Will You Ever Be The Same After Life Knocks You Down?

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. Take a minute to look at this picture and tell me what you see.

I see a tree that has been beaten down to a breaking point, but somehow fought to stay alive.

This tree reminded me of myself. Maybe it reminds you of yourself too.

My husband and I were recently at La Jolla Cove in San Diego. We were captivated as we watched the cute baby seals frolic in the water while their mothers were nearby sunbathing or barking at them to play nicely. As we walked along the boardwalk I noticed this tree. At first, I thought it was dead because of its humble posture toward the ground, but I quickly realized I was mistaken.

I couldn’t find any research about this tree, so I’d like to propose it has weathered many storms. It sits on top of a cliff overlooking La Jolla beach, facing the vast Pacific Ocean where the pristine waters can be seen 30 feet down. I don’t know when this tree first sprouted or when it fell over, but by the root system I’m going to assume it was once a healthy robust tree, enjoying the salty sprays of the ocean, the cool summer breezes, and the idyllic location of water-front property.

And yet, despite it’s best efforts to grow a storm knocked it down to near oblivion.

Can you relate? Storms seemingly come out of nowhere and break us at our roots, shatter our backbone, and cause us to cry up to the living God “Why is this happening?”

I don’t know why we have storms. I know Christ suffered and through his suffering, He was made perfect (Heb 5:8-9). I know in our suffering we can glorify God (1 Pet 4:14). But suffering can really suck the life out of you and make you question everything you’ve ever known.

I have FOUGHT to stay alive after weathering the storms of life. There were times I was so beaten down by life and cursed by the voice of the accuser that I thought I would live in my pain and suffering forever. But the voice of TRUTH reminded me of my value. My purpose. My place as a daughter of the King and I began to dig down deep. I found courage and began to soak up the rivers of hope that rejuvenated my soul.

I may have been knocked down, but I’m too feisty and too stubborn to stay down forever. My regrowth took a long time. And I feel I’m still crooked in some ways, but I’m alive and I’m shooting my hands toward heaven in efforts to praise God for bringing me through the storm and healing me from it’s effects.  

That is my prayer for you, my friend. If you have been broken at the core of your being and are not sure how you can ever stand up after this, take heart. Find hope. Encourage yourself in the Lord (1 Sam 30:6) and look to Him for strength. He WILL strengthen your heart.

This is Not the Crown I Was Expecting

I was sitting in the dentist chair clenching my toes, trying to relax, yet failing miserably.

“Are you okay?” The dentist asked in her broken English.

“Yeah.” I lied.

I recited Isaiah 26:3 in my head, “He will keep me in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him because I trust in Him.” I forced my muscles to relax and tried to press down my anxiety as the jarring noise of the dentist’s drill continued.

Talk to me. I heard the gentle nudge in my spirit.

Desperate to get my mind on anything else other than the work being done in my mouth, I responded. In my spirit, I said, “Okay, Lord. Let’s talk. Where are you right now?” I closed my eyes and imagined the Lord in the dentist chair with me.

I’m here, with you. I’m fixing what’s broken.

I was getting a crown on a molar that had cracked after I suffered trauma. It wasn’t my fault the tooth broke, and yet here I was shelling out hundreds of dollars to get it repaired. And despite my brokenness, the Lord reminded me He was with me and has my wholeness in mind. Isn’t the Lord so sweet?

As a daughter of the King, I know who I am. I know whose I am. My good Father has promised me a crown.

I’m on my way; I’ll be there soon. Keep a tight grip on what you have so no one

distracts you and steals your crown. Revelation 3:11

Are you dealing with the after-effects of trauma or suffering? Did part of your heart break because of it? Ask the Lord where He was during that time. Let His presence bring peace and comfort to your soul. He has a crown for you, it just may not be what you expected.

I Didn’t Deserve This...So Why am I Here?

In Revelations, there is a passage to the church of Philadelphia (Rev 3). Their city, at the time, was known for vineyards and earthquakes. Imagine the sights of sprawling vineyards with rich grapes gleaming in the sunlight and happy workers who enjoyed the bounty of the beautiful and abundant fruit.

Now, parallel the vineyards to their spiritual lives. I believe the people of Philadelphia were also flourishing in their walk with the Lord because the letter in Revelation commends them for their love.

However, the city was also known for earthquakes. Earth-shaking, floor-splitting, door-rattling earthquakes.

Again, look at that in the context of their spiritual lives. Although they had no control over the ground under their feet, again, and again they were shaken to the core of their being.

Sound familiar?

When I was in a mountaintop season of ministry, life was flourishing, ministry was thriving, and fruit was being produced in every area of my life. And then a figurative-earthquake shook me to the core of my being and made me question everything I ever knew.

Did I do something wrong? Even though I didn’t deserve this, what am I willing to do about it? Will I rebuild my life and replant the vines that produced so abundantly in the past? Or will I close shop, give up, and blame the earthquake for my inability to function in life?

What has shaken you to the core? How are you handling it? Reply to this email or comment below and let me know how I can support you in your season of replanting.