Being at peace.

It's taken me a decade and a half to come to this.
It's taken me anger, frustration, heartbreak and pain to get to this.
It's taken me a stupid amount of time to let my heart soften and let God do what He does best.

But today..I sit here..in peace and ready for the future.

We can get so disgusted with people that we tilt our noses up and turn our heads the other way. In other words--we can be the opposite of what Christ calls us to be.

"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best -- the sun to warm and the rain to nourish-- to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. "In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom sbjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

It's taken time. It's taken me being selfish and finally letting go and getting over that. It's taken the work of God to put amazing people in my life to soften my heart. I was carrying a grudge and annoyance towards others and here God was, looking down on me shaking His head. I wasn't living generously and graciously towards others...yet He still lives that way for me and I never deserved it.

I sit here today with a huge weight off my shoulders. An exciting chapter happening in our life. And yet another testimony of God's grace, His redemption and His power to help us overcome whatever is in our past and in front of us. I sit here not frustrated or angry at certain circumstances but excited and overjoyed for the opportunity to be a positive example, to show others that are hurting the love of the Ultimate healer and I couldn't be more happy.

I love that....in the Bible it says "GROW UP." ;) 
-M