It seems like everyone is getting engaged and having babies, and I’m all like
Seriously, my husband and I are both incredibly happy for the people in our lives that are getting engaged, getting married, getting pregnant, and having babies (even having a second child!). We have grown to appreciate and celebrate with the people who have exciting things going on around us. Thank you for sharing your blessings with us!
After not seeing my family or friends for a while, they ask the question: “What’s new?” It may be my own insecurity, or it may be the way our society is nowadays, but I never feel content unless I actually give them some news about what’s going on in my life.
But do you want to know my honest answer? Nothing.
The past two years we’re literally an emotional roller coaster for me and my husband. Between transitions in our jobs, places of residence, marital status, and physical health, it’s as if we’ve lived three lives together in the two-and-a-half years we’ve known each other. Every week, we had new news.
“I’m moving into my first apartment.”
“I just started a new job.”
“I just got promoted.”
“I have shingles.”
“We’re engaged.” (And all the news that comes with planning a wedding).
“I have a new job.”
“We have new friends.”
“We’re involved in new ministries at the church.”
“We’re married.”
“We’re going on vacation.”
“We have a new apartment.”
“I’m getting a promotion.”
Because of all these changes, we have become discontent with waiting, as we’ve been trained by our experiences to always anticipate the next best thing. Our prayers have transitioned from “Thank you, God,” to “What next, God?” And after praying for several months, God has finally answered the cry of our hearts for His direction:
“It’s OK to be normal.”
We don’t feel led. We don’t have enough money. We don’t have enough time. We have our hands full. These are all excuses that people use to not live their dreams. But what if God has so crafted our circumstances–our limited budget, our busy schedules, our responsibilities, His silence in our prayers–so that we could step back and see that we have enough right where we are?
My exciting news is that I don’t have dishes in the sink. My exciting news is that we’re cleaning out our closet and getting rid of clothes we haven’t worn in several years. My exciting news is that we spent half of what we thought we would while grocery shopping. My exciting news is that I rewrote a chapter of my book today. Our exciting news is that every day is a beautiful adventure, where we learn more about each other through household chores, grocery shopping, and living normal.
And that’s OK.
If you find you’re discontent, if you don’t hear God answering your prayers, may you find encouragement in the normal. Whether you’re single, engaged, newlywed, trying to have kids, struggling to keep up with your numerous kids, an empty nester, or beyond, you have a reason to celebrate. That celebration might not be over the opportunity to travel, finding out the gender of your baby, or exchanging rings with the love of your life, but if God is with you, you can celebration that you literally have everything you need in this very moment. God is enough; maybe you needed to read that in this very moment!
On Thursday, I’ll be talking more about this in the context of a post I wrote in 2014.
Elisabeth Warner 