October 16, 2018
This is the season. Where faith has felt fruitless and we feel more hopeless than hopeful. We got a call last week that my father in law had a pretty debilitating stroke- a difficult reality for all of us as my mother in law continues her breast cancer fight and my husband searches to manage it all. Did I mention we are moving? Or that my brothers lived in the path of Hurricane Michael? Or that I have friends fighting for their children, their marriages, their health? It’s tough. It’s relentless and it’s life. Last night, I gathered with one of my best girls to listen to
take us through their personal faith journeys- their own valleys and dark nights. One spoke of divorce, another of her exclusion- and I was struck by how similar we all are- how much we all need each other and our communities. Jen flashed up an image of elephants (which also happen to be my favorite animals) and she talked about their unrelenting protection of each other in times of trouble. How they circle around the least of them and kick dirt on her to mask her vulnerability and trumpet loudly when danger encroaches. It’s the perfect natural phenomenon of how God loves us. How He surrounds us with these people who circle us and protect us and carry our burdens- letting us walk the hurt, and feel the pain while Jesus restores the brokenness. This is the beauty. The beauty in the ashes. The saving in the suffering. This is where I lie in this season of life. And while I’d like to sugar coat the story and hand myself the perfect ending, I’m grateful for a God who says “if you’re suffering, it just means the story isn’t over yet.” So keep circling your people, ladies- find the women in your life who need the courage of your highs and the strength of your light- and be that herd of beautiful elephants for someone in your life. The drought will end and We will rise again. And victory in Him is so much sweeter when surrounded by the sisterhood of Christ.
xoxo,
The Girls of Charley’s
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