2016 proved to be a tough year for me. I can’t say it was the toughest of my life because I’ve had a couple of doozies in my time. But, It was rough for reasons very different than years prior. I went through a season I wasn’t accustomed to, a very long season.
You see, I’ve always been the rescuer type; the fix-it-all-immediately kind of person. I learned this about myself many years ago. Though the Lord had spoken strongly to me about it, sometime in 2008, it was something that took a while to grow out of, yet, I did! I came to a solid place of leaning on Him, relying on the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, direct, comfort, and assist. I wasn’t nearly as quick to say “yes” to everybody; I weighed out the priorities in my life; I made sure I prayed about every decision.
Then…
Somehow, I forgot. In 2016, for some crazy (really, just plain stupid) reason I apparently thought I was strong on my own. I started saying yes to everybody, over-committing myself, over-extending my reach, taking on way too much in addition to every other priority in my life. You can guess what happened. It all began to collapse on me. Why in the world did I think I could do all of that on my own? I KNOW the Lord is my Strength, my Rock, my Fortress, my Burden-Bearer… why was I trying to be all of that for myself and everybody else? How did I lose sight? I’ve been walking with Him for 31+ years. There’s only one, terrible, horrific answer – I took my eyes off Him.
(Some of you know my health-journey story) so when the emotional, spiritual, and mental drainage came to a drip drop stop – it even began to affect me physically; I knew I was in trouble. I had been crashing for months, now I was beginning to burn. In October, I cried out to God. I repented for being so arrogant and obnoxious as to think I could do it all. I repented for not pursuing Him with all my heart. Of course, being the loving Father that He is, He forgave me and restored me. But, not without a sound rebuke!
“Draw on that glory-grit, girl. Get up from here and stop whining.”
At first, that hurt my feelings! I hate whining. I don’t whine! I obviously was whining or He wouldn’t have said that, right? “Draw on that glory-grit, girl”, was something He had spoken to me years ago, and I had forgotten. What a loud reminder He gave me.
Grit produces glory inside you. When you dig your heels in and you don’t give up, that’s grit. Whatever is opposing you, sometimes it’s “self” opposing you, face that thing and don’t back down! You will eventually experience the glory on the other side.
I love Angela Duckworth’s definition of GRIT, “…is the tendency to sustain interest in and effort towards very long-term goals.”
My definition of GRIT is, “tenacity and determination to see a thing to completion.” In other words, not giving up!
GLORY (noun), “magnificence or great beauty.”
Just as a diamond is produced or a pearl comes forth, YOUR beauty and magnificence emerge out of the hard place, the place of irritation and pain.
That’s where this year’s conference theme, Glory-Grit, came from.
Coming to #Fashioned17 will reveal more to you than you can ever imagine! If you haven’t made plans, PLEASE DO. I believe this conference will cause a bursting forth and breaking through for all of us. Our eyes will be enlightened like never before to the truth of God’s word and call on our lives.
It’s going to be glorious!
Register for #Fashioned17 here: www.FashionedConference.org
[Also, check out my jewelry page on Facebook: Glory-Grit Designs by Margie]
