I have learned to stay the course, remain consistent, and move ahead determinedly even when I feel like giving up. I entered the new year feeling discouraged and I cannot understand why; I couldn’t pray as usual. I don’t know about you, but I hate being in this place. However, through it all, my decision to serve my Maker, God, remains, and my resolve to stay connected grew, even though I felt disconnected.

To help, I often quoted the scriptures that I love and spoke them over my life:

“No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
“The same Spirit that raised Jesus lives within me.”
“If I say, ‘You are my refuge’ and make you the Most High my dwelling, no harm will overtake me, and no disaster will come near my tent.” The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want, and more. These scriptures became my place of power, and even though I remained in disconnection, I never gave up. Consistency keeps us safe and reminds us of who we are and just like Jacob held on in Genesis 32:22-29, so did I through consistency.

I recognize my imperfections; many times, I find myself in situations, conversations, or around people I have no business being around. Seemingly innocent happenings and choices, when viewed in hindsight with wisdom, announce glaringly or resonate unmistakably: “You shouldn’t have been there.” But I acknowledge my human mess, repent, and move on because I know myself and where my everything resides.

“‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬ – Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” It’s an experience I wouldn’t give up for anything. “‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:14‬, 16 ‭NLT‬‬ – I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.” And so, I press forward, holding on to the progress I have made; to do otherwise would be to my detriment, opening pathways for sin and anarchy—strong words—to reside within me.

And so immediate repentance and reconciliation become paramount as we seek to make better our situations and experiences and how we go through the journey as Children of God. We are not perfect; no one is except God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. We need to see this concerning ourselves and others. No judgment; that is for our Heavenly Father to do. So, if we fall, if others fall, we get up and help them up as well, showing ourselves and them, compassion and love. This way, we can both move on and keep being the people of God we are called to be, staying connected and upbeat.

Lots of Love & Light!