Category Archives: Faith

I saw this post (When You’re Expected to “Pull It Together” by Angela Nazworth at (in)courage) yesterday in my feed reader and was drawn to the message because I am a “pull it together” type of person myself, but just for myself. I would never in a million years tell someone to suck it up who had just suffered a miscarriage (like the author of the blog post), or who was dealing with the death of someone in their lives or any other tragedy, but I do find that I say that very thing to myself fairly often.

“Just pull it together, Michelle.”
“Suck it up.”
“Don’t think about it.”
“It’s fine.”
“No worries.”

I say it to my kids when they fall down or run into walls (this happens more frequently than is perhaps normal – they are boys). And while there is good sense in that style of parenting – not over-reacting to the small things so as to produce reactions that are proportionate with what actually happened – there are times when tears are called for, like when blood is present or bumps immediately pop up below the surface of their skin. In those moments, I show them love and grace and take care of them, hugging them in their tears and holding them tightly to me.

And just like with my kids, there are times in our lives when tears and sorrow are called for, when we need our God to comfort us and when we should take the time to dwell in the sadness. Maybe you need that reminder today, or another day. Maybe you need to show yourself a little grace from time to time.

Because it bears repeating as often as we will listen.

I’ve pinned a whole lot of hopes on 2013 being the year when things change… when we sell our house, Simon finally moves to first shift, when we find our “forever” home, when we take another road trip to Texas (and don’t use all our vacation time the first month of the year), when my hair will be long enough to cut for Locks of Love, when Jack will outgrow wetting the bed, when Liam will mature and be able to focus in school… Things big and small, important and not important, etc…

And I have no reason to think that these things aren’t going to happen, or go as planned, but I do know better than to be 100% positive that everything is going to be smooth sailing. The waters could remain calm, they could get a little wavy or we could be blindsided by a hurricane, I have no idea (I’m also not a fatalist who believes the worst will happen, but I am a realist). But God does know what’s going to happen because He’s got it all planned out. In all my planning and hoping, I need the reminder that while things might not happen according to plan (if at all), whatever does happen comes as no surprise to God and He will prepare me for whatever happens.

Maybe you need this reminder too because you are in the midst of the storm that has knocked you off course or you are riding too high on the mistaken confidence that YOU are doing it all right!

Guard your hearts, friends, and remember, you have your plans and God has His; sometimes they align, but sometimes they are seemingly at odds and it is for the best because we can’t see the forest for the trees but God sees the entire universe in great detail and He’s got this; He’s got you.