Thrive

 

Sometimes its so painfully difficult to not dwell on past choices or mistakes. Maybe I'm the only one, but I seem to have a constant reel of film spinning away in my head of past conversations and scenarios and the pause button is nowhere to be found. My failures and weaknesses seem to be on neon-lettered billboards as constant reminders. Some days I desperately want to shut it off as I over- analyze and jumble my mind with if-only's and what-if's. I'm trying to view life like a story, though. There are chapters with themes that link together- and it's always being written. As a writer, this is comforting  because it reminds me that my story is constantly changing, evolving, and growing, and it's never too late to keep writing it. At the same time, though, I want to embrace every part of it, instead of trying to erase the complicated and confusing chapters.

A new day. A fresh perspective. A changed outlook. I'm beginning to find serenity in the fact that God's mercies are new every morning. His love doesn't keep score or keep track of wrongs and His grace never runs out or dries up. His love is unchanging and it allows me room to make mistakes and become the woman He has willed me to be. Despite the past, I can have hope in the future and look expectantly towards the next chapter of the story, because it's not finished. 

Thriving amid adversity: Resilience. During dark seasons, don't stop writing your story. There is something so powerful about the ability to not just survive challenging circumstances, but to thrive through them. You do not have to be strong to be resilient; I think resilience is admitting that you are weak and exhausted, but choosing to keep going anyway; reminding yourself that today you can change your story and you can hold on for another sunrise of hope.