Just Keep Going! 
Several years ago I was in Kyrgyzstan and there I met a missionary with 5 children. She told a story of taking all five kids back to the states by herself to go visit family. The flight from Kyrgyzstan to the US is very long with a few stops that require plane changes. She said that each kid had to pull their own carry on bag because she obviously couldn't carry them all herself! As they trekked through the airports she would say to her children over and over again, “come on kids, just keep going.” Several weeks later, back in Kyrgyzstan, her younger son was in school and the teacher was going around the room asking the children to describe their mom. This little boy said, “my mom just keeps going!” When I picture that missionary with her 5 kids running through airports to catch connecting planes, I picture her with her head down, focused, determined, and stopping at no cost; cheering on her brood as they wane and falter under the load of their baggage.
Lately I’ve talked to several friends who are in the midst of life’s mess. They’re at the end of their rope and on the ground gasping for air. Just a few months back that was me. I woke up each morning with a pit in my stomach, not wanting to go through the routine one more time, not wanting to deal with disobedient kids, not wanting to make one more meal, wash one more dish, brush one more set of teeth. I just felt done. I had dinner with a friend who himself has three teenage daughters and recalling when they were little he said, “you are in the toughest season of your life.” Somehow those seemingly discouraging words allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. “OK”, I thought, “this is going to be hard, so put your head down, buckle up and just keep going!”
(If this is too “heavy” check out the meatloaf in “What’s For Dinner”!!!)
I love this! Sometimes I spin my wheels trying to eliminate all chaos in my life, trying to keep all the balls in the air and failing time and again. The reality is, life is messy. We need to learn to live in the midst of the mess. Don’t waste time trying to get rid of the chaos, you can't. (But a few hours alone at the spa sure helps!) The beauty with knowing Jesus is that we can not only learn to live through life's mess, but we can thrive in the midst of it.
Jesus promised that in this world we WILL have trouble. But take heart, He has overcome the world! Meaning, the trouble we have is not the end of the story!! God has overcome every obstacle we will possibly face in this life and with His strength and His grace, we too will overcome.
Those of you who have shared your life’s chaos with me lately, know that I am praying for you. Hang on and just keep going!
Several years ago I was in Kyrgyzstan and there I met a missionary with 5 children. She told a story of taking all five kids back to the states by herself to go visit family. The flight from Kyrgyzstan to the US is very long with a few stops that require plane changes. She said that each kid had to pull their own carry on bag because she obviously couldn't carry them all herself! As they trekked through the airports she would say to her children over and over again, “come on kids, just keep going.” Several weeks later, back in Kyrgyzstan, her younger son was in school and the teacher was going around the room asking the children to describe their mom. This little boy said, “my mom just keeps going!” When I picture that missionary with her 5 kids running through airports to catch connecting planes, I picture her with her head down, focused, determined, and stopping at no cost; cheering on her brood as they wane and falter under the load of their baggage.Lately I’ve talked to several friends who are in the midst of life’s mess. They’re at the end of their rope and on the ground gasping for air. Just a few months back that was me. I woke up each morning with a pit in my stomach, not wanting to go through the routine one more time, not wanting to deal with disobedient kids, not wanting to make one more meal, wash one more dish, brush one more set of teeth. I just felt done. I had dinner with a friend who himself has three teenage daughters and recalling when they were little he said, “you are in the toughest season of your life.” Somehow those seemingly discouraging words allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. “OK”, I thought, “this is going to be hard, so put your head down, buckle up and just keep going!”
(If this is too “heavy” check out the meatloaf in “What’s For Dinner”!!!)
I love this! Sometimes I spin my wheels trying to eliminate all chaos in my life, trying to keep all the balls in the air and failing time and again. The reality is, life is messy. We need to learn to live in the midst of the mess. Don’t waste time trying to get rid of the chaos, you can't. (But a few hours alone at the spa sure helps!) The beauty with knowing Jesus is that we can not only learn to live through life's mess, but we can thrive in the midst of it.
Jesus promised that in this world we WILL have trouble. But take heart, He has overcome the world! Meaning, the trouble we have is not the end of the story!! God has overcome every obstacle we will possibly face in this life and with His strength and His grace, we too will overcome.
Those of you who have shared your life’s chaos with me lately, know that I am praying for you. Hang on and just keep going!
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