"Level UP!"

  Have you ever felt that you are in the midst of a real life video and God is finished with that chapter of your life and you can almost hear those words, "Level UP!" Me too! I have said for a couple of months now that I feel like God has taken me to a new level in life and it is exciting!
   New news in my life...I was laid off in March and have yet to find a job and it's okay, God is in charge. I mean, how bad can it be when they call you to tell you that you no longer have a job WHILE you are on vacation! True story!
   All joking aside, this past few months have been one gigantic, crazy, exciting, scary, sad, happy, fun and about every emotion in between! We went on vacation to my favorite place in the world (yay!), while there I found out I didn't have a job (boo!). My oldest daughter and her hubby moved to Tennessee (boo!) then a couple of weeks later found out they were expecting their first child and my first grandchild (Yay! Except boo that they are so far away!)! But in the grand scheme of life, life is a blessing and I am so thankful for every day. I see where people are coming down with cancer or terrible things are happening to families and I am so aware that life could be so much worse. I get stressed out, sure, I go have a good cry and a good talk with God and come out feeling like a new girl.
   Struggles stink, but they are stretching us, growing us, molding us into that person God wants us to be. He never said it would be easy, but He did say it would be worth it.
   A prayer that I say each morning includes the line, "Lord, teach me to stand firm when I've stood every way I know how--and then help me to keep on standing." Amen! That is SO true! And even truer is that He DOES!

"Put on the whole armor of God; that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:11