Cool picture...

So Thursday as I was having another crazy day in the neighborhood at work, I was walking and had the thought, "Life is such a roller-coaster!" and the Lord just began to unpack that for me... Now, it's been a very long time since I've been on one but I still remember the thrill and the fear all wrapped into one!

What I began to see was sitting in the seat and the 'arms' come down over the top of you to strap you in. The Lord showed me how His arms come down over the top of us to cover us and hold us in His care all through our lives. I then felt the wonder of a child... "What will happen next?!" and realized, we're just like that in life, at least I am, always wondering what's next? What does God have in mind for my life? Where are we headed? All those questions have been going through my head this week. 

Sometimes in our lives there's this slow moving along - like when you're first coming out of the gate - and you feel the comfort of those arms around you and you feel so safe and secure. There's also times of where you feel like it's taking so long to get somewhere!  Then other times there is this climb to the mountain top of the Lord where your relationship builds or where you can feel an expectation of something about to happen (are you climbing on the roller-coaster with me?) and then, all of a sudden, things plunge... life changes and fear comes because you feel like the bottom has dropped out of your life and your scared! 

I was thinking about the shakes that we feel as we're moving along on the track of the roller-coaster and how it could symbolize the everyday little bumps we feel of personalities around us or the little things that irritate us and shake us up. 

Then... as I was picturing all of this in my head and coming to the end of the roller-coaster ride I thought about how cool it is to know that all through the ride, those 'arms' hold you in and keep you safe and secure. How at the end, you know your done and you survived and you breathe a sigh of relief... How like life that is... you come through a huge change or storm in your life and you realize that all the while the Lord's arms were holding you and keeping you safe. That He was right there all along, even when it felt like everything was upside down! He never leaves us and He will never let go.

What was so powerful in this to me was that was kind of how my week was. Tuesday night, I was so excited beyond belief about my first English class and how much I like the instructor and how I'm looking forward to writing and learning more about writing. It was such an amazing feeling of knowing... This is so cool! Then Wednesday, things took a turn and I was greatly disappointed by not getting a job that I had so hoped for, believed for, wanted SO badly. I really had to work through all those feelings and emotions. Then I was asking the Lord, "What's next?", "Where do I go from here?", "What's up ahead for me?", "Why do you want me to stay here longer when I thought you were moving me forward?" but as He gave me this picture... and even yesterday as I was coming to the end of my week, I just felt the Lord's loving arms around me and I just had the feeling that even though I don't know what's ahead, He does and He's always with me. He won't ever leave me alone. What a comfort to know that He has held me securely through this little roller-coaster ride this week. What an awesome...peace I have at the present moment! I know... that no matter what, everything will be OK. He hasn't stopped leading and directing me and I still feel a peace in decisions I've made recently. He has a plan, He has a purpose, and He will always hold me... securely in His arms! 

I just love Him so much and I'm so grateful that He's with me on this journey called life. His love is amazing!

Bonnelle