A moment of reflection...

Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy;
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

Jeremiah 31:13

How this speaks to my heart today…

Ten years ago today I entered a new season of life. I became a widow. I was 27 years old, I had a 5-month-old baby girl, and the Lord took my husband home. I remember feeling like a hollow shell…somehow filled with peace, but hollow nonetheless.

I remember thinking how kind God was not to make Tony suffer another day, and to end my torment of wondering “when will he die”. I also remember thinking that if I wasn’t married within the year I would die. Not “I don’t want to be single more than a year”, but “I will die because I am not cut out to be a single person”.

God’s kindness has only increased with each day. Here I stand, a decade later, and the person I see in the mirror is not the person I saw that day. Instead of being hollow I am filled to overflowing. Instead of dreading the year to come I am bubbling over with anticipation of what God has in store. And I am more in love with my Savior today than ever.

As for Jeremiah 31:13, I am STILL a young woman, and I am moved to dance for the joy that God has placed in me. He has comforted me, and my mourning has been turned in to joy. I do not regret a single day of the last 10 years, I know that each moment was part of God’s plan to miraculously transform me…to teach me how faithful He is and will continue to be. Lord, please let this good work continue!

Yesterday a friend told me “faith” is a gifting of mine. That alone is a miracle! I was the biggest worry wart when I was a teen and into my 20’s. To be known as a woman of faith is HUGE!

I stand today in faith for what I once thought impossible. I keep my eyes fixed on the Lord to see how HE will make the impossible possible. I feel my face glow as I anticipate Him revealing the next step…I know that whatever it is, He will be glorified through my life and I am so grateful that He would use me, a wretch, for any of His purposes, let alone for His name to be glorified in all the earth! Oh Lord, how kind you are to me!

How about you? Are you rejoicing? Are you dancing? Does your mourning need to be turned into joy? Cry out to God for He is faithful! Whatever circumstance you are in, He is there…and He has a purpose for this season in your life. Be grateful for this time, it won’t last forever, but the fruit of it will!

During our time of worship on Sunday we sang a song that used to be a hope of mine…I have included the lyrics below. This time when we sang the song I realized the words I used to hope to be true in my life are now a reality of mine! Oh, how good God has been to me! I pray that if you are not in the place of these words being a reality in your life that God will bring you to that place! (I know He will!) Here are the lyrics:

So I’m lifting up my hands, I’m lifting up my voice, I’m lifting up Your Name, and in Your grace I’ll rest. For your love has come to me and set me free. I’m trusting in Your Word, trusting in Your cross, trusting in Your blood and all Your faithfulness. For Your power at work in me is changing me.

Amazed by His grace,

Colleen