Lessons Learned

What doesn't  kill you will make you stronger. True or False? True! The last year has been for lack of a better word, AWFUL for our family. Honestly, that is a nice word to describe the year we have had. At times it seems like we have a huge target on us and if something bad was out there we got it  bulls eye and all.
 One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose. So when things are not going the way I planned or dreams seem to be "broken", when I don't think/believe I can do this anymore I remember this scripture. I also remember that God can take ashes and make them more beautiful than you ever imagined, IF we keep on keeping on and keeping our hope and faith alive.

We are coming up on a couple of dates that I would just soon forget but the fact is that these dates will always remind me what I don't want to remember. Make sense? I don't want to remember the sadness, the brokenness, the heart ache, the not knowing. But ironically through this journey it's the brokenness and everything that went with it that brought me closer to God. I was totally dependent on Him.
Life will always be full of peaks and valleys. The peaks are those wonderful times in life that we never want to end. The valleys are those times we usually are thinking "Why?" But if it wasn't for the journeys we take through the valley's I don't believe we could ever truly appreciate our peaks in life.

.  I thought I would share some of the things God showed me this past year.

1. God first in all things!
2. Pray!
3. Love!
4. Forgive!
5. Never take those we love for granted
6. Don't let the busyness of life take you away from what is important...your family.
7. Work as a team not against one another
8. Think about what your actions and words before you do or say anything. 
9. Don't judge
10. Don't believe everything you hear. There are always two sides to the story
11. Have a safe person you can share everything with
12. Seek wise council
13. Remember Satan will always attack your weakest link. Be prepared! Go back to 1-4
14. Don't give up
15. Don't sweat the small stuff
16. Share your fears, concerns, worries with those it concerns. Be honest!
17. Confront kindly
18. Listen
19. Tell your spouse and kids you love them everyday
20. Make those you love feel valued.
21. Honor and respect those you love
22. Remember to forget the things that really don't matter
23. Talk about it. Don't ignore that BIG elephant in the room
24. Fight the good fight
25. Appreciate the lessons you learned.

I hope this helps anyone who may be going through a valley right now. If you need prayer let me know!