This season of life has been so impactful.

God has done so much with my pain and struggles. More than I could ever ask, think, or imagine. A phrase that I keep repeating in my mind is “The reach God gives you when you surrender.” I constantly find myself preaching this again and again to myself. It is such a great reminder to know that when we lay it ALL down at the feet of Jesus, He can begin to use us. When we surrender our pain and our past to God for Him to use, He will. He will beautifully weave His plan and purpose into our pain.

When I say surrender, I mean surrender the pain to God, surrender your perfectionism to God, surrender your picture-perfect plan to God, and surrender your pride to God.

God cannot use our story if we remain silent about it. God has shown me the beauty in being vulnerable and sharing the hard moments with others. When we do this we will beautifully find out that the exact pain and struggle I went through is exactly what the girl I am talking to is going through.

I mean exactly. Whenever I allow my story to serve God and be a testament to His faithfulness and goodness, then I am always humbled and amazed at what He does. There is no part of my life that does not serve God or will not serve God. My pain and struggles are now a testament to God’s goodness and an encouragement to the discouraged. This is all because of the Lord and His ability to take brokenness and made it whole again, take brokeness and make it beautiful again. My brokenness. Your brokenness.

How beautiful is the Lord and His ways. How gracious and good our Father is.

Time and time again I am amazed at how hidden parts of my story come to life and are used to serve the one true King. Let all, good and bad, serve the Most High.