We are well into the new year with all that it has to offer. As I ponder on the past year I realized for the majority of the year, it was amazing what God has done. We celebrated my husband’s 50th Birthday. I followed God’s tugging to start this blog seven months ago. We had an amazing and long overdue family vacation. Our son moved to into the youth group. We celebrated my grandma’s 85th Birthday. But most importantly I continued to grow in my relationship with God. Has there been any struggles along the way? Yes. Has it been easy-going through those struggles? No, but with God leading the way those struggles didn’t break me completely.

Just as God planted the thought in Caesar Augustus’ head to take a census at the time of Jesus’ birth, to fulfill His prophecy of Jesus being born in Bethlehem. He had plans for me this past season as well. I had pre-wrote and scheduled the posts that came to you over the Christmas season to take a break from writing. I soon discovered that was His thought that He placed in my head for He knew the struggles I would be going through. Struggles that would leave me laying on the floor beautifully broken. Like the ornaments that broke when our Christmas tree finally fell over not once but twice. You see, what laid on the floor in broken pieces was parts of me that was once carefully taken care of and cherished over the years. But their time had come for them to be removed. Revealing the beauty of what remained intact and unharmed. Where these struggles allowed to defeat me spiritually, mentally and physically? No, I believe they were allowed for my benefit. In each and every struggle God not only revealed Himself to me. He also gave of Himself to me even more that what I had before. He gave me the reassurances and confirmations I needed, to know that I was obeying and on the right track. He gave me the discerning wisdom ans self-control I needed, to know what words to speak and when to speck them. He brought to my mind His truths and promises from the Bible. Not only does He give me the strength to do all things through Him and that He is with me always. He brought to mind a specific passage.

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

I won’t say I was very joyous going through my struggles. The facts are there were a lot of tears that were shed, emotions that wanted to be released and a depression that sucked the joy out of Christmas. But I am joyful for the fruits that it bared, for the strengthening of my faith and for bringing me one step closer. All because I had been beautifully broken. We will not be perfect and complete until we reach our heavenly destination, but with His help we can remain steadfast and stand firm.

How about you, have you ever been beautifully broken? If you can relate leave a comment that says, “I have been beautifully broken.”

In His Love, Crisi