Do yourself a favor and go "run in the snow"

Have you ever stopped and thought about how celebratory we are as humans? Especially "FIRSTS" think about it.... FIRST wedding anniversaries, FIRST birthdays, milestones such as the FIRST year of sobriety, FIRST year at a new job, or FIRST year living on your own away from your parents. Tomorrow I celebrate a FIRST I never thought I would come to. 

It was a year ago I was desperately trying to hang onto a relationship that for so many reasons just was not right. Yet I was doing everything in my power to "save" and "fix" it. We had gone out on a date and after it was over I cried myself to sleep and begged God to save me, save "us".   And boy did he answer! Just not in the way I had wanted or planned. Ever notice that more often than not, God answers our prayers just not in the way we wanted him to? But every time it ends up even better than we had planned in our heads? I went to bed praying for God to save me and to fix "us" expecting to wake up with some glorious revelation of how we were going to live happily ever after together forever and it was all just going to be ok. I was working off my own agenda and thought I knew what was best for me. Then in perfect God fashion the relationship ended, and I thought I had lost it all and would never survive. In fact if I would have been on the outside and able to place a bet on myself at that given moment...I would have bet against me. I would have bet that I would self destruct and inevitably most likely die. See I used to view things such as men and sex as maps to guide my pride into believing I was indeed worth a damn. So yes I would have bet against me. 

So getting back to the part where God saved me but not in the way I wanted or planned...See when the relationship ended I thought my world had ended too, but little did I know it was just about to begin.  I made the decision to let God have control of my life and accept Jesus as my savior and this past year has been one heck of a roller coaster ride that I wouldn't change for anything.  In just one year I have gone from the girl looking for love in all the wrong places to the girl who has been pure for a solid year.  I'll say it again, I would have bet against me and I am proud to say I would have lost! That is the amazing thing about God, he is so good at taking a mess and creating a masterpiece! 

I want you to know I am not perfect in any way and the road itself has not been perfect either. It has actually been probably the roughest road I have ever traveled. A lot like running in the snow. Tonight in spite of the snowy weather I decided to go run outside anyways. It was crazy how some sidewalks were perfectly clean and dry, then some where spotty and icy, and some were not even shoveled and I was running through HUGE snow drifts, twisting my ankles barely moving forward and almost falling down. But I finished... I was a little more worn out than usual but I finished. And I finished because I was centered, focused, and intentional. That's how life is. If you are centered, focused and intentional about God...he will get you through the runs in the snow...or in other words the rough roads of life.  I never thought I would make it on my own, or without a man and today I may not be perfect but I am definitely better. Better and truly happy. 

So, many people are saying the world is going to end tomorrow and for me...its beginning all over again. I hit a year..one whole year of purity, a year of not only surviving but striving. And I have only just begun! Although life may present its many challenges, I look forward to many more "runs in the snow" and many more times where God proves his agenda to be better than my own.  All it took was that first step towards God. People let me encourage you to take that step, do not place bets against yourself, instead let go of the control and go run in the snow! Stay focused, centered and intentional about God and He WILL see you through to the end. 

Are you struggling or reaching a milestone of your own? As always please leave a comment or send me an email with your stories, would love to hear them. 

Blessings and Merry Christmas!
XOXO 
Jessie