Cue The New You

Life changes and so do people. I used to be so scared of change but now it is something I am so so thankful for. The things you have been through don't define you. The way you reacted to something in the past doesn't define you. Make a habit of not holding someone's past against them. My friend (and editor lol so shout out to her) Jessica Couch has told me time and time again that the best gift you can give anyone is the ability to start over. When someone works hard to grow and change into a better person, allow them to show up as that person. Never underestimate what God can do in a small amount of time, one year, six months, six weeks, or even just one second with a heart that is willing to change for Him. If you know my story (posted under the “My Story” tab go read if you haven't already) you know that I haven't always been exactly who I want to be but that's changed, I've changed. Something I have to constantly remind myself is no amount of guilt can change the past and no amount of anxiety can change the future. What a blessing that God's mercies are new every single morning. Ask Him for forgiveness, repent, and then forgive yourself. Regret, shame, and guilt rob us of so much, including our faith and confidence in Jesus. Everyone has things they wish they never did or said but there is no going back, no changing it. If we have asked for forgiveness, repented, and done what we can to make things right, then we have to come to a place where we stop replaying what we cannot relive. You cannot go back and change things but you most definitely do not have to stay where you are, you can move forward in Christ. My entire life I have tried to control my life, not allowing God to work in my life whatsoever, never fully surrendering to Him. The truth is when a person lives without the understanding of God's sovereignty and goodness they think they can control their own future. And if we are in charge of our own future a lot can go wrong, which leads to a lot of fear in our lives. Trusting in God's goodness brings rejoicing and gladness instead of fear, surrender is actually the path to Freedom. Psalm 28:9 says “Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession. Lead them like a shepherd, carry them in your arms forever.” It is fitting that David compares us to sheep here. While sheep have many external enemies, their most dangerous enemy, the one who is always present, is themselves. If you have ever come in contact with a sheep you are well aware that they are stupid. The only way sheep are safe is if the shepherd is with them. David is literally saying to protect them from their enemies and protect them from themselves too. If we don't allow God to control our lives and protect us we are being like stupid sheep, it is self-destructive to shut God out of your life. I had no other hope but to fully surrender my life to Jesus. I found freedom in surrendering every area of my life to Him, I found my everything, my reason to live, my why. We have to trust that the pain of letting go of the past will be filled by the goodness of God's will, and when we do truly let go of the past we make room for God to bring new goodness into our lives. Right before I moved away to college my life was quite literally crumbling all around me, everything I ever knew was no longer a thing. I didn't know how I was going to survive the next day, much less move to a whole new town with people I barely knew in less than three weeks. But life goes on as it always does, I moved to Stillwater and it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I was in a new town with new friends, I was away from the things that reminded me of how my life used to be and I was put in a place that showed me what my life could be if I just gave it a chance. No one knew me, no one knew I was barely surviving each day. I only had the story I would decide to make for myself, talk about a fresh start. The bravest thing I ever did was rebuild when I did not want to live. In Psalm 4:8 David says “In peace, I will lie down and sleep, for you alone O Lord, will keep me safe.” We can sleep peacefully because we know God is in control and His plan is trustworthy. The one person that we cannot live without cannot be taken away from us and He will never leave us. In Psalm 52:8-9 David says “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.” He trusts his relationship with God to be all he needs in the midst of trouble. That is what it's all about, realizing that we don't need anything or anyone other than God Himself. If I had the ability to go back and make my life the way it used to be six months ago when I was comfortable and things seemed good, I simply would not. I wasn't living for God, I was constantly trying to fill the void in my heart with worldly things. The person I have become in these past two months is someone I am proud to be, I'm not who I once was. The thing is I wouldn't be who I am right now if all had not come crashing down and I didn't surrender it all to Him. I would still be hurting, bitter, and stone cold, searching for the next best thing. I am none of those things, I no longer live in regret and shame, I found freedom in surrender. Fruit is grown in the valley, so rejoice in the valley because He is still good. The decisions you make today determine the story you tell tomorrow, make the decision to change your ways and follow Him so that tomorrow you can tell of all He has done. There is a special calling in your life that cannot be found by looking around but only by looking up. It won't be found in things of this world, it will be found when your heart is fixed on Jesus. There is truly nothing better than a person who is doing the work, allowing God to heal their wounds, and figuring out who they really are. So many people from my past know a version of me that no longer exists, I am made new in Him and you can be too, cue the new you.

Good talk,

Rylie With The Messy Life :)