Welcome back! Today, we're going to discuss finding gratitude in everyday life... It's gonna be deep, and some of it may feel messy or hard to face. But hang in there, I promise there's something to glean! Thanks for joining me, and let's dive right in...

-Matthew 5:12, NKJV

Facing Our Hardships for What They Truly Are

Life is hard sometimes... and I don't think that's a secret to any of us. So why don't we feel safer acknowledging it?? The truth is, we live in a world that wears its level of busyness as a badge of honor. That tells us the admirable thing to be as a person (and especially a woman, you guys) is someone with the ability to make everything seem okay at all times. To know how to juggle countless appointments and people, and activities, and work in our lives flawlessly. And I think that's why we build up this internal pile of defeat inside ourselves. Sure, everyone around us may see us as the joyous, graceful manager of all things- but on the inside, we're falling apart.

We humans are fantastic actors, and we have every tool available to us to make our lives and our circumstances look really good. We edit our photos, post a highlight reel online for our friends to see, and always end our negative statements with something like, "but it'll all be okay," or "I'm doing pretty good though,". Believe me, I see you. And you're not alone... Actually, no one in the world doesn't face true hardships throughout their life.

Defining "hardships" can sometimes be tricky, though. Like, no, you haven't been through a hurricane, but your dog died. No, you haven't suffered from an incurable condition for years, but you're feeling run down and have a headache. No, you're not running to soccer practice seven days a week, but your kids need a snack and a math lesson, and you're exhausted. We must realize that everyone's "hardships" will inevitably look different... Every person is different, and every circumstance is different. But just because it's not the same hard that someone else is going through doesn't mean it's not hard. It's your hard, and that's worth recognizing.

So, oddly enough, the first step to living a lifestyle of gratitude and appreciation is actually being honest with ourselves about what we're really going through. Acknowledging that something is legitimately hard for us. Not giving in to defeat, but actually making direct eye contact with it so it doesn't get a chance to grow. Telling yourself, "This is hard for me, and that's okay." Giving yourself room to feel whatever feelings come is one of the most freeing choices you can make in life.

And let's be honest, there will always be people in our lives who we don't feel safe going to. Who make us feel small when we're honest with them. And that's okay, not everyone was meant to be your brothers and sisters. But please, my friend, never treat your own self as that person. Trust you enough to be honest with yourself. Trust you enough to open up and feel the hurt and the weariness that life will bring, no matter how much we try to avoid it. Bring it to the light, so you can see it well enough to overcome it.

Stepping Away From the Big Picture

If you're like me, you're a planner. You like to know what's coming, and you like to understand what's past. You like to control the outcome of any situation you can... and it's not necessarily intentional, it's just how you're wired. And there's grace in it always; it's important to understand that about yourself.

Many times, people have told me that our lives are like a tapestry- when they're being woven together, they just look like a mess of everything thrown in blobs. Nothing pretty and nothing logical. But when we get a little further down the road, we can see how Yahuah has used every piece of us and every experience we've been through to write a beautiful story. You know, kinda like how hindsight's 20/20. That's just the way life goes.

The truth is, never before have I really let that sink in until recently. I've always wanted at least a little control in my hands, or a little heads up on what's coming next. But I'm coming to see that maybe we don't know what's next for the better. Maybe we're not supposed to have the illusion of control... because it's all in Abba's hands anyway. Maybe there's a lot to learn by understanding the fact that we don't get to know, and being forced to put our trust in Him and Him alone.

So let's try this together: let's stop thinking about the big picture of what our lives are gonna look like. What job we'll end up with, where we'll live, who we'll be with, and all the other things that are always on our minds. I also want to mention that this message very strongly applies to my generation, and high school students in particular. It's absolutely okay to not know what your life holds. (even the people who say they know can never be sure). And although it's tempting to want to have an answer to everyone's "what are you doing with your life??"- we have to learn to stand in confidence as we trust in Yahuah. Better to learn it sooner than later... you'll be glad you chose to enjoy this part of your life instead of wasting it worrying about things that are out of your control anyway.

Looking a Little Closer

As we step away from the big picture, it allows us to zoom in on the moments we're living day to day. It gives us the space we need to actually enjoy things... no one enjoys striving for the control they'll never truly get.

-Matthew 6:34, NKJV

You see? If you only look at today, that's already enough on your plate! We're not supposed to wear the busy badge of honor; we're supposed to live wholly and completely in each individual moment. And regardless of what anyone tries to tell you, or even what you tell yourself, our Heavenly Father says that's what is most honoring to Him. Slow living isn't just for hippies and people who have no responsibilities. It's what Yahuah calls His set-apart people to.

But let's be honest, we can know these things are true all day long, and putting them into action is a whole lot harder. And of course it always will be... give yourself grace and time in it all. The best way to practice laying aside our grasping for control is to begin picking up our gratitude for the small moments. To begin looking a little closer at where we're at right now. To recognize that just because something is hard does not mean it's bad, but actually means it's an opportunity for growth.

Practicing Gratitude When It's Hard

I know what you may be thinking... "How am I supposed to be grateful when my kid is screaming at me because he's hungry?". "How am I supposed to be grateful when I'm running late and I spill hot coffee all over my lap in the car?". I know, I know. I'm not saying you should be touched by these insane moments and feel overjoyed because now you have to turn around and go change your clothes. Come on, you're not a superhuman. I would never even try to tell you that kind of gratitude is possible at all times.

But what is possible is this: you can be grateful you have food to feed your screaming child. Or you can go even deeper and be grateful that you have a child to scream at you. It's the really minute, little things that we usually glance over that will bring us the most gratitude in situations like these. (If you're a parent- let me just say that is one of the toughest, most noble callings, and I genuinely have a lot of respect for you. Listen up, because you will really really need to focus on little things in those moments where you're just kinda on the last straw.)

It is absolutely possible to be deeply grateful for something in every moment and in every situation. Not always easy, but always possible. If you've ever seen the old Disney movie Pollyanna (not that I'm supporting Disney in any way), then you know what "the Glad Game" is. When Pollyanna gets disappointed or sad about something, she just tries to think of something in that situation she can be glad about. I think this is such a sweet idea, and it works especially well for little ones, because it looks like a challenge, and they're usually pretty competitive. But whether it's the classic Glad Game or simply putting yourself in a mindset of gratitude when you feel like things are especially hard, it's one of the most important things you can do for your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Enjoyment of life really is an art. It takes time to build skill, and it's something that you have to intentionally practice to become proficient in. But it's something that you will carry with you all your life, in every single circumstance. And it will never fail to make you a little bit more patient, a little bit more joyful, a little bit more loving.

We are told in Matthew 5:12 to not only be happy or grateful, but actually exceedingly glad. Realizing the true beauty of the world and life around us should make us incandescently happy. It should make us bubble over with smiles and hum songs to ourselves when no one's around. It should be like falling in love... with the life the Father has blessed you with. This is the end goal of practicing enjoyment in the simple moments.

The Art of Enjoyment

And so my friends, in conclusion, I invite you to join me today, starting right now, to begin noticing. To begin looking a little closer at each moment you live in. To stop worrying about tomorrow. To let your cup be filled through gratitude instead of drained through a grasping for control that was never meant to be yours.

We can all do it. We can all find peace, and we can all practice gratitude. Your hard and my hard are just as valid as the next person's hard, and we can't forget to be honest with ourselves about that. But let's remember that complete vulnerability is honest about the good things just as much as the hard things. Let's remember that all hope is never lost, and let's be encouraged by the fact that we can't see the finished tapestry yet... I can't imagine what He's doing on the other side.

Love,

Nola:)