Staying Grateful in These Times: Welcome to the Second Half.
The second half of this year brings to mind a new perspective of seeing things. If anyone had asked me earlier in the year, how I would usher in the second half of 2020, It would include ticking off certain goals off my vision board and writing a professional exam early in the year. However, the universe had other plans, and this second half will have me re valuate my goals and resolutions, focusing on what is feasible in the light of this global pandemic. To be honest, my first goal and top priority is staying alive.
The truth is COVID-19 is still very much around and we can not predict its end but one thing I have decided to do in this new month and the second half of the year is to endeavour to find peace and happiness in the seemingly little things of life. I know it may seem that this post may not be coming at the right time, especially for those of us that have lost family members and loved ones in the first half of the year. I lost a cousin last month and trust me it is not a good feeling at all.
I am writing this to encourage myself and everyone who is reading this to give thanks and try to be grateful in spite of all that is happening. Lately, I have been a bit overwhelmed. I have had to ask God various questions and ruminate on a lot, and this scripture is what God kept ringing in my ears Habakkuk 3:17-19 The New Living Translation
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.
Appreciate Your Journey and Enjoy the Process
The essence of this post is for us to chill a bit and appreciate our journeys. Most times we are caught up in a quest for the next big thing without taking time to appreciate how far we have come. This is not a license to complacency, but today I am writing to tell you to breathe a little this message is to myself to and everyone feeling overwhelmed by happenings around the world and the entire responsibility that comes with adulting. Keeping a gratitude or a praise journal helps a lot. It helps us remember how far God has brought you and how much He is willing to do for you.
The natural human tendency is to move to the next challenge as soon as possible. These days I try to have a gratitude list in my journal because I am more of a pen-and-paper kind of girl. On days when I feel sad and troubled, It helps me to think of how far God has brought me and that He is still a good father irrespective of how I feel about the happenings around. I call Him the God of my journeys
Recently I am learning to taking note of the simple things m those things we usually take for granted appreciating the mundane things of life inspite of life’s imperfections.
Resist the Urge To complain, Be Grateful
I remember living in Paris during the winter and after a few months all I could think of was how there has never been a perfect opportunity to wear a slippers or even one of my beautiful sandals. I lamented so much and one of my friends who is always there to hear all my complaints and rants reminded me of how much I prayed for this opportunity and why I should be grateful and this stuck with me.
Sometimes I get caught up in the pressures of life and I tend to forget how far God has brought me and how much I begged and prayed to get that Job, that scholarship or opportunity.
Sometimes in my prayers I cry and praise God for His faithfulness, other days the dirty devil tries to get to me to forget all that God has done for me and my family and start to wonder if I was an adopted child or If my heavenly father has forgotten me.
The Rant and My Conclusion
A friend of mine shared a poll asking how we felt about the new month and the second half of the year and tbh I clicked that wasn’t so pumped maybe because I came into the year with so much enthusiasm and I have seen this enthusiasm crash right before my eyes.
Where do I start from, do I start mourning the clothes I didn’t get to wear which have now become tight for me as a result of my quarantine body, which I have come to love by the way, must be really nice being a thick babe. I should do a post on my fitness journey one of these days. You see this year I had a whole vision board and I joined the new year new me gang because why not I even used the hash tag slayonslay2020 but as I write today guys I have postponed a professional exam twice and you see the slay for the year has been limited to my pajamas, baggy t shirt and bum shorts with a sprinkle of satin bonnet here and there. My slay starts in my sitting room and ends in my bedroom.
In all these I am learning to be grateful, emphasis on learning I am trying to be more intentional about my gratitude, making it a point of duty to thank God and remember His words in mainly like being intentional about it.
At the core of this post is to understand that life is an unending cycle of expectations and goals, hence the need to be intentional about gratitude
I am concluding this post with excerpts from 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 the Message Translation.
We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, 9 but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken.
Happy New Month Guys
How do you guys feel about the second half of 2020, are you super pumped or are you taking life as it comes, either ways I am rooting for you, above all God’s got you.
