You Don't Have to be Lonely

Sing with me...."You don't have to be lonely at Farmer'sOnly.com" ....y'all that song and commercial CRACK.ME.UP. Maybe it's our recent move to the country...and the fact that Savannah is nearing what some (not her dad) would think appropriate dating age....but anyway....farmersonly.com thinks they have the loneliness issue solved. Bless their hearts...

This summer has been a whirlwind of activity in our house. As soon as school was out, we enjoyed a week long visit with my brother and his family, then a few short days later my crew left for Peru for 10 days. They came back and just a few days later Savannah left for camp, and now Tucker and Bruce are at camp and we still have a Worship Camp,VBS and finally...vacation! It's crazy!

But most of those activities haven't included me. And I have been alone a lot. Now, before someone hands me a tissue...please don't feel sorry for me. I don't think in my almost 45 years that I had ever been alone for 10 days. I grew up in a house of 6, then college roommates, I married right out of college, had kids...yeah...I have not been alone for that long EVER. So it's been a little wonderful and weird all in the same breath.

But I learned a few things....

1. Like...you don't have to be afraid.
2. Make the most of your time.
3. God makes a great conversation partner.
4. There is peace in the quiet.
5. Getting still before the Lord takes effort.
6. Being alone doesn't have to mean you're lonely.
7. God created us for relationship...and by the time 10 days was up...I was ready for my relationships to come home!
8. You can be alone and be ok...not depressed or stressed or in denial.
9. Being alone can be like a detox for the soul.
10. Being alone helps you appreciate your friendships more.

Bonus...Being alone for 10 days, I also confirmed what my heart already knew...I do not make the majority of messes in this house!

But seriously, sometimes we find ourselves alone. Sometimes it's physically alone, maybe through the death of a spouse or a divorce or empty nest. Sometimes it's emotionally alone...we might not feel like anyone understands, that we are the only ones going through the loneliness, the heartbreak. Here's the thing...we get to choose how we handle begin alone. No, we don't always get to choose aloneness, sometimes it chooses us, but we can decide our attitude and our actions during those times.

And if you find yourself in a permanent state of alone....remember you were made to be in relationship...first with God and then others. Nurture and embrace the intimacy found in alone time with the Savior and then find relationships that honor God and bring others closer to Him. It's strangely fulfilling to pour into someone else and you just might find yourself not so lonely anymore.

Psalm 68:5-6 says:

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in      a sun-scorched land.

God has a plan for those who are alone. And so does the enemy....so be alert to the devil's lies...his methods are so lame...kill, steal and destroy...they never change...he's always going about those three things. He's a devourer. So if you feel yourself being devoured or like something is robbing you from your joy, your life...identify it as spiritual warfare, take God at his Word and fight the enemy with the truth found there. Our minds are powerful instruments. Who will you let control yours? 

Trusting the Shepherd...not the Farmer,

Gina

Fear- Let's Talk About It

Fear.

Fear can paralyze us, make us not take that next step in fulfilling our dreams.

Let’s talk about fear, know it, claim it and push through barriers the devil puts in our way.

My Dad passed away this past November. I had always feared one of “those” phone calls.  I had thought about getting one of those phone calls in depth a few times, like seeing it happen in a movie, the next thing you know you have a runaway train of thoughts about what you would do in that situation.  Fear leads to anxiety ridden thoughts over the thing you fear, yet you still do not feel prepared when you are in the situation you have feared for so long.  Shocked, gutted, panicked, frozen; those words better describe getting a phone call that your Dad has had a heart attack.

It was during the next few months that I felt the Lord nudging me about fear, convicting me about the small and big fears that I backed away from. I believe it was a stage of my grieving that led me to push my anxiety to the back burner; thinking to myself: why would I be fearful if I have already lost my Dad and I survived it. 

The Lord was with me, I felt his presence every step I took, every decision I made, he helped me, calmed me. Things just seemed smaller, less of a big deal. Time on the other hand became much more precious, memories became like valuable heirlooms and I felt a rush to capture these now very important things. The Lord nudged again and I knew exactly how I was going to do this, photography.

I have loved photography for a really long time but had only been brave enough to take pictures of our kids and our family, until recently. The devil liked to tell me lies like 'well sure the photos look good to you, but not to anyone else.' or 'you thought that photo was amazing but it only got 4 likes on Instagram, you must not have real talent.'. 

A few months ago, I completed a morning devotional about living fearlessly; how to boldly walk through the doors that God opens for you. During this study, the opportunity arose for me to take engagement photos for the sweetest couple. My voice surprised me when I heard myself say “I can do it, I’d love to do it.” I am not going to lie, fear bubbled many times before the actual day of the photo session came but I persisted (I know the Lord made me keep going because I was really kind of nauseous just thinking about it). 

The session was successful and I am so glad to say that I did it! But it’s really not about me completing this photo session, it’s much bigger. It’s about looking back on your journey to seeing how the Lord changed your heart to be more like Jesus, how He worked things out for your benefit to show you His sweet grace and  how He forgives you for the fears you have let the devil place in your life for so long, this is His indescribable mercy.

Isn't breaking free from a bondage holding you back, in this case fear, so rewarding when you can see the Lord’s work in every part of your story?  So, yes, let’s talk about fear, know it, claim it and push through barriers the devil puts in our way. What fears do you hold in your heart? I pray you focus on Joshua 1:9 instead. Replace anxiety and fearful thoughts with the fact that the Lord calls you to be strong and courageous. He promises to be with you wherever you go. So do not be afraid.

This is my story,

Nikki Taylor