“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
Psalms 51:10, 12 NIV
For many reasons this season has been challenging, YET I can’t help but to thank God for restoring my joy and sustaining me.
You see before the pandemic shutdown I was running on empty. I was in deep grief and exhausted from keeping up the front to either make other people happy and comfortable, or hiding from my reality by working 24/7.
For me, if I’m honest, the shutdown was exactly what I needed. It gave me permission to be lazy, to grieve, to cry, to get out of denial. It allowed me time to heal with the 3 other people in my home that matter the most to me.
We had lost our dog the day before quarantine and God knew that would be the final straw that would take a sista out! Instead of the quarantine being awful, it was filled with family moments, dinners at the kitchen table (what?!), spontaneous dance parties and did I already mention lots of tears.
Alllll healing to my soul!! Quarantine also brought the news of my mother’s healing🙌🏾, my cousin moving here from DC, the birth of my nephew Cash 👶🏽 and my niece Dylan👧🏽 We transitioned into a house with a new driver, a senior in high school, sophomore in college and celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary.
So although this season has brought a lot of challenges, there is so much for me personally to be thankful for that I can’t entirely shame 2020. (Disclaimer 2019 was one of the worst years of my life, so I had a head start on most of you.) In all, I got my peace of mind back and my joy, which I work hard to protect daily now!!!
I encourage you to meditate on the scripture I posted above if you need the Holy Spirit to guide you, sustain you and bring you joy! Our lives all look differently right now, but we all have the same access to a God that can and will fulfill all our needs.
Let’s not wait until the Holidays to be grateful. Start today with making a list of all the love and people that you’re thankful for and share it with me. We need the encouragement, big or small, it’s all a blessing.
Love, Shalena
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Shalena
I always find such a sweetness and spiritual inspiration from your posts. I found you by chance and am so glad I did. Your family is so loving and close your posts always seem to hit me at the right time. I sit here in Toronto, Canada and hope that you and your family stay safe. I feel much the way you expressed in that Covid gave us the gift of time. Please enjoy Thanksgiving whatever it maybe stay safe enjoy your children and keep posting.
Lucy, thank you for your kind words. You just said it BEST… The gift of time!! I’m so happy you found me here and I know God will continue to guide us and keep us safe!! Please share our blog with those you think will benefit. Thank you again and God bless you!!
I am so very proud of you. As I write this….tears of happiness fall.
I love you for who you are and who you are becoming. Keep God and his infinite wisdom close to your heart and stay ready for more spectacular blessings coming your way from God’s grace Nd mercy. 💖⚘
Thank you!!! You have seen us through it all with your encouraging words and presence. Gods is great!!! Love you too!!
Your words are such an inspiration at this time! Living through a Global Pandemic has been a roller coaster of emotions to be sure, but if we keep God at the center of it all and look for the blessings we will surely find them
Amen! Amen!! There’s always blessing to find!!
I love your words and your transparency. You have endured much throughout the years but you always recover with such Grace and your faith remains. 2020 has been a strange year but also one full of blessings, we have much to be thankful for!
Thank you!! He that is within us in greater than he that’s in the world!!🙌🏾