Hardship is Waiting…

There is no promise of ease in this life, but I still want it.

We all do, and unfortunately, the comforts of our Western culture reinforce and coddle us into a false reality. A reality that everything in our environment and life should be “just right”, should bend to my comfort, and make me “feel” good. Buy a mattress that has temperature control and a remote to adjust the firmness or softness for everyone on the bed!

Everything you desire at your fingertips. My shows, my playlist, and my food Door-Dashed to my front door whenever I want.

I am guilty.

I love my routine of coffee in the morning, my comfy chair, my soft blankets, and a peaceful environment, maybe with music and candles. And I thrive in the comforts of my little world.

My work from home job, my quiet small town, my friend group, and my little routines like Outpost Coffee and Weezie’s breakfast. I love my little comfy life.

It is interesting how easy it is to fall into the illusion that life is meant to be “comfortable.”

If our ultimate goal in life is to be comfortable and safe, you will “rock” yourself into an apathetic, meaningless, fearful, purposeless life.

An amazing, creative, talented, philosopher friend of mine from high school recently posted this:

“I refuse to merely exist day to day, moment to moment. I must turn water into wine. I must awaken the potential. The average live off talent alone. The phenomenal live of effort. Extreme effort. They know hardship is waiting ahead but persist despite of.”
-Donald Sales-

I have fallen into a season of hardship.

Not just hard for me, but also so many hard things are happening around me. Tragedies, surgeries, car wrecks, divorces, parenting issues, just really, really hard stuff, hitting myself and the ones I love.

And I have felt like life was beating me up, stripping me of my confidence, laughing in my face, exposing my ignorance, and making me feel inept.

I sat with friends during this time, expressing my feelings of loss in regards to what to do in my parenting journey, and one of them told me, “You can’t give up. Don’t give up, Em.”

For some reason, out of all the advice and tidbits that loved ones have said to me over the past few weeks, this one was kind of like a defibrillator to my heart.

Maybe because we give up or give in, every day in small ways and big ways, as we succumb to wanting our little posh, comfy life, so we “give up” on trying or doing anything, or pushing for something different, because it is HARD and UN-comfortable.

Maybe we don’t even realize we are giving up. Maybe I didn’t realize I was giving up.

But that little admonishment, “Don’t give up Em,” triggered a spark in my heart…

“What you are doing matters, it MATTERS big time. Who you are raising matters; their lives are precious, and THEY matter Big time.

Even though you don’t feel equipped, even though you feel like you have no idea what you are doing, you have to keep trying, you have to keep seeking counsel, adjusting, pushing, loving, and giving. THIS might actually be the most important THING you ever do.”

I want to be among those who live a phenomenal life. A life that awakens the potential in all those around me, that I might witness the greatness of the human spirit. I want to be among those who persist despite the failures and the setbacks. To be among those who, even though they know Hardship is waiting around the corner, I will persist.

My dear, I want you with me. This road can be very lonely. Yet one thing I have learned and will continue to “preach”, is the journey, though treacherous, we were not meant to do it by ourselves!

Together we can face the wind, the rain, and the rocky terrain; we can pull each other forward. Together we climb. Together, we can witness “water turned into wine.”

We can watch the miraculous, witness the wonder of squeezing all the potential out of a life. And experience the endless strength of the human spirit. Don’t give up my dear, don’t give up.

With you on the journey of vulnerable, honest, whole-hearted ❤ living,