This, my dear friends, is life.

Imagine with me, if you will. Imagine walking through the desert in which the land is barren. You have sacrificed everything as an act of faithfulness, and you find yourself questioning if faithfulness was the right choice. Before, you had everything, life could have even been considered as "extravagant." However, this sacrifice put you in a place in which your life is emptied of everything you once held dear to. This sounds rather unpleasant. There are two reactions that people will have in this situation. They will either tap God on the shoulder, asking "Are we there yet?" OR They will embrace this journey that is laced with pain and confusion, and will fully recognize the glory and wholeness that lies ahead as they are emptied of themselves and filled with God. Who will you be in the desert?

Decisions to be made that would alter the course of my future entered my life in rapid fire fashion. Life was rushing by me, and I couldn't get out of bed. I needed only to rest in His presence, but I wanted only to rest in my own. In triage mode in the day-to-day, thinking "survive. Simply, survive." Surviving moved to thriving as I boldly walked out of this metaphorical triage unit, proclaiming victory. I sat at His feet and drank from the cup in His hand. I was no longer bound by the bed as I was embracing every aspect of life that presented itself. The decisions that are made are Spirit-Driven. In the midst of suffering, our phrase of "I hope this gets better" is not a passive act. Rather, hope is expectant of days of greater glory.