Continuing to Embrace Vulnerability

Life can he hard.  Can I get an AMEN!?

Sometimes my blog is a forum in which I can work through my emotions etc., and my hope is that in doing so I can positively impact just one of my readers.  Sometimes the posts I don't think much about, have the greatest impact on others, so may this post speak to you...

My life motto recently has been EMBRACE VULNERABILITY, and get out on that emotional skinny branch. Let me tell you what though...it's HARD.  So many times it seems easier to sit back, be cautious and SAFE, guarding our hearts from potential pain...instead of embracing vulnerability, which potentially opens us up to more heartache, disappointment, and a perceived feeling of failure.  

I recently approached a situation with an all-in, no regrets, fully embracing vulnerability {beyond what is usually comfortable for me...but if felt right} mindset, only to be disappointed, and hurt...which I knew was a risk I was taking.  But I also recognized the potential that was there, and in order to see what might become of that potential, I had to put myself out there.  And so I did.  And I got hurt.  BUT...if I had the chance to do it over, would I do it differently? NO! No regrets. 

Through this I have learned a lot.  

We cannot let FEAR control our emotions and decisions.  I'm reading Pricilla Shirer's book Fervent Prayer and she said it perfectly:

"If God has given you clear direction, like He gave the children of Isreal-direction that's confirmed by His written Word and by the sounding board of wise, godly counsel your only reason for resisting Him is because you're AFRAID of what following Him down this path might mean or cost or entail, then you're not only on the threshold of being disobedient, you're about to miss an opportunity to give God some fresh, new glory by doing what He's wanting to do through you, which is the true impetus behind His invitation for you to join Him on the scary adventure in the first place."

Pain, heartache and hurt don't equal failure.  So often in these times of heartache I question WHY? Why me? Why again? My mom once advised me to question WHAT? What can I learn from the situation? What might I do differently next time? What was blessing of the situation?

It's not all about ME! So often I focus on what I did wrong, what I should've done differently, what I did to deserve this.  I beat myself up in order to find an answer.  I ask myself...Am I Enough? What is wrong with me? But it's not always a result of something I did or didn't do.  

Through the tears, disappointment, and walking through the experience itself, we are made STRONGER! Everything is shaping and preparing us for what is to come.  

I turn to music for everything. To help me put into words what I am feeling.  To bring out the dancer in me.  To have fun and let loose.  I just love music.  Recently I have been clinging to the words of Mandisa's song, Stronger:

When the waves are taking you under

Hold on just a little bit longer

He knows that this is gonna make your stronger, stronger

The pain ain't gonna last forever

And things can only get better

Believe Me

This is gonna make you stronger

Don't let the fear of what if prevent you from embracing the what could be. And if by chance things don't go as you had hoped know that there are bigger and better things in store.

And don't ever forget...YOU are an OVERCOMER, stay in the fight 'til the final round. You're not going under cause God is holding you right now.  You might be down for moment, feeling like it's hopeless.  That's when He reminds you that you're an overcomer.