit in us, we may be freed from the chains of fear and anger. We can be held in the arms of Jesus as our protector.
- We are filled with joy. With Jesus intervening for us and freeing us from the bondage of fear and anger, we are able to rejoice and radiate to others a strength, patience and calm that is beyond our own understanding. Philippians 4:6-7 states, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests by made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Amen!
- We will bear no shame. When we allow our emotions to rule us, we may find ourselves acting in a way that we will regret later. These responses may cause us to feel guilty or ashamed of our behavior. However, Jesus has the power to bring victory over this behavior. As we rejoice in His protection, we are also able to celebrate that we carry no shame from actions and words we regret.
We may be experiencing anger or fear from a variety of life’s circumstances such as illness, job security, abuse, relationship difficulties, political collapse, war, or everything in between. It may or may not be true that “Anger is fear’s bodyguard”, but we do know through God’s Word that faith replaces fear. Faith will help us remove fear and anger from dominating us and keeping us in bondage.
God promises He will be with me through all of my circumstances…the good and the bad. He will never leave me. God promises that He has a plan for me…a plan for good, not evil. A plan for prosperity in Him. God promises that His kingdom WILL WIN and that I am a child of His who will inherit in His kingdom. And guess what…He not only has made these promises to me, but to YOU also. When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, when you repent from your sin and turn back to God, then all these promises are yours too.
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for loving me even though I still feel fear and anger at times. Help me to overcome these emotions…to not let them rule me…and to put my trust in you. Help me to rely on Your promises and truth and not get pulled into the comments and opinions of mankind. You know me more than I know myself and I desire to trust in You for all things. Amen.
Hugs & blessings, Sweet Circle,
Stacy
by Stacy Turley | Mar 12, 2022 | Behind the Scenes |
If you are like me, you may be curious about what led me to start this ministry, how the website was designed, and WHY I picked some of the elements of the site. So this section is to bring you Behind the Scenes to hear part of my spiritual journey and how my mind was working in the design and feel of the site.
So here we go…Just before I turned 50 years old, I was reflecting on my life up to that point. What are my passions? What are my gifts? What impact have I had on my community from my work experience, my volunteer efforts, my family and friend relationships, etc.? What does God have in store for me in the future? Am I listening to his nudges and responding with open hands? What is my calling?
I was aware that I was over halfway through my life on earth and I was not sure I had yet truly found my calling. I wanted to live into God’s call for me. I wanted to be an active partner with Him in the purpose He ordained for my life. So, I began asking the question, what is my calling? How is God asking me to step out in faith, let Him lead, embrace the uncomfortable, and be a vessel to display and share his love to others.
At the time, the lead paster of my church had recently published a book called A Why to Live for: Where Your Destiny Meets the Broken Places of the Worldby Dave Rodrigues. (Found on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Live-destiny-broken-places/dp/057843797X) Dave was offering to meet with members of our congregation to complete a Calling Quilt. This is an exercise in the book that reviews our past experiences, our highs and lows, our family dynamics, our work experiences, our gifts and passions to determine how our story is pointing us to the calling that God has in store for us. Our purpose…or in Dave’s words A Why to Live For. I met with Dave, and we completed the quilt. And he asked me, “Have you ever thought about writing?” At the time, that is not where I thought I was headed. Was I capable of writing about my journey? Would anyone care? My degree is in accounting not English or Literature or Creative Writing. Is this the door in which God is leading me? Dave helped me see that I have…
- A passion to help women who may have lost sight of their value and worth due to past trauma or have not yet discovered their value and worth in the love of Christ.
- A passion to help women realize YES…we are enough! With Jesus as our Savior, guide and counselor, we are already enough to be used for His kingdom.
- A passion to help women deepen their relationships and friendships among other women to provide support and encouragement to each other…not comparison and competition.
- A passion to celebrate the gifts that God has given each of us that unite us as one body in Christ.
- A passion to hear and share each other’s stories as a message of hope. We are not alone. We have the ability to be victorious in our journey with the strength and guidance of our Lord within us.
This opened my eyes to a possibility I had never considered. Are you in this with me, God? Is this what you want for me? Is this my purpose?…because it feels really scary.
Read the next post for more at Behind the Scenes #2: Affirming the Calling
Hugs & blessings, sweet Circle,
Stacy
by Stacy Turley | Mar 12, 2022 | In the Word |
“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel…” ~ from Paul, Phillipians 1:12
What we have gone through is NOT for nothing. Our story…our journey…our trials have been for a purpose. And that purpose has been to bring us closer to God but also to bring others closer to God. How does this happen? Why are our trials so very important to the strength and salvation of others? Here are some points to consider.
- God will use all things for good for those who love Him. In Romans we read, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) I am not saying that everything will work out for good. Period. I am saying that for those who love God, for those who have surrendered their lives to God and are willing to step out and follow Him. God will use all of our story for good. He will use our lives…the good and the bad…to provide encouragement and hope to others. This is His promise! It is not just a possibility. But that means that we must step out of our comfort zones and GO where He is telling us. He will be faithful if we are faithful. Thank you, Jesus.
- You are not alone. When we share our stories, our trials, our victories through the strength of Christ, we are letting others know that when they are going through a similar experience, they are not alone. We are with them…GOD is with them. This is crucial. So often when we are in a valley of pain, loss, addiction, hurt or trauma, we feel isolated and alone. We feel that no one could possibly understand what we are going through. But when we share our story, we offer encouragement and connection to others. But not only are we providing that connection, we are reminding each other that Jesus is also with us…always. Through all things if we surrender our lives to Jesus, He will never leave us and He will bring us victory in our trials. Just as Jesus himself went through these trials. This brings us hope.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10, NIV)
- Victor vs. victim. When we allow God to walk with us through our trials, He offers us victory over our circumstances. Nothing is too big for God.
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27, NIV)
God is able to provide victory over all things. We are called to choose joy in all circumstances…the highs and the lows. Not “happiness” but joy in who Jesus is, not in what is happening around us. Even if our trials are not miraculously healed or changed or resolved, God promises if we walk through the trial, we will emerge with a deeper, more mature faith. Experiencing and overcoming our trials will lead to increasing our endurance, building our character, and deepening our hope in Jesus.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5, NLT)
For we know He is with us through it all. We do not have to stay stuck in victim mentality due to feeling helpless or hopeless or shame. We are given the choice to celebrate victory over our circumstances by inviting God into our lives and letting him lead us through the darkness to the light that only He can provide through forgiveness of our sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit in us through our salvation in Jesus.
- A message of hope. “You made it through and so can I!” What a powerful message of hope!! Our stories can provide hope to someone who feels like giving up. Our message of overcoming through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives may be the saving message for someone who is at the end of their rope.
Don’t remain silent. Don’t ever feel like your story…your journey…is not worth sharing. We are all worthy and important to the kingdom of God. We are all part of the same body of Christ. No one is any more or less important. We all work together to advance to message of hope and love that is found in Christ Jesus. Be a vessel of hope! Join Our Circle and share your message of hope on the Gallery of this website.
Prayer: Praise to You, Lord Jesus. Thank You for walking with us on our journeys. Thank You for loving us so much that You lift us up in Your arms when we do not have the strength to take another step on our own. Help us to remember that we are more than our circumstances. We are more than our worst mistake. That our value and worth is in You. You have given us a unique gift. Our message of overcoming our low points in life will be the message of hope to other people who are also suffering. Help us have the courage to open up to others and share our stories. Help us realize that our trials do not diminish our value and worth, but just the opposite! Our trials and mistakes when we travel through them and not give up develop perseverance, character and hope. Our trials allow the power of the Holy Spirit to be revealed which make us a valuable tool in God’s kingdom works. Thank You, Jesus.
Hugs & blessings, Sweet Circle,
Stacy
by Stacy Turley | Mar 7, 2022 | Life's Journey |
My story like many of your stories has been shaped by joy, pain, love, abuse, great relationships and not-so-great relationships, great choices and not-so-great choices. Like a mountain range, my experiences are varied and filled with highs and lows. But most importantly, my story has been made complete when I found the love of Jesus. I am Worthy…You are Worthy…just as we are through the blood of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. And I know that all these experiences have grown my faith and groomed me to be the woman I am today. The Word of God reminds us that our trials bring perseverance, character, and hope. We can rejoice not only in our mountain-top experiences but also in the lowlands of the valleys.
“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)
I know I still make mistakes, and I will never be perfect. I struggle with comparison, self-doubt, anxiety, and low self-esteem. At times, I have felt there was no escape from these feelings. I have felt alone, unworthy, “not enough” in multiple areas of my life, and maybe even a little depressed at times. But I also know that I love the Lord who saved me from my sin, and I feel His love in return.
By surrendering my life to Jesus, I know I have God’s hand to hold through the celebrations and the challenges…
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. – Psalm 139:9-10 (NIV)
And His Spirit reminds me over and over of my value and worth in Him…
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. – Psalm 139:14 (NIV)
He is there for me to lean on…
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1 (NIV)
He promises never to abandon me…
So do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
God knows me even more than I know myself…
Oh LORD, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down. And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. – Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV)
Sweet Circle of Friends, I know many of us struggle with these same issues. I feel your pain. I have experienced some of the same pain. I also see our victories and triumphs as we rise out of the valleys with Jesus in the lead. I hope we share our stories with each other to bring hope, healing, and encouragement. I also hope we grow a rich, thriving community with each other as Sisters in Christ.
More to come on my journey in future posts. Come back and let’s continue to share together and celebrate each other.
Hugs & blessings, Sweet Circle,
Stacy
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