Trusting The Timing Of Your Life

Trust in the timing of your life.

It’s easy to wonder what it would be like if things had gone differently. If we hadn’t gotten married young, maybe it wouldn’t have been so hard. If I hadn’t miscarried that baby, I wouldn’t be struggling right now. If I had gone here instead of there, maybe it would be different. If this hard time in my life had happened later, maybe I would’ve handled it better. How hard it can be to trust that everything happened at exactly the right time and in exactly the right way.

What if everything in your life happened exactly as it was supposed to?

Think about that.

All of your mistakes, your failures. All of your wrong choices; or what you view as wrong choices. Everything happened exactly as it should’ve. And do you know why it was supposed to go that way? Because it did.

Think about how much less suffering you will have in your mind, just by not fighting with reality. When we are constantly arguing in our mind with what we should’ve done, or would’ve done, if only we would’ve known, we are fighting a losing battle. There is no going back, there is no changing the past. It is what it is. Of course we know logically that we can’t go back, but yet our mind is still sitting there replaying all of the better options that we just. Should’ve. known!

I want you to bring up something from your past, big or small, that you wish you could change. Something that you think you could’ve made a better decision on. Or something that you think your life would be better now without. And as you think about this situation, ask yourself “What if this happened exactly as it was supposed to?”

No, I mean exactly as it should’ve. Regardless of whether you made a bad choice, or someone else made a bad choice – regardless of any negative outcome.

Really let this concept sink into your mind. Do you feel peace? Do you feel acceptance? How does your view of that situation change? Does your mind quiet down? Does it quit throwing all of the what ifs and if onlys at you?

Everything happens for a reason. We may not always know the reason. But trusting that it did brings so much peace with it. This way, we can quit fighting the losing battle of arguing with the past.

I was meant to be married young, so that Nic and I would grow together. I was meant to become a mom at 20, so that I would find myself in motherhood. Or maybe I will never know why things happened the way they did. I can trust though, that God has a plan for me and that He will take care of me as He leads me through this journey.

I can spend time wondering how my life would be different if things had gone another way. But God knows what I need and when I need it. It might not always be in the time that I want, or in the way I want it, but He knows better than me.

I can trust that this is a better life for me than anything else that might’ve happened.

Christmas In My Heart

Christmas has taken a different meaning since becoming a mom. I used to wait and wait and wait for the day that Santa would finally come, waking up as early as possible to climb down the stairs and see the goodies that were under the tree. I remember trying to stay up and spy on Santa, but those heavy eyelids would close before he came. The excitement, anticipation, and joy!

Christmas morning still brings the excitement of unopened gifts waiting under the Christmas tree. But more than that, it’s watching the sparkle and wonder in my children’s eyes as they see what Santa brought them the night before. Their joy is so innocent; their belief in that magical man with a red suit and white beard is so true. It’s contagious – I can’t help but feel the magic myself.

It also makes me think of Mary, of the birth of Jesus. She was in a stable, delivering her child. No luxury, no doctors, nothing. And yet when I picture her holding her precious baby boy, her face shines with peace and joy. This is the true meaning of Christmas. A celebration of Jesus’ birth. Peace. Love. Joy. Contentment with what is. It’s being together with family and those you hold dear. It’s not about the biggest present under the tree, or an overstuffed stocking. It’s not the things that bring happiness, it’s the giving of them. Giving from a place of love.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, it can be hard for me to get into the spirit. There are always so many daily to dos, plus Christmas preparations on top of that, that it’s easy to get lost in the busyness. I’m preparing all the things and I forget to stop and think about what I’m actually preparing for.

I was sitting in the church bench a few weeks ago, listening to the little kindergarten kids sing Away In A Manger. Tears came to my eyes at the little voices singing so beautifully. A little off tune, not necessarily in time with the organ, but they were singing with their whole hearts. The sound was so true. That was a moment when I truly felt Christmas in my heart. It’s a feeling of peace, of contentment. Of love.

May you find Christmas in your heart this season.

Merry Christmas!