Dear all, here is week 16! My friend Shiona, who I know from church, has shared about digging deeper into our foundations with God. Often we can long for a quick fix from God but why not dare to go deeper into with our perfect "coach and counsellor" to build firm foundations. Shiona's words have helped me to pause and think about where I need to go deeper and even where God has already been nudging me to do so. I pray they inspire you too.
In Shiona's words...
"I often start every new year with some concentrated time with God, asking him what the theme of my year is going to be. This year God was very clear that he wanted to continue work he started with me in October. I call this my “year of foundations”. I have two kids and for the last two years they have had a very rough season of illness resulting in a crazy amount of stomach bugs and 5 hospital admissions. I find this particularly triggering as my family had a history of severe illness when I was a child. My prayer in September was a beg to God to make us not get sick at all this year – it felt like an unfair ask because the truth is kids get sick. He answered that I absolutely could ask for this right now and that was ok, but that this was not the long-term solution. I suddenly felt really challenged to address specific areas of anxiety and stress around health.
Fast forward 6 months and God has loved me so well in this season. Firstly, my kids have only had minor illness in this season. God did that not because he needed to but because I needed him to; his agenda was much higher. He gave me a clear image of a bobble head toy to show how to make him my secure foundation. Every time I got anxious; I imagined myself as a bobble head. The base being God and the movement being the world. The world moves but the base stays stable.
During this season I have heard God so clearly and, as we progressed, he allowed me to agree when I felt secure enough to experience the kids being sick. Again, not because he had to do that but because he wanted me to know the safety of his foundation. Then when the kids did get sick it was mild, but it was enough for me to see how much work he had done with me. I experienced no significant anxiety, and I came back to the image he gave me. God really knows what we need in our journey. He is the perfect coach and counsellor; he truly never gives us more than we can handle.
Because of this experience I have sat with God and said, “ok which trigger is next” and we have listed the areas of my life where my history currently restricts my future. We are slowly making our way through that list. This experience has made me bolder in stepping out in all areas of my faith. He’s reminded me time and time again trauma is real, but our minds aren’t fixed, we can work with him to get healing and retrain and re-form our minds.
Lots of these things we have read so many times in the bible, haven’t we? He knows us so well and he knows we need to feel those things, experience those things sometimes to really know the depth of the words he has given us. It is never a waste of time to spend that time with God and choose one thing to challenge ourselves in, God rewards bravery repeatedly. This has also taught me that these miracles God does for us is sometimes instant but most of the time God needs our input and push to really make a long-term change. He can renew our minds instantly, but it takes practices to change our choices, grow our patience and sustain our faith in order to keep holding on to the freedom he gives.
Matthew 7:13-14 (The MSG) Being and Doing
“Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention."
Shiona is based in lovely Hertfordshire, juggling the role of Head of Delivery for a software company - basically, she makes sure stuff gets done right - and being a mother of two young kids. She's been a Christian for 22 years now, after growing up with a Christian Mum and an atheist Dad. When she's not working or wrangling kids, she and her husband enjoy training and competing in fitness competitions.
Thank you all so much for reading this story of God connecting with his people. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Until next week,
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