The secret to a fulfilled life

Today is the first time in a long time that I actually wanted to write, not just the news, but in this blog.

I was thinking on my lunch break just about the girl I was a year ago and how I felt and viewed God’s role in my life. I could see Him working as some doors burst open for me, but when some opened, I realized they weren’t exactly what I wanted and they didn’t bring me any other feeling than the feeling that I was stuck and that God was somehow holding out on me.

I thought, “God, haven’t I been faithful?” “Don’t I deserve to be happy?”

But this whole time I have learned so much, about the stale seasons in the faith, the deserts we must walk through and on my lunch break today, I circled back to the truth I wish I could’ve told myself back then.

“Beautiful girl, God is not out to kill your dreams or take them away from you. He’s not here to steal joy or satisfaction. He came like a first responder to a burning building you had no way out of, and He rescued you when you couldn’t do it for yourself. And He came to give you life and love and a whole new joy, new dreams sometimes, but better things far beyond your dreams because He loves you. So if you need to hear it today, here it is: GOD IS NOT HOLDING OUT ON YOU. Believe it.”

He doesn’t want to HOLD OUT on His children, instead He wants to HOLD OUR HANDS.

I’m not feeding you some prosperity gospel that says God will make it all better and no hurt will come, no calamity will come, no hell or high water will come, because it will.

If Christianity is ALL about WHAT GOD CAN DO FOR YOU, it’s a LIE from the enemy.

Christianity is falling in love with a God that corrects you, leads you, loves you and will provide for you. He will never leave you even in the worst times, often He uses these times to teach you and pull you closer to Him. And ultimately it isn’t all about your pleasure or comfort, it’s all about serving Him and sharing His love with others.

In this life you will encounter things that make you question the Creator and even doubt. We don’t see the whole picture like He does, but there are moments, my friend, when all the broken pieces come together perfectly and it’s those moments that remind me of His hand and His direction and His purpose for me and in this crazy messed up beautiful world.

I cover crime, so when someone in my county is murdered, I respond to the scene to learn all I can and tell the public so they can be aware and even do their part to help solve these crimes. When someone dies in a car accident I report on it. When shootings happen, I go into communities and ask the questions that no one wants to answer “did you ever think this would happen here” “did you know who died” “what were they like?”

Some days I think of the crying widow or the scared neighbor or the scene where a pool of blood once was and it gets to me. Some days tears fall as I replay the scenes at night or on the way home. Other days the ever-nagging news cycle trauma rolls right off.

Recently a woman was shot on the interstate in a road rage accident. She left behind 6 children and a husband she had been with for less than 10 years including dating years. She had a beautiful smile and kind eyes.

And it rocks me to think anyone could be so evil.

Times like those really fire me up and they do make me question God’s plans.

But I have learned so much in my almost 2 years of real world reporting.

1. Life is short.

2. Time goes fast.

3. People will remember how you treated them.

4. Do life as good as you can.

5. God will walk you through hell, but He will hold your hand the whole time and even carry you.

6. His plans are so much better than mine.

7. Every convict would give anyone the shirt off his back even if he was a gangster or murderer. That story NEVER changes after the person dies (often in a gang related manner).

8. You have to laugh or you will cry.

9. Relationships are everything. Show someone you care and make efforts to show them they’re loved and they matter.

10. Everyone is under appreciated, reverse that trend.

And the list goes on and on and on.

So the moral of the story is whatever season you’re in, God is there. In the waiting, in the dark, quiet, in the hell fire, in the high water and even on the mountain top. See Him. Love Him. Pursue Him. That is the secret to a fulfilled life. That is the beginning of true joy no one can take away.