Rejoice: Remembering the Miracles

Besides the Gingerbread houses, Sinatra Holiday playlists, Starbucks holiday cups, ugly Christmas sweater parties, Holiday Rom-Com movie binges, and of course the celebration of Jesus’ birthday (reason for the season).. December for me also symbolizes a time for reflection.

Where was I at this time of year last year- Mind, Body, Spirit?

While doing some reflecting of my own I came across a podcast by Pastor Steve Furtick found here

I felt so convicted at point 32:30 when Pastor Steve Furtick says, “They fought a lot of battles between Joshua 4 and Judges 2, and I wonder if the battles became bigger in their minds than the blessings?

And I wonder if they started telling themselves the stories that centered around the struggles rather than God’s sovereign hand that saw them through the struggles?

Sometimes when you don’t go back to where you started you lose perspective on where you’re going!”

A year ago, I was crossing through my own Jordan River- I was not happy at all in my job, working endlessly, running from job interview to job interview, networking event to networking event, spending the majority of my weekends in an aimless routine i.e. buying new work top at Banana Republic, splurging on a brunch,etc.

On top of it all I was suffering from anxiety and all its effects- queasy stomach, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, etc..

I remember so many mornings and evenings crying out to God asking why He hadn’t rescued me out of my job yet, and begging Him to open the door to my own “Promised Land” of sorts.

A few months later, here I am writing this from my flat (piso) in Madrid, Spain. I was accepted into a teaching program here where I am blessed to work 4 days a week, take weekend trips to Southern France for less than 100 euro, spend my 25th birthday in Morocco, live 3 minutes walk to Retiro Park, have ample time to work on my faith blog, have met a ton of amazing new friends, and I can feel my previous work burnout slowly melting away..

I guess you can say I am living in the midst of my miracle.

Of course life’s smacked me in the face more than a few times since moving here 2 months ago, which is expected when you move internationally with nothing but two suitcases.

That takes me back to what I mentioned earlier about feeling convicted when listening to the podcast. Lately, I’m afraid I’ve let my mind become so focused on the little everyday battles that I’ve forgotten to revisit my own 12 stones (All the victories God has saw me through).

So I created this post to remind myself and YOU that no matter if this finds you in a season where you’re crossing through the Jordan River or in the midst of your miracle- never forget your “12 stones” aka all those times God’s come through for you!

Where has He brought you today vs. where you used to be?

What Has he given you that was beyond what you even expected for yourself?

What or Who Has He freed you from?

To experience the glory of God is to simply experience His goodness. Let that soak in for a while. From moment to moment His goodness and love for you doesn’t change. Another helpful podcast on remembering your miracle here

“My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day for their number is past my knowledge”- Psalm 71:15

I encourage you before the 2019 champagne toasts and Happy New Years texts start clouding your mind space to take some time to write down a few of your own stones and keep them engraved on your heart as you continue about your journey into the new year! 

“I will praise the name of God with a song, I will magnify Him with thanksgiving”-Psalm 69:30

From my heart to yours,

Grace

My miracles:

• Getting me out of my anxiety driven job and experiencing living in Spain
• From being satisfied with living anywhere in Salamanca district to living 3 minutes walk from the beautiful Retiro Park
• From going from the girl who ate  a whole box of Fiber One bars alone in her dorm room on a Saturday night to the woman who never says no to new experiences and loves going out/meeting new people
• From the girl who would eat 15 pistachios and string cheese for lunch and lived in fear of missing a gym day to the woman who loves her body and isn’t afraid to eat bocadillos, croquettes, wine etc to her fill
• From the girl who was striving for attention from the wrong kind of men to the woman who knows her worth and doesn’t settle
• From being the girl who was content with any job that made +30k to the woman who makes more than double, moved to NYC lived in her own studio, and worked for a billion dollar company despite being unqualified on paper 
• From the girl who never even CONSIDERED traveling to the woman with only 2 pages left on her passport after having visited +10 countries and lived abroad twice
• From the girl who let a headache, bad thought, or upset stomach determine her entire day to the woman who goes out and still does what she needs to do with a SMILE despite the circumstances- not listening to her mind, but telling her mind the truth spoken to her in God’s word (more on this here )
• To the girl who looked so desperately to this world for validation to the woman that walks confidently in the truth spoken to her in the Bible
• From the girl who walked this world aimlessly- tossed to and fro, being led here and there wrapped in anxiety about the future etc to a woman following her God given purpose and trusting God fully with her future – clothed with strength and dignity, laughing and excited for her Future because I know that with God it is BRIGHT!