Peace Hope Love Project

Friends, I'm praying for you and us in this winter storm.

Psalm 102: 1-2
Hear my prayer O Lord
Let my cry for help come to you
Do not hide your face from me
When I am in distress
Turn your ear to me
When I call answer me quickly

How can I pray for you specifically?

Photo credit: Emily Beynon

Tomorrow is the first Monday of the first full week of the new year. So many set new goals and new resolutions and plan to start new diets or new workout programs or quit bad habits and resolve to pray more or worry less. Because that's what you always do and NEED a fresh start now more than ever. I'm totally with you on needing a fresh start!

But also, so many still feel like this tree, in the dead of winter, bare and cold, wondering what the future holds, afraid to have hopes and dreams, not knowing when the hibernation will get to be over. Wondering when the loneliness and struggle and loss will not be ever present and heavy like new fallen snow that keeps falling on top of you and you have to constantly shovel.

Can I encourage you with some hope my friend?
You can be in both places and it's going to be ok.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 promises that if we will plant our tree by the stream, the Living Water that comes from God, our roots will grow deep and we will "never fail to bear fruit".

And it says in verses 5-6 before, that those who put their trust in men will be like a bush in the desert, that dries up and is blown about by the wind.

Whether you are ready and excited for a new year, making plans, or feel like there is too much unknown to have hope, put your TRUST in the Lord to bring you through on this journey we are calling 2021. Plant your tree by the stream of Living Water in Jesus and you will bear fruit, even in drought and even in winter.

It's another year and we don't know what the future holds. Personally, I'm not making resolutions this year because for one thing I lost a lot of weight this year working on my mindset and processing past pain, and I'm planning to never diet again! But also I'm focused on simply being PLANTED in Jesus and each day I will continue my daily practice of growing where He leads. I will abide in Him, crawl in His arms to remember I am loved, and practice an obedient heart to go where He sends me. Each day I am focused on one day at a time.

That may sound like "church lady" mumbo jumbo and honestly I'll agree with you in that it's taken A LOT of mindset practice to be able to really BELIEVE those words that I've been taught my whole life. The TRUST AND BELIEF has come with much vulnerability and digging deep roots intentionally in 2020 that has helped me arrive here. I still have work to do and I will not be perfect at it, but my trust is in the Lord and not in anything of "man".

We might still have a pandemic and lots of challenges ahead, and we can plan and set goals, and have hope and joy because we CHOOSE to plant our roots by the stream of LIVING water. You won't feel happy every day, that's not genuine joy. That's OK. We also need not believe that God wants us to celebrate death and loss and heartbreak to fake "joy". Nope. You can be a tree hibernating and alone in the winter and still have joy, because the joy is IN Him. Abide in HIM. Joy comes from being WITH Him and Him in you. It takes practice and time. Those are the roots that need to grow. That is the love.

We have each other and we have Jesus. You are not alone. ❤️ Shelley

Photo credit: Pamela Henkleman

My friend moved from Texas to the Pacific NW this year and recently posted a picture of this tree. It has really stirred up so many thoughts I had to share. I got her permission so thank you Amy Lepien for sharing the photo and for the inspiration.

What Amy posted was "This tree decided it didn't like where it was planted so it changed it's path. Don't be afraid to change yours. It may lead to a more beautiful life."

This last year Amy and her husband, newly empty nesters, moved across country, so this is what is literally happening in her life. She changed her path and it has led to a more beautiful life. I mean, the Pacific NW IS in fact more beautiful than Houston. I'm just sayin'.

But it has me thinking about how much change has happened in MY life this year, and in the last 6 years. A lot of it was NOT by choice. A lot of it has been forced change and painful. And YET, because of the change happening around me, I was forced to look at my life more deeply, I saw that I didn't like "where I was planted" and I changed my path.

The second picture she shared was the same tree from a different angle, which makes this story even MORE interesting to me. She said "notice how far the trunk went to get away from the other trees." She is referring to how much social distancing and other accommodations we have all had to endure this year. Oh how this has been such a HUGE challenge for everyone. But God says "let's go deeper".

For me, this invokes thoughts of my dedication to being vulnerable with God and going ALL IN on letting Him do some DEEP spiritual work on my soul this year. He's been leading me to grow on a new path "away from the other trees".

I knew I needed to get healthy so I found a coach that would hold me accountable, committed to a health plan, and lost 60 pounds in 8 months. But God said "let's go deeper".

I found a therapist with BetterHelp dot com and began the process of dissecting my past pain, codependency, and the mindset that keeps me from experiencing "total wellness" and freedom in Christ and a fully abundant life. But God said "let's go deeper".

A pandemic showed up and political and racial division raised it's ugly head this year, not just in America as a whole, but in my community, in my church family, on my social media, and in my extended family. I know a LOT of other trees but God has been leading me to find space and healing in doing deep spiritual work alone, with Him. I have been learning to brave the wilderness. God has been leading me to grow on a new path by following Him, not the world that I have for years tried to please, and says "let's go even deeper."

I haven't been to a physical church service in over 8 months and yet I am closer to God than I have EVER been in my 51 years of living because I have been willing to "grow away from the trees". I still don't know totally where my path is leading, but I know who I'm following, and it is leading to a more beautiful life.

Does this speak to you? How far are you willing to grow "away from the other trees" to follow Jesus? Often we try to run away from what God is doing by staying where we are because leaving what we know is unknown, and scary, and feels like too much change, but what I've learned is you CANNOT outrun God when He is in pursuit, and following Him ends up being true FREEDOM and a more beautiful life.

This Christmas may you KNOW the Living Christ who has come for YOU. He is in pursuit and His light will shine in your darkness if you are willing to let Him in.

"Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
- Psalm 139: 7-12

Shelley ❤️