The Art of Letting Go
Hello Beautiful People! I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to get another post up, but my life has been full of surprises since January began. Has there ever been a time in your life where you felt like your control was taken away and everything that you had planned went completely out of the window; hence my life. As soon as I got back to school I hit the ground running on updating the blog and organizing my life so that I could be even more efficient when it came to school and work. So...that worked for about a week and then an amazing opportunity opened up for me to intern with a company that I absolutely love called Shinola Detroit. I recently started working with their team within the last two weeks and I am so excited! It is everything that I would want in an internship. I'm working with a company that I truly believe in and I'm getting a chance to learn more about the industry from the inside out. It's a win win, but my plans went straight out of the window because of it-_-. I had MY life all mapped out, but that was obviously not the plan that God intended for me.
Basically the Lord has brought me to a season of LETTING GO!
This has been one of the hardest lessons I've ever had to learn, but it's building my faith muscles and bringing me to a place of complete dependency on God. I can already tell that this year will be a year full of change and the unexpected. Now hold on...because when most people hear that they get all giddy and excited. "Yes, Lord! I've been waiting for you to do a new thing in me and I am so ready! Use me!", they say. My question to you is are you really excited about God flipping your plans upside down? Most likely not. It's not as appealing as it sounds. Worth it, YES! However don't be mad when He tells you to give up the things that you've been holding on to since forever.
CAUTION: Saying yes to God means that you will indefinitely have to give up your comfort zones in order to complete the assignment you said yes to.
For example, let's say you're trying to get your summer body together. In order to get the body that you've been wanting you're gonna need to work for it. You will have to give up the pizza, cookies and ice cream in order to accomplish your goal. Not only that, but you're going to have to develop an exercise routine and stick with it. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it once you step outside in those high-waisted shorts! But let's say you want the result without the action. You say I want this body, but I don't want to give up my old habits. So what you're really saying is that you rather be comfortable than see change. Unless you decide to take action you will never see the promises of God fulfilled in your life! You're commitment is what God wants to see, not just your cry during worship service. Let me fill you in on something pretty important, you just gave up your comfort zone. You have now decided to let God go HAM on your routine and change your normal. You gave up your own wants and took on His. That was your YES!
As I'm typing this out I am encouraging myself in this new season. The saying is true that once you have progressed into a new level in life it never feels like progression. It just feels like another level full of tests and trials that you have to again trust God in order to go through. One thing that we must remember is that God never leaves us in the midst of our new seasons. Don't allow your yes to draw you away from God. Just because you have entered a new place and you are not familiar with the territory doesn't mean that He's isn't.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Each day I wake up and give God another yes. This yes is my commitment to Him. It says, "No I may not understand what you're up to right now, but God I trust you in the unknowing." This mindset helps us not to be afraid of what is ahead of us. Trust Him and know that He has a plan and HE WILL NEVER FAIL YOU! You have to remember that He's not your inconsistent boyfriend or the daddy that left you as a child. He's the one who's trying to take away those hurts. A lot of people put God in the same box that they put other men in their life. If that man has not been around very much, then we automatically think God will be the same way. Your ability to trust is already damaged. Stop comparing God to the ones who have failed you in the past. He's not them.
Side Note: This trust that God is developing in my heart is teaching me how to build meaningful relationships again. How can you learn to trust another person if you can't trust God first? Love starts with trust.
Remember that the process is beautiful! I am content in this season of preparation and I appreciate the time to grow and develop into the woman that God has created me to be. Don't be so quick to jump into new seasons. Let God take you there. Because if it's not in His timing you will step into a place that you are not equipped to handle yet. Enjoy the baby steps, because you will soon see that He has a massive crescendo waiting at the end of your "yes".
I pray that you all are doing well!
With Love,
Photography by Monica Burgess