The First Pickle Jar

So I've decided to start blogging! There's a million things that go through my head every day, and it's usually a jumbled mess of chaotic disorder so I am going to attempt to start journaling again and see where it takes me. I have been a journal-er for as long as I can remember, before I even knew how to spell most words correctly. I have always had a love for writing. It is a necessary release for me. I liken it to the experience of loosening the lid on a new jar of pickles...that first pop that you hear when the pressure is released. Well, I have a lot of pressure that needs released on a daily basis! So this blog, in a sense, is my pickle jar!

Lately, I have been trying to just be still and listen to God and get direction on the road He is taking me in this life. This road is not one that is well-traveled. Often, it is shunned and mocked and called the "wrong way." This road is not for the weak in heart. It requires humility, selflesness, and patience. It requires you to put all others before yourself and dedicate your life to the service of others. It's name, simply, is "Journey of Faith." The name of the one who travels it is three-fold: Daughter 1st, Wife 2nd, Mama 3rd. It seems so simple, but in reality is so complicated. There are difficult patches in the road; there are bumpy and rocky spots; there are hills that seem insurmountable and curves that are just almost too sharp. But along the way, there is One that sticks closer than a brother...One that will never leave me or forsake me...One that brings peace that passes all understanding. Jesus Christ is my Strong Tower and my Fortress...He is my Resting Place and my Deliverance...my Savior, my Redeemer, my Best Friend. In Him I can do all things, and do them all with JOY for His glory! With Him by my side, I know I will finish this journey and the road will eventually lead to eternity with Him.

As I travel this road, there are some burdens I am carrying that make my way more difficult. Some luggage that I thought I "needed" for the trip...perhaps for my own survival. Some even under the guise of "helping others," as a very dear friend of mine helped me to see. The thing I am having difficulty with right now is determining which bags I need to throw to the side of the road and which ones He would have me to continue to carry. That is why I am fervently praying for His direction and guidance.

I know this probably all seems very confusing to some, and yet clarifyingly black & white for others. I hope there are some out there who can relate. But the main purpose of this blog is for me to get my thoughts out in writing so that they can become more clear to me and not such a jumbled up mess that I don't necessarily have the time or energy to decipher.

The one thing I know is that God is Faithful. My journey is not in vain.