As I reflect on 2023, all I can say is thank you Jesus. This year was full of beautiful miralces, elevation, career success, and the creation of life and legacy. This year was also sprinkled with moments of fear, confronting the past (or maybe running as it reared its ugly head), obstacles and challenges and very difficult and painful situations.
But all in all, I give thanks to Jehovah.
When I was a little girl, my sisters, mom and I use to love puzzles, especially those complicated 500-1000 piece ones. We would throw all the pieces out on to the carpet and start with the edges, because those pieces were easy to find. And then we would slowly work on the inner pieces. I would pick up some pieces and literally be like what in the... (lol). This piece is super weird looking; where would this piece even fit in? I would even think about throwing away the puzzle piece; it just seemed so ugly. But by the time I completed the puzzle, its importance in creating the work of art all made sense.
So, imagine if I threw away that puzzle piece, it literally would have left a gaping hole and left the image incomplete.
Now, imagine if we threw away the ugly pieces of our story. Our stories would be incomplete, fragmented, and impartial.
I think about the life of David, he was a small shepard boy. While his brothers were off being all macho and going to fight battles. He was left in the fields to tend sheep.
When his dad told him what his assignment was he was probably making this exact face, lol.
Seems like an ugly puzzle piece to me. I'm sure David was like, well my life ain't life'n. This doesn't fit into the great vision I saw for myself. This is definitely my NO season.
But while tending to sheep he learned the masterful art of war. He fought off the lions and bears that attacked the sheep. And in doing so, this skill helped prepare him for one of the greatest moments in his life--defeating the awful villan, Goliath. This catapulted him into his YES season!! Eventually, he began the King of Israel. And beautifully, Jesus, our beloved savior, came from the line of David! Sounds like a yes season to me!
You may be going through some yucky seasons, some hard seasons, some seasons you would rather just pass over, like NOW! But know that all things are working together for your good (Romans 8:28). Even the yuck moments. It's helping to build you up for your tomorrow.
So friend, I will remind you as I often times have to remind myself: don't get too discouraged. Your tomorrow is coming. Your YES season is on it's way, just be sure to get through the NO season; pick up the lessons you are suppose to learn and you will be right on your way, friend.
Cheers to whatever season you are in at the beginning of 2024. Remember eventually it will turn into your yes season if it has not already!
XOXO,
Jenn