A perspective change…

This week I move out of my 30s and into the dreaded 40s. I say “dreaded” because for most of my life I was led to believe that by the time I turn 40 I should have it all together ready to coast for the rest of my life. Each year as I inched closer to my 40^th birthday I realized there was no way I could reach that “hilltop” moment that everyone talked about. So with each passing birthday I dreaded this coming day even more.

On Saturday I mentioned that I had not intended to take a month off of blogging but that God needed to remove distractions and work on me a bit more. Unfortunately for me to slow down it took the kids’ and my getting sick. But during those quiet slow days at home I was able to reflect on the last 10 years of life. It’s funny how a scare with chest pain and shortness of breath followed by a bad case of bronchitis can bring a lot into perspective.

My 30s were filled with very painful loss of relationships, some by choice and some not, some because of death others because of moving physically and others because we just grew apart. I also found myself leaving a career and calling as a nurse and becoming a stay at home mom with the transition not being an easy one. During my 30s I was stretched and put through the fire more times than I want to recount.

But here’s the new perspective in it all, in each of those difficult moments God led me to a greater reliance in Him and taught me more about His unconditional love than any sermon, bible study or women’s conference ever could. It was in the quiet, dark moments when it was just God and me, when I had no one else to turn to, that I learned His Love will NEVER fail me and that He is ALWAYS Faithful!

Now, when I look back over my 30s I see a woman who left a career I loved and my comfort zone to become a mom to two incredible kids to experience new adventures with them each day. I see a woman who is stronger for having had to face the very difficult decisions to say goodbye to relationships that can never be replaced. I see a woman who has learned the value of friendships and who is not afraid to trust and build a relationship with someone who may be a friend for a season or become a lifelong friend.

Most importantly I learned that God has an amazing plan for my life. There may be times when I feel totally incapable of a task God has called me to but I have learned that God will always equip me with the tools necessary to do the task to which He has called me.

So, as I enter a new decade of life and a new year I look forward with eager anticipation to what God has planned for my 40s. During this year I will focus on Isaiah 43:18-19

“Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing.

Now it springs up; do you not perceived it?

I am making a way in the desert

and streams in the wasteland.”

So my friends will you join me in 2014 as I seek to follow God’s new thing He is doing for me? Each one of you who read this blog is a treasure. Your words through the comments, on facebook, email or in person is a source of encouragement and I thank you.

I would love for you to share with us how God is doing a new thing in your life.

In His Calm,