Oh, how good it is to be writing…the healing balm that it is!  I haven’t done healing writing since going back to school to work on my bachelor’s degree.  I’m just too exhausted.  No complaints though, I know it is God’s will for me right now and, it’s what I want to be doing as well.

I am looking forward to a good new year this 2017.  2016 was a year full of challenges and changes for me.  Two of which were huge, and taking me in brand new directions in life.  While any variance change requires faith, these two biggies stole the show!  I’m glad to report that unlike times in my past, this time I took the step of faith in both cases, and I am genuinely glad I did.  God is good!

I haven’t shared about these changes with many people.  I was and still am determined to stay positive, hopeful, and optimistic about my future.  The Lord graciously laid out a smooth transition for me, and I knew I needed to be very careful not to invite off the mark opinions or projections from other people’s egotism, anxiety, or jealousy into my hopeful new adventure.  Since I’m viewing these changes from the prospective of a new adventure full of possibilities, I need to protect this transition which involves doing my best to avoid certain situations and conversations.  I don’t want anyone intentionally or unintentionally planting seeds of doubt in my mind.  I keep reciting my paraphrase of Jeremiah 29:11 saying, God has awesome plans for my life! I shared only with a few people I trusted who would keep it in the sacred space between us and cover it in prayer.

For the time being, I’m on Christmas break, and my classes will be starting up again soon. I have taken this time to read an awesome book that has inspired and re-kindled the warm glow of the holy spirit within me.  It is An Untroubled Heart, by Micca Campbell.  I decided to include mentioning her book in this post because there is a story in the book about an athlete who had a life changing injury, who similar to me, saw his future as a new adventure.  As I read, I resonated with his attitude.  The cover on this book is just heartwarming to look at, especially since the area where I live was a whopping -24 below zero this morning…brrrrr!  I have so enjoyed reading this book during this Christmas break in my new home.  It has been peaceful and restorative.  He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams…Psalm 23:2 NLT   

On another note, I would like to be a voice for those of us who are quiet and reserved persons. I think being quiet and reserved is misinterpreted by many.  Although I’m so much better than I used to be, I have always been a quiet and reserved person.  The degree of my quietness depends on the environment I’m in and the people I’m around.  Last fall, I was attacked by someone I mistakenly confided in about my classes. It was in a group setting while doing a group activity.  I was trying to be inclusive of everyone in the group by asking how they thought a certain passage would best be summarized.  It wasn’t that I didn’t understand the concept, I was just trying to extend a common courtesy by including everyone’s thoughts, and I will emphasize that I was out of my comfort zone by stepping into my voice to initiate the discussion.  At the time, I couldn’t think of a better way to get over my fear of public speaking than to start in a small group setting.

This person’s response cut like a knife when she used information about my classes I shared with her as ammunition against me in front of the whole group saying more than once, “You’ve written all these analytical papers and you can’t think of a simple sentence.”  Ouch!!!  Not only was my intention of initiating group participation misinterpreted, but she also revealed how she truly saw me.  Cold water was definitely thrown on my personal growth goal to get over public speaking that day!  I know this is due to my quiet shy nature in previous experiences…I haven’t always made my voice known even when I have an accurate answer or something good to share.

On behalf of all the quiet, shy, and reserved persons out there, I would like to say that just because we are not out grandstanding our knowledge or spouting it off like a used car salesman, doesn’t mean we don’t comprehend and treasure God’s word in our hearts and share it in unique ways with others.  Romans 12:6-8 NIV says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.  If your gift is prophesying then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach, if it is to encourage then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.  I’m not losing sleep over this experience, I have since let God heal me up with his love.  I’m bringing it up to serve as a reminder to all on behalf of those out there who are misunderstood.

We’ll here is to an exciting New Year.  May we saturate our changes and struggles with faith and trust in God, and embrace His will and all the new in store.  May His grace and peace be multiplied to you!

ASK FOR PERMISSION Heather Britain and Blessed At All Times, April 2015.Unauthorized use and/or duplication of written material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.