I was perusing Facebook the other day and I saw a great T-shirt ad. The shirt said “August girls are a perfect balance of Princess and Warrior.” I had to giggle. I am an August girl … and the shirt really struck a nerve with me. Like I wrote last week, I am a Princess, because I am a daughter of the King. But, oh my goodness, sometimes I feel like a battered soldier – a Warrior.
Life has its way of knocking us down and stepping on us sometimes. As I look back over my journey, I see so many times where I had to literally fight with all I had just to keep putting one foot in front of the other. When I was 9 years old my baby brother died. In my 20s – I had a miscarriage, our 2nd son, Jonathan, died, then our third son, David was born 2 months premature. In my 40’s my mom died and our family struggled with depression and the loss of a business. Now in my 50’s I often struggle with fear – the fear of wondering what could be next.
I don’t tell you all of this to get pity – far from it!!! I look back at my journey with an abundance of AWE. I have often been asked (especially when it comes to our son’s death) “How in the world did you get through it?” I have also had some tell me I was the strongest person they know. I cringe when I hear that! I, in my own strength, am not strong. I am weak. I am fearful. I often just want to run and hide from challenges that come my way.
However, when I am weak, HE is strong! The ONLY reason I am still standing in this life is because my Father God, Jehovah Jireh, has carried me. He ALONE has been my strength. He has clothed me in HIS battle armor and led me through the battles. Yes, there are battle wounds. Yes, I have been knocked down. Yes, the thoughts of what might come next along this journey are scary. BUT I AM A PRINCESS WARRIOR! I have seen how my God has carried me through the worst pain imaginable. If He can get me through burying my 6 month old son who was healthy and happy one day and gone the next, then HE is ABLE to carry me through anything this world can ever throw at me.
…And He can carry you too.