Life Hurts

I've been absentee from the blog lately. For good reason. Insane busy-ness and just making my family a priority. I've also taken on photography and learning how to use my camera and software, so yes, busy as of late.

But I have something on my heart that I'm ready to share. And it's a lot. And it's heavy. And it's honest. But I know someone, somewhere out there will read it and they needed to hear it too.

I've experienced deep, deep hurt and rejection in the past year and half and I haven't known how to deal with it. On the outside I can keep it all together most of the time, so when I do lash out on occasion, I'm criticized and 'lovingly' rebuked. I don't blame anyone else for not taking the time to try and understand - how could they if I haven't been honest?

It really starts to get to you when you've applied for 100 jobs and have been rejected by every single one of them. Oh, except the one that was a tangled web of drama and they expected you to train yourself because everyone important left or got fired. When even restaurants choose some kid in high school over you, the word rejection begins to slowly tattoo itself onto your heart. I knew in July of 2011 that The Winn Group was starting to look shady. No paychecks were coming. That's when the job hunt began. At first I thought it was just because I was pregnant and I thought for sure once I had Josiah, finding a job would be a piece of cake. But as most of you know, the job rejections kept coming, one by one by 100.

It starts to get to you.

When you work part time on minimum wage serving some very wealthy people, bitterness can easily creep in. Add to this, all I've wanted is immigration to be done and my husband able to work so I can be home with Josiah. And that's just been another rejection, after rejection, after rejection on our paperwork...Hurt. Lots and lots of hurt. And there's been no one I've felt I can turn to, no one I felt could help me. All I've desperately wanted for the longest time is someone I could open up to. Someone who understands my pain. Someone who could lead me to the truth in a way that only someone who's "been there" can. People have come along who I know genuinely cared, but when all they can say is don't be bitter because that's bad, well, that doesn't help.

It's like I've been lying in a cactus bed in the desert and people have come along and told me I shouldn't lie there cause it'll leave scars. Maybe I was stuck and needed help getting out of the cactus bed.


Lately I've very much been looking to the Lord, crying out to Him from this place of hurting. I've got to look to the one who actually understands the pain. Which has still been hard when I've felt like God doesn't care all that much.

LIES I know. I don't need to be told that. But the hurt and sting of rejection runs deep.

At church this past weekend, the message was Life Hurts. As I listened, I began to feel relief. Someone was finally telling me that just because I was a Christian, doesn't mean I was excluded from experiencing deep hurts. But now, where do I go from here? Even this week I've experienced rejection - from jobs, to family, and friends too. But it's time to respond differently.

Jesus Christ experienced the ultimate rejection so that I wouldn't have to. No matter what happens on this earth, I will never, ever, ever face God's rejection. I am His very own child, and His LOVE will NEVER fail me. God chose me.

"We win when our heart stays alive in the midst of Satan's greatest weapons."


I want my heart to stay alive. And when this desert season is behind us and a thing of the past, I thank God that He is going to use me in a powerful way.

I'm still in the middle of this battle.
I'm still dealing with pain.
But I'm going to get through this and I'm going to be a face and a voice to those in the future who have no one to talk to and no one who understands.

Satan isn't going to win this one.

Life's Important Things

Obviously...I have not blogged in over a month. And I'm really okay with that. April was absolutely the craziest month OF MY LIFE and I hardly even had a chance to read a single blog I follow, much less post something.

So what's happened in the past month?

Big stuff, that's what.

Like completing my goal of running a half marathon! Hardest run of my life, but so, so, so worth it crossing that finish line!

I was given a blessing, which I thought was a curse, but then ended up being used by God to speak to me BIG dreams and plans that He was ready to set in motion. Vague, I know, but it's all about photography. It's been a dream of mine for a very long time, something I couldn't stop thinking about. One day earlier this month God showed me so clearly that now was the time. And Rob 100% agreed, so we did some research, talked to some people, and bought what we needed to get started.

I am SO excited. I know nothing, except that I have an eye for a good shot. But God is ready to use me right where I'm at. And it helps that I have the cutest baby on the planet to practice with :-)

April was certainly an insane month. But it turned out to be quite a month of God's favor and blessing.

And now, I shall get back to enjoying my quiet evening :-)