I cherished all of the things that happened for the whole year. It did not turn out how I wanted, but I am still grateful. It is not easy to say” grateful” (yes, I know that, hahaha), but knowing that I have a God who holds my heart and a Father who sustains me when there is no language to describe a word in times of suffering is a gift from above. I mentioned last Christmas in a post that I believe God will take good care of everything I’ve lost. I did surrender everything to the Author of my life. He holds the pen and writes my story. I know that He is a God of order, not of confusion.
I’m also thankful for the gift of time. There are areas in my career where it’s hard to believe that it happened, but as I go through it daily, it makes sense why it happened. God is loving and kind; at first, I don’t even see it as helpful for me to lose my job. I always thought I needed a job due to my circumstances during that time, but I believe God is protecting and loving me dearly. I had more than enough time to process everything with Him. As I write this, I am not ashamed to tell everybody that God helped me go through the most challenging roads I experienced. I am proud of that. I’ve lost a lot, but I also believe I gained so much from the process. The enemy might have taken away from me a lot of things, but there is only one thing he can not and will not take away from me, and that is the unfailing love of God.
God is faithful.
God is trustworthy.
Whenever I feel disappointed, I go back to when God rescued me. Those were the moments that God has been faithful to me. And if you are reading this and are going through something, I want you to think of a situation or moments from the past where you can say God is trustworthy & faithful to your life. It could be when you were young, like eight years old. During the teenage years, when you are in university or anything, you can testify that God is faithful—and from there, you can start a conversation with the Lord. That is the beginning of faith. Live with faith. Remember that your Father in heaven is the author of Faith.
I get reminded of the verse in Jeremiah 1:5
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
You can always fill in the blanks of whatever God has promised you. That’s what I do in times of unbelief. I declare those promises that God has for me. Do not lose hope. When things are not going in the direction you want, you can hope even more that things will realign according to the timing that God has for you.
I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart as my ______________________________.
Notice the word before—for me, that is a great assurance that God has a plan for you & he sees everything. Before you even conceive in your mother’s womb, God has a promise and purpose for you. Before you were born and experience life, you had already conquered what you had to conquer. He sets you apart to be the person He wants you to be. Sometimes, it is not an easy path, but you can trust the Lord in everything He does. Journey your life with Him, and you’ll never regret anything because He knows what He’s doing. He is more than what you thought or imagined.
By the way, this video I posted is part of my journey & my heart is thankful despite the change. The joy that will last for a lifetime is always been my prayer.
To my best friend, MD (he is the one in the video), I do not want to regret not posting these beautiful memories planted during that season. There might be a slide of change, but I cherish all the good things I have shared with you. The highs and lows are part of the growth I am thankful and grateful for.
Indeed, we are brave enough to face a different side of the season this time. God has always been good to us. It might not be easy for both of us, but God is holding our hearts. Thank you, MD, for being part of this journey. Take care, always.
Remember:
✨You are brave enough.
✨You are strong enough.
✨God is your Redeemer.
✨God is your comforter.
✨God is your reward.
✨It is all by His grace.
✨Love never fails.
✨Though there are a million reasons to give up, there are also a million reasons to survive.
Love,
Charisse👸🏻
Here’s the video I edited. Watching this gives me mixed emotions, but there is peace in my heart, knowing God is holding our hearts during these challenging times.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1oqmoPLNcE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Here are some photos we had together. I cherish these memories and pray for the best in this new and different season.
