07/18/2021
From Melissa herself ✨❤️
“Sometimes we’re handed things in life that make no sense at all: things that should very well destroy you, ruin you, leave your life in utter shambles. And in those moments you’re left standing there, or kneeling, or crawling, wondering how you’re ever going to be the same. The good news is that you won’t ever be the same. Why would you want to be? When you’ve crawled out of the darkest of caves and deepest of shadowed valleys, you are more alive than you’ve ever dreamed of being, even when the storm clouds creep back in (and oh, they will). But when you’re finally able to stand up and take a breath, in that realization, you find grace. God’s grace. Because without God’s grace, you wouldn’t have made it out of that valley, out of the cave. You wouldn’t rise up from crawling through each day on all fours, begging God to take the pain, to walking through life with your head held high and an appreciation for the very air in your lungs. It’s through these treacherous storms that you can either sink or swim. You can sink into the nonstop waves of despair and pain, or you can fix your eyes upon Jesus, and walk toward Him through the storm. Peter didn’t sink in the water until he took his eyes off Jesus. No matter where you are in the storm, whether you’re still on the shore watching it grow, or if you’re in the boat in the middle of the massive waves threatening to drag you to the depths and drown you, or if you’ve decided to step out in faith and walk toward Jesus for relief...look for grace. Because it is there, all around you. And when the waves subside, if only for a moment, look for the rainbow. Because you can’t find a rainbow without first braving the storm.
The clouds may never stop rolling in. But when you conquer the overwhelming darkness for the very first time, you are empowered to do it over and over again. Endure the storms. Embrace them, even. Chase your rainbow. And give all glory to God.” 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
Mel, thank you for sharing this! You didn’t have to, but I am so thankful you did. It’s hard trying to put into words the unimaginable. Love you, sweet friend. ❤️