This post was written by author Nicole Jacobsmeyer, who wrote the book Take Back Your Joy: Fighting for Purpose When Life Is More Than You Can Handle. Nicole has faced so many challenges in her life, and her resiliency is commendable—but so is her reliance on God. If you’re going through a season of suffering, I encourage you to read her post and remember you don’t go through anything alone.
A New Me?
It was a chilly November morning, and I had little to no energy. Only five months earlier, I’d had surgery on my neck to remove my thyroid, a cancerous tumor the size of a golf ball, and all the cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes up and down the sides of my neck. But even though my neck had completely healed a few months later, I wasn’t even remotely myself.
You know the type of energy a child has after eating a cupcake smothered with chocolatey frosting at a birthday party? That used to be me. But I wasn’t the same person anymore. I could barely get up in the mornings because the fatigue was debilitating. Because of my lack of energy, depression slowly took root in my life.
I wanted the “old me” back—the joy-filled, vivacious, sometimes feisty, and always fun me. Where was she? And was this weary and exhausted woman the “new me”?
As I lay in my bed that November morning, wanting nothing to do with real clothes, contact lenses, or even breakfast, I heard a “Good morning, Mommy!” from down the hall. While I was labeling myself with negative sticky notes like “too depressed,” “too tired,” and “too mean,” I was reminded in a split second of who I was and will always be: mommy. For some reason, being called “mommy” in that moment pulled me out of the nasty labels I’d placed on myself.
Regardless of Our Circumstances
Being a mom is a high calling and my favorite role, but more importantly, I’m a child of God.
Did I believe this was it for my life? Did I believe He’d gone before me and is a mighty warrior, fighting battles both seen and unseen? Did I forget the Holy Spirit was interceding for me on my behalf and God isn’t causing my pain but walking with me through it? Did I forget His great love and desire to produce in me something through my pain and suffering?
When we’re rooted in God’s Word, our circumstances might not get better; but the posture of our hearts does. We can remain faithful and full of joy no matter what hardships come our way because of who we serve.
Do you feel weary and exhausted today? Like life has given you too much to handle? Open God’s Word, and let His Truth pour over your weary soul as you remember a glorious eternity awaits and you have a specific purpose here on this earth to become more like Christ and invite others to know Him.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5 ESV)
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18 ESV)
Nicole Jacobsmeyer, author of Take Back Your Joy: Fighting for Purpose When Life Is More Than You Can Handle, has a passion for equipping others to stand firm, walk faithfully, and live full of joy regardless of life’s battles. Through her authenticity and the sharing of her own struggles and pain, Nicole encourages women to keep going when all seems lost. She and her husband Andrew have four kids and reside in North Carolina. They love being outdoors, baking chocolate chip cookies, and playing sports. Connect with her on Instagram @nicole.jacobsmeyer and her website nicolejacobsmeyer.com.
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