Tuesday, October 7, 2014

The Promised Land {Day 7: #write31days}


I spent too much time yesterday experiencing doubt over what I shared with you for Day 6 of my #write31days series. Maybe I am over thinking the fewer likes. Maybe my struggle is not trusting God with the words He places on my heart to share. In any case, I am giving Day 7 to you through a blog post because…well because God said so.

Day 6 was an attempt to share how a sermon and a particular moment within the sermon seemed to impact my husband and me. But it’s so much more than one moment that has impacted us.

The real struggle is not my trust in God. I struggle to express how much I am in awe of God.

In a recent post I wrote for Outside the City Gate I said God gave me new words. A new beginning. My words previously included words of help me overcome my unbelief (Mark 9:24) They are now words of– I believe. I have witnessed His greatness and faithfulness. I have seen firsthand how God fulfills what He promises. He does provide a way to a land flowing with milk and honey just like He did for the Israelites.


The way comes with twists and turns. The way comes with much waiting. The way comes with what may seem like years in the wilderness. But with God our story never ends in disappointment.

God keeps His promise to deliver us. He has delivered us. The battle has already been won. Yet, we each remain on a journey to our promised land.

He has given me a glimpse of my promised land.


I do not say that lightly for I am fully aware of the other gods (love idols) who have had a place in my heart over Him. These gods which have kept me from believing His promises. And there is so much more for me to learn from His word. There is always more.

As I seek to know Him better those idols begin to lose their grip on me.

He has revealed Himself to me—to my husband and me—over the past four years while performing a transformation in our marriage. We were once without Him and without hope for better. But God provided a way. And He continues to lead us toward better . . . toward our promised land.


I may never fully understand why He chose the military as our way out. Does understanding why even matter? But God has given us another chance for a new beginning. My husband’s return home after ten months serving our country has given us an opportunity to establish a new normal.

Maybe the new normal I speak of is learning to see one another through God’s eyes. It’s not necessarily a change in ALL things but a change in seeing ALL things differently.

To see one another differently.
To respond differently.
To love differently.
To live differently.

By seeing, responding, loving and living differently He gives us the glimpse of our promised land. And it is a land flowing with milk and honey because it’s a land created for us and by God. It’s a land created for us and by God out of His love for us.

I get tongue-tied in my attempts to express how God is showing up and revealing Himself. And I get tongue-tied in my attempts to express how He has taken my marriage from once ready to unravel to one with renewed hopes of being extraordinary. Not a perfect marriage but one built on the foundation of God’s love.


Friends, I have become undone. I am undone because of His great love for me, for my husband and for our marriage. I am undone because of His unending love. A love He freely gives when we make the choice to believe.

I believe.
We believe. 
How great is our God!


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This post is part of a 31 day series on navigating to a new normal. To read all of the posts in this series, click here.

[Image source: Unsplash]

43 comments:

  1. I hope you are adjusting to your new normal! I'm still so excited for your family.
    And thank you God for new beginnings!

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    1. Thank you, Alecia. I am still all smiles myself! It's so wonderful to have him home. Much love to you. xoxo

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  2. Beth, I am not on FB, so I'm glad that you provided a link to what you wrote. For the record, I thought it was beautiful. Beautifully written, and a touching *capture* of a very special moment for you and your husband. I also like what you've said here in your post. God's love is so very powerful, and sometimes when it wraps around us, we are overcome. I had a moment like that in church this past Sunday.

    The Promised Land is ahead of us in eternity, but each day here we can live in the promises of God as we walk the journey home. And those promises will affect every waking moment, every living relationship, every word we say or thing we do. For true Love has a way of changing everything.

    I am undone, too.

    GOD BLESS!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Sharon. I will be honest and say I had fear if what I shared lined up with scripture. The message I am trying to convey is the life He promises us this side of eternity by living in those promises. I believe it's our promised land this side of eternity as we journey to our final promised land in heaven. But I have much more to learn. Thanks for being YOU. Love you so. xoxo

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  3. I love your heart, to share how God is working in your life and in the life of your husband. I am so thankful to be able to get a glimpse of your journey.

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    1. Thank YOU, Barbie, for walking alongside of me through this journey. I am so grateful for you and your friendship. Love you. xoxo

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  4. We all stand beside you Beth as you share what God is doing.
    It encourages us all to keep going. <3

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  5. Beth, I love how your heart shines through in this post. You believe..and that is huge! I still struggle with this at times but I can say now with confidence that I believe too. The word He keeps bringing me back to is "abide." I'm am working on this. Thank you for sharing here. You inspire me to continually seek Him in all aspects of my life. So excited for what He is doing in you and your husband's lives.

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    1. Thank you, Abigail, for your kind words and the encouragement. God is good. Praying for us both on our journey of continually seeking Him in ALL things. Much love. xoxo

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  6. I'll never understand why God chose cancer as a way out of the rut my husband and I had fallen into. But you're so right--sometimes what we really need is to see and think and believe differently--and with God, that's possible! Thank you for sharing your journey!

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    1. With God, all things are possible. Thank you for stopping by and for sharing. Many blessings to you on your journey. With love. Beth

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  7. Dear Sweet Friend ... Isn't it so like the enemy to have us doubting what God has given us to share, all because of fewer likes, not too many comments, or waning stats?

    Sigh. This is where all our social media really is a killer. A joy killer. An esteem slayer.

    You keep on writing from your heart, girl. I'm with you about not playing to the crowd, but instead focusing on that audience of One.

    In the end, those numbers of people that liked us won't matter a bit. What will matter is His 'well, done, good and faithful daughter.'

    Hugs.

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    1. Linda, I am ALWAYS so grateful for the encouragement you leave. Social media can be a beautiful thing but it can also steal your joy. Thank you for the reminder to focus on that audience of One. He is faithful. Love you much. {Hugs}

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  8. I stand in awe as to how God is working through you and you write from that renewed sense of a good God and it is beautiful! Your words always bless me and when I feel like I'm falling victim to what the world says is right, I have friends like you that come along and affirm for me that I am doing exactly what I should be doing for this time. You see I hear God speaking to me and asking me to be right here, right now but other voices-the world as a whole -speak differently and sometimes those friendly voices-like yours are just what we need to continue along God's path.

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    1. I love when God uses us to encourage one another. I know that is what He always intended for us but unfortunately the power found in our words can be used for bad rather than good. I am so happy I can be one of those friendly voices for you. YOU have surely been that to me, Mary. I'm thankful to be on this journey with you. Love you much. xoxo

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  9. You simply have to do as you are led. We must write as God leads us - He knows who He wants to read it and sometimes it is more for us ourselves to really get to the heart of it by trying to express it. God is not the complicator we are.

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    1. So true your words are, Sandra. Praying for us all to write as He leads and to write for Him. {Hugs} to you friend.

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  10. I loved Day 6!!!! I'm just a little behind in my reading, sweet friend :) I love your heart, Beth, so evident, always, but today especially. Those awestruck feelings? they are hard to express, but you do a wonderful job of expressing that truth, lol! I think there is always a part of our personal relationship with God that others won't get - or aren't ready to experience, after all it is a personal relationship! Just keep following His lead. Your obedience and His blessing is a beautiful thing to see :)

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    1. Thank you, sweet friend, for your always encouraging comments. You bless me. I so appreciated what you shared here. Such beautiful truth and truth I needed to be reminded of. Love you so much. xoxo

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  11. God is so good! He creates beauty from the ashes...I know this first hand! What a joy it is to be loved by Him! Thanks for sharing your heart, Beth!

    In Him, Joan

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    1. What unspeakable joy to be loved by Him! Love you, Joan. xoxo

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  12. This is lovely, Beth! As always, I appreciate your transparency in your post. God must love it when we diligently seek Him, to have a vibrant relationship with Him as you are doing. Keep sharing your heart! Sending hugs your way!

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    1. Sending hugs back your way, Julie. I so appreciate you and really do hope one day God gives us the opportunity to meet in real life. Much love. xoxo

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  13. Beautiful words and pictures, Beth! I'm so glad you are settling in to your "new normal" and finding such beauty in it. My husband and I have been through those falling apart times and the joy of God putting us back together. It makes togetherness even more amazing and light filled when you have seen the dark. I love the thought of my promised land. Thanks for putting that in my head :).

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    1. Indeed it does, Candace. You said that so wonderfully ... "it makes togetherness even more amazing and light filled when you have seen the dark." Beautiful! Thank you for sharing that. Blessings to you, friend. xoxo

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  14. Oh, Beth. May God continue to walk with you as you find this "new normal." God is certainly never "normal" so all things new are beautiful in God's eyes.
    You bless me for I am learning too.
    Caring through Christ, ~ linda

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    1. Oh that is a needed reminder, Linda, that God is never "normal." And that all things new are beautiful to Him. Thank you, Your kind words always bless me. Love you. xoxo

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  15. Your words are light and joy. So happy in what the Lord has worked and continues to work in your life. He is so good. Love and hugs, Beautiful Lady :)

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    1. Love and hugs to you beautiful one! Love you and miss you. xoxo

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  16. Beth... I LOVE that you write what God puts on your heart. The obedience to that is its own reward. A deep blessing. The beauty of watching you navigate both a new normal and a deeper faith is stunning, friend.

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    1. YOU are a blessing to me, Beth. Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. Love you. xoxo

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  17. Hi Beth! Your post reminds me of the phrase 'slain in the Spirit'. The Lord has poured his love, support and creative solution right over you and your husband. Of course you want to understand, but sometimes his overarching favor leaves you speechless and feeling so small. It's okay not to get it; much better to just live it!
    I'll always 'like' you my friend :)
    Ceil

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    1. Your comment leaves me wanting to hug you write now, Ceil. That is so it..."sometimes his overarching favor leaves you speechless and feeling so small." But yes, it's okay to not get it; let's just live it. I will ALWAYS 'like' YOU!! xoxo

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  18. The transformation you speak of here is hope-filled, and yes, hard to put into words. I wonder if awe, by nature, defies being confined to words? But I think you did a heck of a job anyhow ;-) And this: "Does understanding why even matter?" seems huge to me. You're edging more into mystery, and still into deeper faith, and that is a beautiful journey. Thank you for sharing with Unforced Rhythms.

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    1. Thank you, Amber, for stopping by to read and for leaving your kind words of encouragement. I truly appreciate it. I look forward to visiting you. Blessings.

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  19. What a great testimony of God's taking your marriage to a new normal after your husband's military service. My husband and I also continue growing after 19 years together. New ways or loving. New ways of responding, as you say.

    Thanks for visiting my blog yesterday. It's always fun to make new friends.

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    1. Thank you, Betsy, for your kind words. Don't you just love how God is never done growing us and our marriages. For me that reveals His deep, deep love for us. It's a beautiful thing. And it's a joy to connect with you. I look forward to getting to know you better through your blog. Blessings.

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  20. Beautiful expression of God at work in your life.Your right..."Does the why even matter?" I know you are so happy to have your husband home!

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    1. Thank you so much, Cathy. Yes...SO very happy to have my husband home. Blessings to you.

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  21. Beth,
    I may not comment as much as most people, but I hope our conversations behind the scenes convey how beautiful your words are. In fact I hope you fully grasp the depth to which I believe your words are graced into existence by God to touch others. There is nothing wrong with standing in confidence, my friend; for when you do that is standing in His confidence.
    Love you,
    Heather

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Much love to you.