Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
I do believe God has called me to write—at least in this season of my life—but the burnout is agonizing. It’s also agonizing to not know when I’ll stop feeling this way. But honestly, that’s why I wrote this post—to remind you (and myself) of a few important things if you're experiencing burnout and don’t know how to move forward.
Christmas is almost here, and TTT is doing something special to celebrate! Today's post is a video interview I recently did with my author friend (and fellow single girl) Cally Logan. In this video, she shares her favorite (and least favorite) parts of Christmas, plus some ideas to make it extra-special. I know you'll enjoy watching this!
For the past (Two? Three? Four? More?) years, it feels like I’ve been walking through a boy wasteland. To be blunt, boys—specifically Christian single boys who are romantically interested in this Christian single girl—feel scarce. And to be even more blunt, even though I know Thanksgiving is approaching and I’m supposed to give thanks during this time of year, it’s hard to be thankful to God—who I know is capable of turning my boy wasteland into a flourishing paradise but hasn't.
So Danny and Nina got promoted instead of me? I thought. Why didn’t I get promoted? Everyone in this company is probably wondering why Danny and Nina got promoted but I didn’t. I mean, am I doing something wrong? What am I doing wrong? What’s wrong with me?
When I started to make the challenging transition from childhood to adulthood, I also started to feel angsty at Christmastime. I wanted Christmas to be a happy holiday, but that didn’t feel possible anymore. Nothing felt the same as it had felt when I was a little kid—giddy to buy gifts, make gifts, and (without a doubt) get gifts. What happened to all those Christmas feels that I had when I was a kid?
So in response to my Bible reading and my increasing weariness in the post-release season of Real Recovery, I wrote the following angry words in prayer: Dear God, as You know, it’s really frustrating to know that You can do BEYOND ALL THAT I ASK OR THINK yet You’ve done so much less than I asked or thought.
I want you to know that you’re believing a lie if you think you’re the only one who can’t find Christmas spirit—at least the “Christmas spirit” described in Hallmark movies and Christmas pop songs, anyway. But no matter how you feel this Christmas, the truths of Christmas still hold true for you.
And you promised her that you would. So you did. You felt your grief, stopped avoiding your frustration, sat in your discomfort, and faced your pain. But you didn’t feel any better. Instead, you felt more upset and more hopeless than you did before. Why? Because your therapist didn’t tell you what to do after you had faced your difficult emotions—but I’m going to.
Friends, I know from personal experience that singleness isn't easy. It's nobody's fault that you're un-dated, un-engaged, or un-married. But patience isn't becoming easier. Instead, feelings of loneliness, disappointment, curiosity, and fear are becoming easier. What's a girl to do with these unpleasant emotions?
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 