Lately it has become quite apparent to me that being a follower of Jesus is not exactly an easy task by any means.
I’ve been on this journey for almost 6 years now. It’s crazy to think of where the time has gone in those 6 years and to think of the ups and the downs I have faced.
In case you don’t know much about me, here’s a little bit of my story.
I have always believed in a God and knew of Him but that was about the extent of my faith growing up. Throughout the latter part of my middle school years and all through high school I struggled with pornography and promiscuous relationships. The summer after my senior year of high school, I attended a summer camp with my youth group called Odego. It was during that week that God spoke through an incredible man of God, Dale Mace, and really began to ruin my life, in the best way you could possibly imagine! During that week God broke down who I was and how I thought that I should live my life and began the good work within me, that will continue until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:6)
And that’s where the tough part begins.
As humans, the pruning process is one that I’m sure none of us like to endure. The ups and downs of life can weigh heavily on our hearts. As followers of Jesus, our heart is to love Him, grow, and be effective for His Kingdom. But then sometimes we hit a rough patch, or what we like to call a “dry season”. It’s that time where you feel like you’re just stuck, like you’re in a rut, not growing, not falling behind, just stuck.
That’s where I feel like I am right now.
But it’s in times like these where I realize, we have an enemy out there whose main goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) I realize that we are in a war and all he wants to do is drag us away from our one true love, Jesus, and he will stop at nothing to do so. But then there are those times when God knows just the right verse to throw in there to shine a tiny bit of light in your dark situation, to throw a nice little sun shower in your dry season.
“I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”
-Psalm 16:8-11
I know the Lord is with me and it’s these tough times, these dry seasons, where I will continue to push on and fight through this war that we are in!
Please continue keep me in your prayers that God would just constantly fill me and restore me and prepare me for the awesome things that lie ahead!
