Betrayal and Boundary Crossers

This song captured my attention this past week as I faced the familiar feelings of betrayal. One of my habitual boundary crossers accused me of another lie that keeps their life in constant turmoil. It was wrapped in its usual packaging of blame fabricated by a false reality. I asked, why would you say this about me? The answer, well I didn't know at the time it wasn't you. No apology, no attempt to correct the mistake just another conversation redirected to remind me of what a bad person I am and how I've never been any help. 

I found myself being sucked back into the swirling tornado of trying to reason with a lie.

It begins with hey, this is not entirely true. I remember other events that led to this outcome. Your heart wants to make sense and reveal the truth so you can move through this conflict. The boundary crosser wants no part of this process because looking at the truth at this point is too hard. Living in their false reality is safe and has become the truth from which they live. 

I've learned something through this- 

Boundary crossers use their false view of love to manipulate you to give yourself sacrificially until there's nothing left to give. Then they get mad when there is nothing left to give. It's maddening!

This reminds me of a class I took on boundaries. Our textbook for this class was "The Giving Tree," by Shel Silverman. The room was occupied by ten women whom I consider to be the most giving and caring people I have ever met. They have been a part of my life for over a decade and the bond we share is loss. The story of loss is different for each woman, but the common thread we share is the deep desire to live a life full of abundant joy. I have deep admiration for each woman in this group. They are fighters and over-comers because they have rejected the temptation to wave their white flag and surrender to the ease of living as a victim to their circumstances. 

As we began our journey reading through the giving tree, I was shocked at how this children's book revealed a very unhealthy relationship. The plot is this: a tree loves a boy over the course of his lifespan and, to satisfy his desires, she gives him everything she has—her apples, her leaves, her limbs—until she has reduced herself to a stump. I remember thinking, I don't want to be a stump! I want to be a tree that see's the danger of enablement and the value of growing into a big beautiful oak tree. 

So, do I continue to give? 

or 

Face the hard choice to grow? 

Growing requires one to examine the reality of where we are, how we got here, and where we want to grow to. So when my boundary crosser gave me this ultimatum- "I want you back in my life, but I want to forget the past"- I knew the request was asking me to give and not grow. The reality of that statement is the boundary crosser never wants to look at their part of the past, but they will remind you of how your part of the past has led to all the failures in their life. They refuse to heal the bleeding wounds of the past. And I refuse to continue getting bloody and bruised by them any longer.

Do you see the hypocrisy? Good because your boundary crosser never will.   

This incident revealed a few wounds of my own and some suppressed anger and unforgiveness. I hate the lies and the one-sided narrative being told. I am reminded of how crazy it makes me to try and reason with lies. I found myself questioning if my prayers were being heard. It feels unfair and like I don't have a voice to defend myself against the accusations. I know I can't control others actions and thoughts, but I can control mine. And I knew deep down I have some work to do. 

When I layed my head down on my pillow the other night, I made myself listen to this song. I was restless and wanted to forget. As I listen to the lyrics I was reminded of the title of my blog and why I started writing many years ago. I felt hollow, and I wanted to be made whole. I then heard a still small voice say- Julie, I see the anger in your heart. I understand the hurt, and I see your deep desire for healing and reconciliation. Then I saw Jesus and I standing shoulder to shoulder standing behind a line drawn in the sand. He said - This line is your resolve for reconciliation. It may never happen
because it takes both parties to reconcile. Julie, I promise to stand with you toe to toe and fight with you. But there is one request I ask of you because it is your responsibility in this process. Forgiveness is something you can control - reconciliation is something you can't control. So if you want to continue on your journey from hollow to whole - you must forgive. 

So, here I go.. Another reason to grow... 

To be continued 

VERSE 1: Hold me now 

In the hands that created the heavens 

Find me now 

Where the grace runs as deep as Your scars

 You pulled me from the clay 

Set me on a rock 

Called me by Your Name And made my heart whole 

VERSE 2: Lifted up 

And my knees know it’s all for Your glory 

That I might stand With more reasons to sing than to fear 

You pulled me from the clay 

Set me on a rock 

Called me by Your Name 

And made my heart whole again 

CHORUS: So here I stand 

High in surrender I need You now 

Hold my heart Now and forever 

My soul cries out 

POST-CHORUS 1: Once I was broken 

But You loved my whole heart through 

Sin has no hold on me 

‘Cause Your grace holds me now 

VERSE 3: And that grace 

Owns the ground where the grave did 

Where all my shame 

remains Left for dead in Your wake

 You crashed those age-old gates

 You left no stone unturned

 You stepped out of that grave 

And shouldered me all the way 

POST-CHORUS 2: Once I was broken 

But You loved my whole heart through

 Sin has no hold on me 

‘CauseYour grace holds me now 

Healed and forgiven 

Look where my chains are now 

Death has no hold on me

 ‘Cause Your grace holds that ground 

And Your grace holds me now

LOVE SWEEPS LOW

"But I found heaven as love swept low"

I love this song.

It is often my prayer in the morning because it reminds me of my path to and with Jesus. The words are humble and remind me of who I was when I met Him. The words deliver a powerful message to those who feel like they have climbed their ladder of life so high on their own to ever meet Jesus. For some of us, He meets us when we least expect it and don't feel like we deserve it. Climbing on our own always leads to a fall and it's not such a bad thing if you know His love sweeps low.

Honestly, falling this side of Heaven comes with a feeling of condemnation, guilt, and shame. No-one likes to fall or feel like a failure, but it's part of life. It reminds me of the false narrative we are teaching our kids before they leave our homes to go off to college. We say to them, a 4.0 GPA is just average, you can't afford to make a "B," you must study, memorize and regurgitate, and DON'T even think of failing because it's final and there is no value in it. Today, I see so many young adults afraid to take a risk and do something that might be out of their comfort zone. If they don't know how to do it 100% before they start they don't do it at all.

Fear has a funny way of whispering, "No, just stay comfortable & play it safe. You don't ever want to look like you don't know what you're doing." Living from fear slowly teaches us to build a neat and tidy box to live in so we can control our environment. We know how to do the things in our box, so we never feel the sting of failure.

I can say this because I lived it for many years. I thought I was a risk-taker and lived life to fullest, but when my neat little box blew up I learned something - Within the boundaries of the box, I felt alone and was climbing the ladder of my life in my own strength. I was tired and unchallenged and felt like I didn't need God because He didn't need or want me. As I look back, I can see the reason I thought this way about God was because I thought my GPA with him might have been a 1.0 at best.

Do you see how our false view of failure hands us the blueprints to build the prison box of comfort and safety? God sees failure way different than we see it. He sees opportunity and possibility in failure. It opens up the perspective that we don't know it all or need to know it all, and we are not alone, don't need to do it alone and understand that we can't do it alone.

All that being said, I was reminded this week as I was giving the invocation for our local government chamber meeting, that Jesus will ask the one who feels least worthy to represent Him. The fear of failure tempted me to ask, why me?  There are so many others to pick from who represent you better.
I quickly saw the lines being drawn for the boxed living and remembered - there is no fear in failure and Jesus always picks people who are willing to share the story of redemption rather than one of perfection.
He wants us to know he loves us and it's ok to fall because when our knees hit the ground, His love sweeps low. We must remember, He traded Heaven to have us again.

TOUCH THE SKY - HILLSONG UNITED

What fortune lies beyond the stars
Those dazzling heights too vast to climb
I got so high to fall so far
But I found heaven as love swept low

My heart beating, my soul breathing
I found my life when I laid it down
Upward falling, spirit soaring
I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground

What treasure waits within Your scars
The gift of freedom gold can't buy
I bought the world and sold my heart
You traded heaven to have me again

My heart beating, my soul breathing
I found my life when I laid it down
Upward falling, spirit soaring
I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground

Find me here at Your feet again
Everything I am, reaching out, I surrender
Come sweep me up in Your love again
And my soul will dance
On the wings of forever

Find me here at Your feet again
Everything I am, reaching out, I surrender
Come sweep me up in Your love again
And my soul will dance
On the wings of forever

My heart beating, my soul breathing
I found my life when I laid it down
Upward falling, spirit soaring
I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground

My heart beating, my soul breathing
I found my life when I laid it down
Upward falling, spirit soaring
I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground

Find me here at Your feet again
Everything I am, reaching out I surrender
Come sweep me up in Your love again
And my soul will dance
On the wings of forever

Upward falling, spirit soaring
I touch the sky
When my knees hit the ground

When the cup doesn't pass

"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. 
Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Matthew 26:39

When the cup doesn't pass- then we are left to face the problems it holds. 

A few weeks ago I felt like to Lord gave me a word as I was getting ready for the day. The word was simple, yet it was a word that I felt like could be the title of a book written about my life. It is also a word that the Lord is teaching me to use every day as I look down at the cup that is still in my hands. 

The word and the picture below keep me focused on who shows up when the cup doesn't pass. He gently puts His forehead upon mine and whispers, Julie - You must go "through" with me. I'm here with you, and I care deeply about the cup you hold.

I am the one offering it

and the only way is through. 

This word was given to many others who were called to walk "through" when their cup didn't pass. Adam and Eve wanted to hide, but God met them, clothed them and showed them another way. Sahra tried to go her own way and still, God walked her through to make good on His promise. Abraham walked through as his heart broke into a million pieces to find that God would provide another way, a ram. One of Moses cups was to walk through as the red sea parted before him. Joseph held his cup for 2 more years as disappointment begged him to put it down. His focus walked him through to a position that would save many. And then Jesus shows us a clear picture of the cup and how to move through when it doesn't pass. 

"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Matthew 26:39

The commentary of this verse says that when Jesus prayed for the cup to be taken the spirit checked him and His prayer moved to yet, your will not mine. 

I thought to myself, how many times do I pray for the cup to pass and wait .. I don't move on to the yet, your will not mine. The cup stays, and I wait... it's a place where I get stuck. I'm waiting, and God is saying drink it because the only way is through. The cup holds a bitter problem and I don't want to surrender and drink. 

We see an impossible problem and God sees how His presence makes all things possible. 

God works "through" us- 

"Christ in you, the hope of glory"- Colossians 1:27

Through- moving to one side and out the other side. An opening, channel or location. Stepping boldly through the doorway. It is a word that indicated movement into one side or point and out another, especially the opposite side. From one boundary to another without stopping. 

Christ in you desires to lead you through. 

Surrendering to the cup requires a reckoning with the disappointment of not getting our way.

We must balance the books with this truth- 

Every problem has the potential to teach us something. Its purpose is to transform us to take the next step towards freedom and destiny. 

Every problem can be a stumbling block that will cause you to fall if you react with distrust or defiance.

The cup offers you a choice- 

Will you trust and focus on my presence to lead you through the problem? Or will you distrust by focusing on the problem willed not to move until it passes?

The truth will open your mind to the possibilities and benefits of drinking the cup.

When you drink from the cup, it allows Christ in you,  to work all things together for our good. 

Our Father indirectly works for our resurrection by allowing us to drink from the cup, feel the weight of the cup so that we might understand the purpose of the cup is always for our good. 

The cup presents itself only because there is a solution. 

I love the lyrics to the song above, "There was another in the fire". It is such a good reminder that we never drink the cup alone. He is always with us showing us the way through. 

FINDING PROMISE IN THE PROBLEM

"Trust The Process"

Trust, Julie. I need for you to trust me. (Jesus)

I have been wrestling with this request for the past year. The trust He is asking me for is not tied to death or significant loss: This time it’s about His goodness and if I will dare to believe that He will be good to me. I’ve trusted Jesus in the past with many circumstances, and His faithfulness eventually revealed itself. Healing deep wounds from my past is the evidence of His loving kindness revealed to me in the cleft rock moments of my life. He loves me, and I know that with all my heart. So, why is it so hard to trust Him to meet me on the mountaintop?

Webster defines trust as a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone.

So trust is a result. It is a firm belief that someone is reliable, trustworthy, able and strong. Trust takes time and is built in the small and messy moments of life. It requires us to risk being vulnerable with someone—to see if they will handle our heart with care. In the past, being vulnerable usually, lead me to heartache. We’ve all experienced someone taking advantage of our weakness. They let us down, selfishly stole from us, left us alone to clean up the mess. We blamed ourselves for being vulnerable, and shame waged war against our true identity and worthiness to be loved. Judgments were made from lies, and walls were built to protect and trust.

I started thinking about choice. I believe it is the most loving gift given to us by God. He gave us the ability to choose, and from the beginning of time, we have broken His heart with our choices. He knew we would choose wrong but still gave us the gift of choice. His love is unconditional and void of the need to control us: He is being vulnerable with us in this choice and wanting us to do the same.

I have come to learn that with God vulnerability is not about the circumstance; it’s about who we trust to be with us in the circumstance.

“Unwavering trust is a rare and precious thing because it often demands a degree of courage that borders on the heroic. When the shadow of Jesus’ cross falls across our lives in the form of failure, rejection, abandonment, betrayal, unemployment, loneliness, depression, the loss of a loved one; when we are deaf to everything but the shriek of our own pain; when the world around us suddenly seems a hostile, menacing place—at those times we may cry out in anguish, ‘How could a loving God permit this to happen?’ At such moments the seeds of distrust are sown. It requires heroic courage to trust in the love of God no matter what happens to us.” (Brennan Manning)

It takes heroic courage to trust after the world has betrayed us in our weakness, but we have a need to trust in the character and reliability of someone who will walk us through the uncertainties of life. God’s goal is to awaken us to our true identity. We are worthy and loved by Him, and when we stand in His love, anything is possible. Our vulnerable places slowly become places to learn and experience joy and love like never before. They are places in which we make the choice to turn to Him and say—I will trust you. Trust is a choice, and it’s a gift we give back to Him.

This past year has been full of circumstances in which I had to figure things out, and the only way to do so was to be vulnerable. I had to admit to co-workers, family, and friends that I did not know how to fix certain problems, but that we would find our way through. Within that very statement was a whole new perspective. Problems are unavoidable, and we don’t have all the answers, but the choice to walk through the problem trusting God, is always mine to choose.

I’m learning my focus should not be on the outcome, but instead on whom I’m trusting in the process. The outcome may be bad, but if I’m trusting God with my heart, He will always handle it with care. Maybe I needed to see the bad because He has something good coming. I am learning that when circumstances don’t go my way, vulnerability is what I need. It is fertile ground to plant new seeds of hope. It is a place to experience joy and love like never before. I admit to Jesus I am weak in this unplanned moment that I so desperately want to control, and He gives me the courage to accept a new perspective.

One last quote from Brennan Manning that brings to life the daughter who knows how to trust Jesus:

“After stumbling and falling, the ragamuffin does not sink into despondency and endless self-recrimination, she quickly repents, offers the broken moment to the Lord, and renews her trust in the Messiah of sinners. She knows that Jesus is comfortable with broken people who remember how to love.”

Below is one of my favorite definitions of love found in 1 Corinthians 13. It is a picture of how God loves us. We can trust such a love as this.

His promise to us is love, and all He requires us to do is show up.

FINDING PROMISE IN THE PROBLEM

“Julie, Find my promise in the problem.”

I have heard these words whispered in my heart many times this season while facing many new problems. Typically, they are my queue to back out of a situation, but I hear God say to me - face it because all things are possible with Me.

I don’t like problems and try to avoid them at all cost.  I know this is not a proper mindset because every day has an abundance of problems. I’m learning that I see something as a problem because I don’t immediately have the answer. It requires me to reach out and ask for help.

And, why is this a problem?

My life has dramatically changed over the past 12 months. A new job, a new home, a new city, a new group of people and many new friends have entered my life. It has been a challenge to have such a dramatic change, and yet this is what I’ve prayed for, all things new. I feel like I’ve been slowly crawling in this direction after the loss of many things dear to my heart. I’ve prayed for resurrection in my own life and for those who are close to me.

The problem I found in this prayer is resurrection can only come if you believe it’s possible. I believe in Jesus, and I love the ending of His story. He came to earth and faced our biggest problem and dealt with it by showing us resurrection was possible. He demonstrated that death is part of new life and problems always hold promise if you are willing to change the way you think.

“Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 NLT

My crawl to this new place required a new plan that would need a whole new way of thinking.  I love making plans, especially when I see them written out neatly on my calendar.  They help me get to my desired destination without any delays. What I fail to do is leave room for the unexpected and unplanned moments life always adds to my plan. I affectingly call these moments, problems.

“We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NLV

Plans and steps, never really thought about the relationship between the two. Webster’s Dictionary defines them as:

Plans: a drawing or diagram drawn: a method for achieving an end.

Steps: a rest for the foot in ascending or descending

Plans hold our desired outcome and steps are places for our foot to rest while ascending or descending. Now, I see why I’m always frustrated. I don’t plan for the ups and downs. The path I planned was level and smooth through beautiful green summer pastures. I never saw the need for a mountain. 

“Why be uncomfortable?” – It’s a phrase I like to say to my niece when I tell her about my latest greatest new membership or mail delivery subscription box. Shipt, Stitch Fit, FabFitFun, Blue Apron, Green Chef and Amazon make life comfortable. If you stop and think about it, each of these comforts was born out of someone’s discomfort. They recognized a need and provided a solution. They saw a problem and pressed in to find the hidden promise.

Which leads me to the lesson I’m learning. When I pray for resurrection, God’s gives me His promise of it. It does not instantly happen because it requires me to participate. I must learn a new way of thinking about problems and life.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." Matthew 19:26 NLV

So my old way of doing new must go. It’s not up to me; it’s up to WE.

The promise He has given me anchors me to His plan and His will for my life.

“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. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

His promise lovingly asks me to partner with Him, so I become the evidence of His promise here on earth.

For many years death and loss have been a big part of my plan. I’ve learned to account for them. I’ve been uncomfortable. So, maybe God is saying, Why be uncomfortable? You see evidence of your prayers – my plans are to prosper you, not to harm you. They are to give you new hope and a new future.

The Promise in my problem reveals God’s pure and sincere heart for me. His love offers resurrection, but it requires me to partner with Him. My responsibility is to believe it is not good to be alone. Simply put- Without Him, it is impossible to do all things new, but WITH Him all new things are possible.

RECKLESS LOVE

RECKLESS LOVE

I came across this song yesterday. I've heard it many times, but this time I listen to it and it completely wrecked me. Cory shares the story behind the song and I and thought it was worth sharing today. Happy Valentines day:) 

"God himself isn't reckless, but the way He loves in many regards is quite so..

What I mean is this - He's utterly unconcerned with the consequences of his actions with regards to his own safety, comfort or well-being.

His love isn't crafty or slick. 

It’s not cunning or shrewd; in fact, all things considered, it's rather quite childlike. And, might I even suggest, at times, it's downright ridiculous. 

His love bankrupted heaven for you and me. 

His love doesn’t consider himself first. 

It isn’t selfish or self-serving. 

He doesn’t wonder what he’ll gain or lose by putting himself on the line. He simply puts himself out there for the chance that you or I might look back and give him that love in return. 

His love leaves the 99 to find the one every time. Too many think this is a foolish concept. What if he loses the 99 in finding the one?

What if, finding that one lost sheep is and always will be supremely more important.

His love isn't cautious. 

It’s a love that sent his own son to die a gruesome death on a cross. 

There’s no Plan B with the love of God. 

He gives his heart to us so completely, so preposterously and when we miss it, He keeps giving himself to us again and again and again  

Make no mistake; our sins do pain his heart. 70×7 is a lot of times to get your heart broken. Yet, every time we turn, He opens up and allows us back in every single time. 

His love pursued me when I hated Him because I thought my debt could never be paid.  

No, He doesn't care what it will cost him. He is willing to pay any amount to have your heart whole again. 

His love saw me broken down, with regret as deep is the ocean. My innocence of youth poured out like water. This is where He found me. He put me on his shoulders and carried me home. He's just that good. He’s the kind of Father that never gives up. 

There’s no shadow you won’t light up,  no mountain you won't climb up, coming after me.

There’s no wall you won’t kick down,  no lie you won't tear down coming after me." - Cory Ashbury

"Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." - Luke 15 1-7

Finding Breakthrough In My Brokenness

"So I Will"Amanda Cook

This song puts God into perspective. He is billions of times bigger than your brokenness.

“Christianity is realistic because it says that if there is no truth, there is also no hope." - Francis A. Schaeffer

The truth is, we are all broken.

Our path to discovering this truth can get extremely messy. For me, I feel like I've had to learn it many times and on many different levels. This season I've come to realize that the broken places in my life are invitations for a breakthrough. It's all about perspective:)

Let me give a revelation I had the other day. I've been dealing with a circumstance for the past five months. It involves other people, their agendas, and expectations of me. My job within this circumstance requires me to perform certain tasks, some I know how to do and some I need training on how to do. I've been doing my best to produce the expected results, and so far, I've had little to no success.

This.  Has made me feel. Broken.

Why, because I'm not producing the desired results others and I have placed upon me.

My default mindset when I come face to face with my brokenness is to agree; I'm not producing which means I'm not good enough, so I quit!

I would have given up by now, but I knew from the very beginning of this journey that it was something God wanted me to do. So, I've stayed but throwing many pity parties for myself. The only people on the guest list who showed up to my party were Jesus and I. The conversation always began with, "Jesus, what do you expect me to do? I'm failing miserably, and I don't think I can do this!" He patiently listened to me plead my case and His response was always the same, don't quit! After many weeks of examining the situation, I realized I was not the only broken person in the circumstance. He was exposing my brokenness through other broken people. The broken place in me was expecting to be able to do something I had not been trained to do. I kept tripping over this broken place not noticing that my failure to produce could be healed with proper training.

I realized this part of the process, was broken. It was my nature to expect myself to know how to do the job without asking for help. I was offered the job because the people hiring me thought I naturally possessed the skill set needed for the position. Painfully over time, that assumption was proven false. I was failing and on the verge of judging myself a failure. 

Wisdom began to reveal the attack- identity theft at it's finest!

I knew I had to turn to Jesus for help. I needed the truth that would set me free from making my usual agreement that “I'm not good enough,” so I'll quit.

The truth He gave me was, "You're weak in certain areas. Be realistic with yourself and ask for help. When you embrace your weakness, I can step in and be strongest for you.”

This plan is good in theory, but it required me to admit "I can't do this on my own."  I don't like to admit my weakness, but it was the only way to fix what was broken.

I have grown to like the hope that this truth brought to my dilemma. It was time to let my pride die and ask for help.

Truth- I have found a broken place in me, and that is ok because Jesus will teach me a new way with His truth. This is the hope we hold onto while He leads us to our breakthrough.

We are broken, but we don't have to stay that way.

I’ve been given a whole new perspective on this word broken. Broken offers opportunity and growth. It's a choice, and you get to choose what to do with your brokenness. You can choose to ignore it, let it live and keep tripping over it the rest of your life.  Or, let it die and allow Jesus to renew it. His intentions are good, and He longs to help us, but He can't if we are not willing to admit our weakness and ask for help.

"I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama."- Jesus     Matthew 5:18

The scripture above shows so wonderfully what Jesus wanted to do here on earth. He didn't come to take away or erase but to give what was needed to complete and fix the broken. He came to give us resurrection, the ultimate breakthrough. He gave us the perfect example when He trusted His Father on the cross. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus begged His dad to let Him do it another way. He revealed a broken place we all have in common.  It's the fear of letting our broken places die. Jesus showed us that it's ok to express your desperate desire to go another way. This is actually a confession of weakness. Jesus also showed us that this is not the place to stop and agree with your current feelings. It's the place we agree to disagree with ourselves and in faith agree with the perfect will of God. Submission to our weakness offers the supernatural grace needed to die to self so we can be resurrected with Jesus. Brokenness can be the door to your breakthrough.

I've learned that the most loving thing I can do is admit my weakness. It offers me the opportunity to find the missing pieces that complete me and make me whole. Neglecting to admit your weakness only hurts yourself and others. Remember, you're not alone in your suffering. Others are watching and waiting for you to see what is broken and choose another way. Maybe it's time to let your brokenness die? Begin with considering God's kindness and faithfulness. He will finish the good work He started with you. Humble yourself, and you will find the One who never leaves you alone in your suffering. Grab hold of His hand and follow His truth from the grave to your breakthrough.

"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12

AKA- go low. In due time He will lift you