Reach for hope and grow stronger

Crisp spring air surrounds me. I drink deeply as I climb the earthen path.  My destination: solitude in a lush green field surrounded by oaks, off the beaten path. I need space, I need to breathe and be alone; I need to reflect, pray, and read. 

“When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place.” Psalm 118:5

Sweet purple and yellow wildflowers dot the open space and dance, catching the breeze. When I look close enough, their petals glimmer in the sun. They shine for no one in particular, yet they are so beautiful; blooming where they are. 

I follow the path back home after some time and notice the same sweet flowers along the trail. But these little lovelies are taller – stretching to match the height of the grass surrounding them and get warm light on their faces. 

We, too, can rise up to reach for hope, and grow stronger. As troubles and hardship like weeds come around us to choke out our hope, we have a choice. We can grow stronger and believe we have more in us than we ever knew, or we can be passive and let our surroundings overtake us. I believe you are made for more; friend! Perhaps we won’t know how tall we can stand until we’re in that chaos of weeds around us, and given the chance to rise above it. God is inviting us to grow and call out to him, so we can have space to breathe, space to rest. We don’t have to wait any longer to ask for help from others, and especially from God, who loves you so dearly. 

So what have you been doing to grow stronger in this season? Do you feel your life has more clarity and purpose? Or is the noise around you blocking out your rays and causing you to shrink, wither, and lose hope?

It’s not too late to choose a new path, friend. 

Let’s choose together. Let’s grow stronger together. 

3 Practical ways to grow stronger

Choose your Input

• Choose to put good, pure, powerful, positive inputs into your mind. As the Bible says – out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). How do you talk to yourself? How do you speak to others? Is it kind, compassionate, grace-filled? How do you handle challenges and setbacks? Think about making an amazing, nutritious smoothie for breakfast – you put in kale, banana, your favorite protein, celery, strawberries. Oh, and the unwashed salmonella spinach. Would you drink it? No! The same concept applies to our brains – they are priceless, creative miracles, and deserve the best care. Reflect on your inputs: news, social media, TV, Netflix, Hulu, self-talk, and conversations you have. Do they lift your spirits or crush your hope? Are they just a distraction from your hurt or loneliness? Is it time for a change? Which brings me to the next point!

Choose to Invite a Friend into the Struggle

• Chose to invite someone into your struggle. As you’re fighting the chaotic weeds around you, tell a friend, have an ugly cry over FaceTime. Isolation is where so many fears and worries fester and multiply. Bring those to light – reach out for help, and I know, sister, that you will feel better saying them. Saying them aloud to a loving, non-judgmental friend takes the power out of the fears. I promise. I shared my testimony about my struggle with depression to 30+ people when I lived abroad in Poland – no one ran, booed, or condemned. Instead, they leaned in, and with compassion in their eyes, told me I was brave and loved. Who will be your trusted friend?

Choose to Set a New Mini-Goal Each Week

• Choose to set a new little goal each week. Do you have a bad habit you beat yourself up about? Is it sabotaging your hope, productivity, or relationships? Change it! Choose one tiny thing you can commit to doing each day INSTEAD of the bad habit. I did this with writing my book – I wasn’t making progress like I had wanted and missed my draft deadline. But now, instead of scrolling social media, I choose to take my manuscript, set a five-minute timer, and get to work once a day! It’s tiny, but my tank is so full after doing something I love, even for those few minutes. So I challenge you to add a new goal each week, replacing a bad habit with a good habit. By the end of the month, you will improve your life in four ways! Check out more in my favorite, practical book, Choose to Win. 
• Remember to give yourself grace when you can’t do it perfectly. You’re just starting, but you need to start to grow! So what are you going to start today? 

Let’s grow stronger together.