living loved

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. – Psalms 119: 105

I definitely could have used that light earlier this week. This week I found myself rollin’ down the road when a pothole swallowed my left foot. Pothole 1, Loni 0.

But alas, isn’t that how it goes in life. We are running this race, we hit a bump (or get swallowed by one), and then we are rolling, grasping for an edge to slow down our fall. And, as a beautiful sister in Christ shared at a retreat this weekend, then there’s Jesus – reaching, waiting, grasping, saving – Jesus.

I had the privilege to share a prayer story during this weekend retreat, “When Women Pray”. As we began the various teachings, my dear friend Kelly (also the fearless leader of the retreat and all things really), instructed each of us to lay our right hands on the woman beside us. I did not have a woman to the left of me to do so (because of my ridiculous and obnoxious prostrated left boot), so another dear friend, Jenn, took her left hand and placed it on my leg. As we began to pray, I silently giggled because I was completely unprepared to share but spiritually calm because in that moment (of course, Lord), He knew exactly what to share . . . rollin’, rollin’, rollin’.

Reader, there is so much beauty in prayer. Although I couldn’t physically see the pothole before me, I can spiritually see every pothole, bump, and bruise before me because His word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path. That light doesn’t mean I won’t be rollin’, rollin’, rollin’, but that light does help me to get right back up, dust myself off, and keep runnin’, runnin’, runnin’ right back to the Savior.

God doesn’t promise us a life without bumps, bruises, or pain. He doesn’t guarantee us a life without hurt, turmoil, or shattered dreams. But He does promise to be our light. He promises us beauty from ashes. He promises to fulfill our prayers when they align with His will and His way (not necessarily a Porsche prayer – sorry). He doesn’t always fulfill or complete these prayers, and sometimes we need to wait (like 17 years), but in the “no” or the waiting or the “yes”, know that He sees you. He hears you. And He is rollin’ with you in perfect, impeccable timing.

I pray I am always rollin’ with my homie Jesus. And the same for you, friend.

XOXO, Loni