I find myself staring at this tree in our backyard often. I’m amazed at its resilience. Its path was not straight like the others. It must’ve had some dead ends, some trial and error, some difficulty finding its way. It didn’t grow with ease, but it kept growing.

When I was a child I was told my spine had not grown straight like it should. It was special and shaped like an “S” instead. It continued to progress until a shiny new back brace was part of my new school clothes shopping. 

This cannot be real, I thought, this is impossible. 

I would rather just crawl in a hole than wear that back brace to Middle School. It felt as if my life was ruined forever. I didn’t have a choice. I strapped on those large velcro belts as tight as it could go, 22 hours a day, every day, for a year and half.

Uncomfortable is an understatement. I was able to hide it under my hooded swishy jacket that I wore, every day, in our non-air-conditioned school building as it rubbed my skin raw. I just got up each day and kept going.

Life went on, and to my surprise, I thrived. 

I had the best friends. Trusted friends that helped me navigate the foreign waters. Friends that made me feel like I was still me, even with new hardware as my fashion statement. 

I had the most encouraging and supportive Mom, who even took her lunch break to drive across town to meet me in the school parking lot while I took off my back brace in the car before P.E.

I made it through the impossible.

Life after that back brace included a new found appreciation for freedom, for what I could overcome. 

Although I didn’t have the vocabulary yet, I had learned the most valuable lesson: 

“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.”

Later on, as an adult, it was revealed to me that my Mom would pray for me to be strong enough. She told me she worried when I was a child that I was too sweet. She could see I was vulnerable as I wore my rose-colored glasses, and perhaps I was too fragile alone against this broken world. 

Now I can see, that back brace was a shield against a battle I was facing at the time. It equipped me to create a path out of the darkness I was trapped in.

Our paths all look different but God wastes nothing.

Sometimes bad things happen to prevent worse things, or to build us up for who God calls us to be.

Every battle we find ourselves in, every fork in the road decision, every uncertainty, every scar, every tear – He’s building us into who we are meant to be, and our faith is sharpened every time. 

I have been growing through a challenging season this year in my work. About 6 months ago, I could feel transition in my future, and I prayed for God to open the doors that are meant for me and close the doors that are not. I declared that I would trust Him to bring me through, just as He always has before…

Each day since has had its twists and turns. As I have been left confused and uncertain, with whiplash many times throughout this process, I remind myself of my prayer and breathe with ease again. 

Be careful what you pray for, because there is POWER in prayer.

God will work all things to good. He gives us His word as a lamp for the next step, and His people to be a light along our path ✨ 

Grateful for my husband, and all our friends/family that make up our village who have helped guide me through. 

This season isn’t done yet, but I am already resting in His mercy, His promises and His peace. 

SO THANKFUL 🙌

Trust and see, God will always provide.

P.S. The most beautiful thing about this tree is that it’s still standing among the rest, just as tall, just as strong, just as close to the sun ✨

Verse Inspirations:

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” 

Isaiah 43:2 “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you; when you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown; when you walk through the fire, the flames will not consume you.