Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
I can’t help thinking about how similar I’ve felt to Gabby Barrett. I, too, have felt “love slipping through my hands”—honestly, many times, not just on one particular occasion. But there have been a few especially painful (and recent) times this has happened to me.
Recently, I’ve been reminded how much disappointment stings. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try, I can’t prevent disappointments from happening. However, the lessons that I’ve been learning through this recent disappointment in my life will hopefully encourage you as you navigate disappointment in your own life. Here are a few things to remember when life disappoints you.
I wish I could tell you that this Valentine’s Day is special because I finally met The One, but this Valentine’s Day is no different than last Valentine’s Day. Instead of being curled up on the couch with a handsome Christian man wearing a navy pullover sweater and an almost mischievous side smile, I’m writing yet another blog post about singleness. “An Honest Confession on Valentine’s Day” seemed like the only appropriate title for a post about the major gap between where I am and where I want to be this Valentine’s Day.
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?
Dear 2023, I have to admit that I’m terrified that you’ve arrived. I’ve been nervously anticipating your arrival long before 2022 ended. I suppose that, in and of yourself, you aren’t scary at all. The real reason that I’m so afraid of you is because I fear that things won’t go according to plan…specifically, according to my plan.
My pride says, "Grace, your book could encourage so many young women as they recover from their eating disorders," My pride says, "There is so much potential for your book; you would be famous if people knew about it." My pride says, "Your book could be a bestseller if only people would let you promote it." But as I focus on my book and my platform and my lack of success, I quickly drown in discouragement. Perhaps I need to focus less on my efforts and focus more on God’s will.
Dear Single Girl, I see you over there—watching Redeeming Love as you curl up in a ball on your couch with a bag of popcorn in one hand and a can of La Croix in the other. Last month, you promised yourself that you wouldn’t watch this movie because it’s a bit risqué. But that was before your boyfriend broke up with you. Before your best friend told you that she’s engaged. Before you realized that you’re 21 and have never been kissed. [Or insert other scenario that has caused a wave of indescribable loneliness to overtake you.] All you wanted was a little pick-me-up in the love department.
Until I went to college (hundreds of miles from home), I didn’t truly understand the reality of having friends for a season. But when I left my hometown and started meeting new people at college, I realized how difficult it was to maintain long-distance friendships with my friends back at home. My friends from home and I sometimes stayed in touch, but other friendships fell by the wayside. There were no “friend breakups” or anything dramatic like that. But I definitely had to come to terms with the idea that God sometimes brings people into our lives for a season—and when they leave (or we leave), that’s an opportunity to form friendships with new people instead of a reason to throw a pity party for every single friendship that ends.
Yes, from Day One, He had been walking with me through the book publication journey—from compiling my messy thoughts in a Word document that eventually turned into a manuscript to submitting book proposals and query letters to signing a book contract to preparing Real Recovery for publication to becoming an officially published author with reviews on Amazon and speaking opportunities in churches and schools. Somehow, though, none of that seemed to matter to me when I thought about the fact that I wasn’t speaking at national and international conferences…or writing for magazines with thousands of readers…or having book signings at every bookstore across the United States. The opportunities that God had provided thus far didn’t feel like enough. I didn’t feel like enough.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 