Between 2013, when my family and I moved to Tennessee, and the fall of 2016 a series of external circumstances, experiences, conversations, things that happened, caused me to seriously doubt. Doubt myself. Doubt others. Doubt life. Doubt God.

But thankfully my response was to seek God. To dive into a search for Truth. Read God’s Word, read a variety of books. Pray, cry out, vent everything I was feeling to God. Listen to sermons, podcasts, godly counsel. And listen for God.

I learned to and began practicing acknowledging my pain, naming the problems, and seeking solutions. (When we name things, we break the power they have over us.) I began to practice acceptance of what is. I learned to set boundaries to stay in my values. I practiced awareness. Awareness of the lies I had believed and began replacing them with Truth. I practiced believing I was worthy of love and belong. I learned that I had control over my thoughts and began practicing telling myself a new story. I claimed God’s Truth as my own. I believed in God, I knew He had a better Way, and I began to believe and receive His love for me in new, meaningful, and tangible ways.

It was a long sought-after process filled with low lows and high highs, then back to lows. Sometimes feeling like I was making progress, only to have what felt like a setback. I sought wise godly counsel. I cried out in prayer over and over and over again. I rejoiced with singing. I practiced being present. I meditated. I rooted, grounded, centered myself in God’s Truth. I gathered tools and practices to help me. And I am rejoicing as I have come to deeply know God’s Divine flow in my life. Thankful for God’s transforming work in my life. I am nowhere near done. I am a work in progress. I still have triggers, shortcomings, hang ups, especially when I begin to rely on myself, or I lose focus, taking my eyes off God. 

Yes, cry out for comprehension and intercede for insight. For if you keep seeking it like a man would seek for sterling silver, searching in hidden places for cherished treasure,then you will discover the fear of the Lord and find the true knowledge of God. Wisdom is a gift from a generous God, and every word he speaks is full of revelation and becomes a fountain of understanding within you. Proverbs 2:3-6 TPT

Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Provers 2:3-8 NLT

I love how God gently reminds me of His goodness, in all things, as I seek Him. (When you seek God, you will find Him if you pay attention.)

God is working and moving and speaking all around us all the time. Usually, we are just too busy and unaware to notice. We must be intentional about listening and looking for God.

As I read and study and pray and listen, God reminds me that He made us the way we are, in all our goodness, with each of us having different aspects of His characteristics in our lives. He gave us strengths and weaknesses, different personality traits, and all the differences are beautiful, Divine even. God made us the way we are, and He said it is good. We must remember that our worth and value are in Jesus Christ, in who He says we are, no matter what!

God knit each of us together (Psalm 139:13). We are Divine masterpieces (Ephesians 2:10)! And if we will allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and help us to learn to be understanding and kind and appreciate and celebrate our differences and our goodness, accepting our own and other people’s, the world would be a much better and happier place.

God wants us to enjoy life (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 MSG). If we will allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and help us to learn to work with others, not fight against others. If we would allow God to transform us with His love. Allow His love to be the leading force in our lives, we will learn to live in freedom, in Jesus’s better Way!

If we would remember that we are all in the process of becoming (Philippians 1:6). We are all students of life. If we could remember to accept and offer Grace. To accept and offer encouragement and support and share what we are learning for and with each other. Remembering that it is out of God’s great love for us that He shows us mistakes we are making, areas we can improve. He shows us because He loves us so much and wants us to return (repent) to His path, His best way for our lives. (Galatians 5:1, Romans 12:2, Romans 8)

I am so thankful for how God reveals His Truth. So thankful for the discoveries. I pray that you are discovering His goodness and grace and Truth as you choose to seek Him! Amen!  

“Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door.” Matthew 7:7-8 TPT 

“Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up: don’t be impatient: be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting — for he will never disappoint you!” Psalm 27:14

I think we entwine with God as we spend time with Him! As we really get to KNOW Him. When we have an intimate connection with Him of complete trust, because of the time we have spent and the experiences we have had with Him. Then we can REST in His Love and live from our true self.

I share all this to encourage you to KEEP SEEKING! 

Keep taking small steps in the right direction, towards God. Keep searching for Truth, and do not give up! Do not quit! Then, even when you think you are not making progress, know God is working!

Lean into His love. Trust Him. Develop practices that work for you, to bring you into His presence, that help you cope, and live well. God wants to give us good things, He wants to help us discover, He longs to be gracious to us (Isaiah 30:18).

So, wherever this blog post finds you this week, “I pray for a greater release of God’s grace, love, and total well-being to flow into your life from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ!” Amen! 2 Timothy 1:2 TPT 

Just so you know, I will be taking a break from posting on my blog in the month of July, but I plan on posting again in August. 😊