Seven Years to the Day

Here I sit seven years to the day since my divorce was finalized. I can't believe seven years have already passed. If you had asked me then what this day would look like, the reality I would have described would have looked nothing like this. Isn't that the way life is, though? Never what we expect. Sometimes worse, but usually much better.

So here is what I would tell you about these past seven years:

1. I am so much stronger than I was before. God has taught me that He is my provider, my protector, and my inspiration, and I really can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. During the past seven years, He has seen me through six mission trips to Russia, two professional positions, and restarting my own business. He's taught me that I could live peacefully and confidently on my own without having to rely on an earthly man to run the household (not that it won't be nice to have that man in the household some day).

2. Learning to use power tools is not rocket science. I've not only mastered an array of screwdrivers, plyers, and a hammer, but I've been pretty successful with a power drill as well. It comes down to being willing to try and fail. That's why God created spackle (or at least inspired its creation). In the spiritual realm, He called it mercy and grace. We're way too afraid of the "What if this doesn't go right or turn out like I planned?" to try a lot of what God has for our lives. One of the greatest gifts of suffering a catastrophe and recovering is experiencing the freedom that comes with knowing that anything that isn't fatal really can be used for your good.

3. God still enjoys showing off. I've been witness to my aunt's miraculous healing from a brain aneurism, my own instantaneous healing from a torn ligament around my right ankle, and several additional healings (including a woman with an issue of blood, a man with back and shoulder injuries, and another woman with severe allergies) for other people I've had the opportunity to intercede for. Wow!

4. God not only heals us physically, but He is a master restorer of relationships. He took what was a terribly broken, dysfunctional mess with my ex-husband, and created a successful co-parenting effort that works pretty well most of the time. (Let's just say it's a far cry from the days I cowered in fear and prayed that my then-husband wouldn't kill me.)

5. I've learned that having faith requires...well lots of faith. And prayer. And encouragement. And perseverance. And Jesus, lots of Jesus. In fact, more than anything else, Jesus. Real faith requires a vivid understanding, on most days at least, of just how much He loves each of us individually. We have to know that His promises are true because He is Truth. And when Jesus says that He will never leave us or forsake us, we know that this is true because He cannot lie. No matter who else leaves, no matter what other betrayal happens, He is sharing life - and life more abundantly - with us for all eternity.

6. God has used this time to allow me to rediscover who I am, the gifts He's given me, the dreams I'd long ago surrendered, and the endless possibilities of where He will take me in this life and on into eternity. Again, once everything you thought you were and wanted is ripped out from under you, you have the choice to see this as an opportunity for new possibilties. With God all things are possible, and He is able to do exceedingly above all that we could ask or imagine. Think big. Dream big. Have big faith, because you serve a big God!

7. Today is a gift from God, and I have to be intentional about seeing it that way. I woke up this morning because He had something to bless me with today as well as work to accomplish through me today. He already knew this day assigned to me and had a good plan for it. If I wake again tomorrow, it will be for the same reasons. With each day that comes I will have the choice to focus on the good of the day or to slog around in the muck and mire of difficult circumstances that cross my path. Don't get me wrong. Some days, I find myself slogging through the pit, but thankfully, God has greatly minimized my tolerance for being willing to stay there.

So here I sit. Seven years to the day since my divorce was finalized. I feel good, really good about how far God has brought me. And I am oh so excited about where He is taking me. Who knows where that will be? Who knows everything He has planned? I don't know, but I trust the One who does.