ENCOURAGEMENT

Melissa Hall

Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you will become.    ~Shanna D Gregor

I remember so clearly how it felt when I started getting sick. It was a significant change! I started out being a person who went to school; would power-walk 2 miles every morning; manage a small business; run errands for the family; clean; attend church service; sing, spend time with friends; etc. Over time, I became too weak to talk, walk a block or sit up more than five minutes. I really struggled with my 'life change'. Most days I would say to myself "it's not supposed to be like this". This kind of thinking made my situation worse. When I allowed God to start working on my mind-set, my situation didn't change; but I did.

Fast forwarding years later, to today.. My 'change' has allowed me to become the woman I am now. Am I perfect? No. Do I face discouragement and depression? Yes. But, I haven't given in to it. I can say as Marvin Sapp sings, I'm stronger. I'm wiser. I'm better so much better. I made it because God held my hand. I'm stronger and more whole than I've ever been because I'm learning to trade in my expectations for God's will.

Everyday, I have to work to surrender how I think things should be in order to embrace what they ARE. In doing so, I've discovered that beauty can definitely be found in the ugliest of circumstances. "He has made everything beautiful in his time..." Ecclesiastes 3:11a

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