It always seems that no matter what we want to accomplish in life, getting started is the hardest part; oh, what wisdom there is in the magic of just beginning! When we take that first step, the universe seems to intervene and help us out in a myriad of ways. Everything gets so much easier, because one step leads to another, and then, another.
Sometimes though, when we have just begun on a grand adventure, calamity strikes. We are simply stopped in our tracks. It could be a health concern that we were not counting on. It could be the pandemic that we are living through at this very moment in time. It could be anything at all. The shimmering pearl of wisdom eludes us; what are we supposed to do now, in the midst of a great, big mess?
Some of the best advice I have ever heard is just this one thing: keep going when the going gets rough. Keep moving forward. Take the next best step and go on from there. And in the quiet space while you wait for what to do after that, take inventory of all that is going right with your life. Take inventory of all the good people and good things that surround you…even in the worst of times. The truth is, we do not have to have everything figured out in order to go on with our lives. We do have to keep doing the next best thing on our journey…and that is different for each one of us.
What we find in that waiting period is pretty awesome. We discover that we are blessed with so many beautiful people…people who bless our lives, day in and day out. There are shadows that come upon us in this life, but God has given us earth-angels, if you consider the friends, family, and neighbors, He has so graciously bestowed upon us.
I have always believed that oftentimes people come into our lives for a reason. A chance encounter is not always by chance. These encounters change us, enlighten us, brighten our world for the better. There are encounters where another soul so touches our own that we are changed forever. And we never know when God has called us to be that change in the life of someone else. We must remain open to God’s Holy Spirit as He moves through us and among us.
Life is kind of like a doorway and we are always passing through it. On the other side of the door are people who need us. On the other side of the door are people seeking answers to the problems they face. No matter what has befallen these people, we must reach out to them with open hearts. There are dark days for us all; there are days when we need to hear a bit of cheer, a word of comfort, the mention of a prayer on our behalf.
There are pearls of wisdom that shimmer in this world and bring us hope. We find these pearls in the Holy Bible; these are the treasures we share with one another. This is the strand of pearls we hold close to our hearts, knowing that the passages we read are true, knowing that it is only with this strand that we can make our way in this world, and in the next.
Oh, how blessed we are to know these pearls are within our reach! How blessed we are to reach for one when we do not know where our next step should be. We need not be afraid. We need only begin. Our God of this vast and beautiful universe reaches out each day to guide us; we take hold of His hand, and the shadows slip away. We hold on tight, His hand so much bigger than our own.
Beginnings always seem to be the hardest part in life, and we must begin anew each and every day. We persevere, knowing our journey is not in vain, knowing we are called to be witnesses of God’s love in this world. The steps may not all be easy, but each one matters. We step out in faith; we carry our shimmering strand of pearls out into the world; God’s light infuses the pearls with hope, and the darkness is lifted, like magic.
Psalm 46: 4: “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”
you are so right about continuing the journey and supporting each other … this is true community connection!
We certainly do need one another! In the words of John Donne, “No man is an island”, we are not meant to live in isolation. That is one reason this pandemic has been so hard on people. We miss our friends and neighbors. Maybe, when all of this is over, we will have gained a deeper appreciation of just how much we do depend on one another.
we can only pray it gives us more insight about many things … vulnerability, connection and so much more Linda!
Yes! 🙂
Love this. Just keep going when it gets rough. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. And look for the pearls, because they are everywhere. 😊
Our Heavenly Father is the giver of good gifts! He delights in giving us good gifts. We must prepare our hearts so we are able to receive these blessings that He offers. In life, we face trials and tribulations; still, when we take God’s hand, He leads us through the valley…one step at a time. I think sometimes we want to rush the steps, because the steps are difficult. But deep in the valley, we learn many things. We learn patience and we learn to trust; we learn that God is there in every valley we ever come upon.There are so many places where we stumble and fall; still, His hand reaches out to us and He lifts us up once again.
I appreciate the message of hope and the beautiful photograph that accompanies it!
Thank you! That photograph makes me happy each time I look at it! I hope you are having a good weekend Liz!
Yes, I am having a good weekend, thank you!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Yes, taking inventory of all the good things around us can transform the filter we tend to see through. Nice pearls, Linda. God’s grip. – Alan
Especially now, in the midst of this pandemic, keeping a positive focus makes such a difference. It is not easy at times! One day at a time, with God’s help, we move forward. 🙂
Very wise words, Linda! Sometimes it seems as it it’s impossible to move forward, but that’s not really the case. We’re just moving forward in different ways than we had imagined. And we are still surrounded with so many good things.
🙂 🙂 🙂 Yes, we must keep going forward, good times or bad times!
What wonderful words of wisdom and encouragement! Someone gave me that same advice when I was a young mother with toddlers and always felt worn out. Just keep moving forward, one step at a time. Thank you for this reminder to keep moving forward and as you mentioned, when we look back, look at all the blessings the Lord poured out upon us. He is with us. Always.
These have been stressful times for all of us. I think it is easier to cope if we take it one day at a time. We need to be patient with others, but we need to be patient with ourselves as well. 🙂
You’re so right about the hardest part is getting started. Always is. Another amazing post Linda x
Thank you! I hope you are having a very good day today! 🙂