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My Caregiver

I have always been fond of Little House on The Prairie. I love the books as well as the television series. The books varied from the series; however, it was always the appeal of a simple lifestyle that appealed to me. In the deepest part of my heart, the yearning for simplicity has always prevailed. Simple living did not mean that heartache and disappointment were nonexistent; however, it seemed to me that in living simply, peace was found in abundance. Isn’t that what our souls yearns for the most? Peace. The ability to walk through stormy weather and know all will be well. Peace. The ability, when all things around us are falling apart, to hold together. Peace. The unexplainable feeling when you know something is terribly wrong, but you aren’t shaken by it. Peace. Complete rest for our souls. Peace. The unshakeable comfort.

Living simply doesn’t mean that you are simple minded. Living simply means that you get unnecessary, overwhelming distractions out of the way and enjoy the day and all it has for you. Throw off things that hinder peace in your life. Say “no” to things that do not bring peace. Rid yourselves of unnecessary obligations that create worry and stress. Make the choice to rid yourself of things that are not helpful to you or what is helpful others. Lysa Terkeurst says, “Wisdom makes a decision today that will still be good for tomorrow.” By doing this, we are allowing God a big opportunity to show up and show out.

From my earliest recollection of her, she exemplified peace. She sang “There will be peace in the valley”. Peace was there. All around. From the positioning of their quaint house perched atop a knoll, to the rolling pasture complete with livestock, to the smell of bacon frying in the early morning hours, to the multitude of African violets in a magnificent array of blooms…always- every aspect of her life spoke peace. Peace did not allude her. Peace was hers. It belonged to her in every sense of the word. She was not wealthy by the worlds standards but she was blessed with a wealth of dear precious ones who loved her and loved her deeply. I was one of the fortunate ones to know her. I knew her well. From the time I was 3 months old until I was 15, she was my care giver. She was, to me, another grandmother. Although I had biological grandparents and she had biological grandchildren. She adopted me and I adopted her. She was as close to me as my own and I as close to her as her own.

One of the most fascinating things about her was that she was born in 1903 and her precious husband in 1900. Keeping up with their ages was always fun for me and easy. He was as old as the current year and she was 3 years less. She began taking care of me when she was 65 years old. By the age of 2, she had taught me many things about God’s word through her singing as well as scripture. Every day she would stand me in a chair and we would recite, John 3:16. Every day at nap time, she would rock me and sing to me, mostly hymns, but sometimes lullabies. One of her favorite Hymns was, “Revive Us Again”. She loved the chorus and most days she would even sing the chorus as she watered and tended her African violets. Maybe that’s the reason for their ever present display of beauty. The chorus is, “Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Hallelujah! Amen. Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Revive us again.” One day when I was about 3, I was at home singing, as I often did. My mom was listening and heard me singing the chorus but I using a heavy “r” at the end of Hallelujah. She asked, “Why are you singing it that way?” I replied, “That’s the way Mamaw Gillespie sings it.” She said, “Hallelujah doesn’t have an r at the end.” The next day, I walked straight into Mamaw’s house and told her, “My Mama said you were singing the song wrong. Hallelujah doesn’t have an “r” at the end.” I can’t recall her response but I can tell you it didn’t change the way she sang the song. Not one bit. Not ever. Why? It didn’t matter to her. Her heart was so full of love for the Lord and what He had done for her. She didn’t care. All that mattered to her was that she was singing to Him and asking on a daily basis that He revive her and give her “peace in the valley” or “peace like a river.” Her songs were prayers for her soul. She didn’t have to have the words perfect. Her heart was inclined, or leaned into, God and that’s all that really mattered. You see she just chose to be there in the moment. Her life was moment by moment. Day by day. I would venture to say she probably sang, “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”

Her life was a series of wise choices day after day.  She knew her place and she knew what she was best suited to do.  She chose to say “no” to things that would hinder her from being the best caregiver day after day, year after year.  She was a woman who exuded confidence in her ability to care for her babies.  That is what she did best.  To say I’m lucky to have had her in my life would be an understatement.  Blessed doesn’t even seem accurate.  I am simply overwhelmed with gratitude and thankfulness that I was hers and she was mine.

***This post was originally written on another blog I started several years ago and failed to keep it going.  Two people reminded me in the past two days about this and oddly enough, it’s just what I needed to be reminded of today.***

Posted on by kellyyarborough · 1 Comment

That Girl

Prior to meeting Terry in January of 1994, I was part of the single’s ministry at FBC.  We were in the process of trying to build up the program and we were doing outreach.  Immersed in letter writing and phone calling, I was gung-ho!

One evening Tom and Marie (later to become my brother and sister in law) gave me Terry’s phone number and asked me to call and encourage him to come.  In fact Marie said, “He gets tired of us asking all the time.  He just needs some extra encouragement to come back to church.”

I took the number and tried to call multiple times over the course of about three or four weeks Every time I called, a deep throaty almost manly voice would answer and say, “Terry’s not here. He’s at work.”  Every time I called, he was always at work.

Then I ran into Marie and she asked if I had gotten in touch with Terry.  I told her that every time I called he was never home.  She encouraged me to keep trying and then told me to call him Saturday morning because she knew he would be home.

I did and the same deep throaty voice answered but this time she said, “Hold on.”  Then she started calling , “Terry.  Terry.  That girl is on the phone.”

From that moment on, I was “That Girl” to her.  For the longest time, I didn’t even think she knew my name.

Over the years, I’ve thought so many times about her calling me “that girl” and I’ve come to a realization that she was testing me out.  She knew that Terry’s heart was growing fond of me and I think she wanted to make sure that my heart was growing in fondness toward him too.  In an odd way, I think she was trying to protect herself as much as she was trying to protect him.  She didn’t want to see him hurt and she also didn’t want to get too close to me, if I were not “the One”.

Terry was her baby boy.

In fact most times when Terry would call her on the phone he would say, “Hey Thel, It’s Terry the baby of the family.”

He will argue with me and say he wasn’t spoiled by her, but I’m telling you she adored Terry.  After Terry’s dad died, he moved in with her and gave her companionship.  She knew if Terry and I married, he would move out and she would lose his companionship.

More than that, she knew that Terry would be taking on a huge responsibility by marrying me. He would become an insta-dad.  She didn’t dislike the idea.  She just knew it would come with difficulty because she too had brought two young children into her marriage with Terry’s dad. She knew the hardships of having a blended family.  She wanted the best for her boy.

Do you blame her?

I don’t.

As our relationship grew, so did her affection for me, as did my affection for her.

Thelma was a very strong woman.  She was strong minded and direct.  You knew exactly where you stood with her and if she didn’t like something, she didn’t mind telling you.  However, she was very quick to say she was sorry if she was wrong.

I remember one time, she said something pretty harsh to me.  I pretended not to hear.  Apparently she spent several days mulling over our conversation and she called me and said, “I think I really hurt your feelings the other day and I’m sorry.”  In fact, when she called there was no small talk, not even a “hello”.  She got straight to the point.

She also had a very good sense of humor and when she was in the hospital right before she died, she asked me to clean her teeth.  She had trouble getting them out so I had to help her before I could clean them.  She said, “Well, it’s obvious you’ve had no experience with false teeth.”  Then she proceeded to tell me how to clean them for her and precisely how to get them back in her mouth.

Oh, how I loved her and she loved me.   I don’t remember specifically when she began calling me by name, but I knew when she did I had earned her full trust.

Folks

You know sometimes it’s difficult to trust people, especially when we’re trying to protect ourselves or those we love.  But we can trust God and trust that He always has our best in His mind. He is completely trustworthy.

“See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”  Isaiah 49:16

 

 

Posted on by kellyyarborough · 2 Comments

Was it worth it?

I’ve been avoiding this post like the plaque. A few weeks ago when God began churning my heart, I told Him, “Not now”. Yes, like I’ve said before delayed obedience is disobedience and I disobeyed.

I think as I write you will see why I avoided writing. However, the urge is so great within me, I can no longer resist.

As you know my biological father died when I was 7. He died from Melanoma and you can read some of his story in my blog post, My sweetest sorrow.

Now, we are at another crossroads with cancer. My stepfather, Ned. He was diagnosed 18 months ago with Stage 4 Atypical Non-small cell adenocarcinoma lung cancer. It sucks. I’m just not going to sugar coat anything about it.

A few months back, well technically a few years ago God began to stir this thought and idea about these two men I have had to privilege of calling Dad.

First, you must understand the first to understand the second.

Mack, my dad, had a strong enduring faith in God. He hoped beyond all hope that one day a cure for Melanoma would be discovered. Knowing full well it would not be in his lifetime, he allowed the doctors at Baptist Hospital (Wake Forest) to try new treatments on him. He was their guinea pig. His philosophy and mindset was to aid in the research and help others in the future.

Another thing to understand about my dad is that he never shied away from sharing his faith. He firmly grasped and held tight to his belief in Jesus. He had strong convictions about sharing his faith and the above picture is a treasure straight out of his Bible. His desire was to see that no one would perish without knowing Jesus. His chief goal in life.

I believe that through his death his chief goal was reached and realized. When Jesus tells us in John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Bear with me while I explain.

When Mom and Ned began dating Ned wasn’t really living out a full life with Christ at the center. He had made a profession of faith but wasn’t really living a life totally reflective of Christ.

As their relationship began to grow so did his love for Jesus. Eventually leading up to his rededication. In perfect Ned style, it was not a haphazard decision, it was done with intent and passion. A decision he will tell you was the best choice he ever made aside from marrying my Mom.

The reality here is that without my dad having died, Ned may have never been able to experience the blessed life that only Jesus can give. If you ask Mack if it was worth dying for he would say, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

—————–—————

That was the original post from September 11, 2017.

Today marks the 43rd year my Daddy was called Home. The day that once brought me such pain, with each passing year, restores my hope and my joy. How can this be? Over the years, I was just enduring the pain, I am now learning to embrace it for what it is.

You will never get to the victory of the cross without enduring the pain and you’ll never be able to endure the pain without embracing the process.

Posted on by kellyyarborough

Binding wounds

Do you ever feel like with the pressures of life you simply can’t take anymore? You’re weary and worn. You have no fight left. Whatever hurt you, death of a loved one, illness, job loss, wayward children, financial problems, divorce, physical or emotional abuse, this is good news for you. God will not only heal you’re broken heart, He will bind up your wounds. That doesn’t mean that, at times, the pain of your suffering will not come to mind and it doesn’t mean that you will never feel the sting of its pain again. It simply means that he will bind them up for you so that it doesn’t hurt as much when the binding is pulled back.

Have you ever had stitches or watched as a doctor sews stitches?

When Ryan, now 27, was 3, I received a call from his preschool teacher that he was injured from falling off a swing. He hit his chin and it split open. Stitches would definitely be required.

As the doctor began assessing the depth of injury, the first thing he did was pry it open as far as he could. Ryan screamed in pain but once it was fully opened, the injury was not as deep as we initially thought.

Next, he cleaned the wound thoroughly to remove any bacteria and particles that may be lingering. This process, too, caused Ryan discomfort. It wasn’t the seering pain he felt as the wound was completely opened but he winced and whined as the antiseptic cleanser was administered.

Finalky, he began the stitching process. Since the wound was more than just surface level, it required two layers of stitching.  This part bothered Ryan the least. His hurt was being bound. What had been ripped and torn apart was now being put back together.

Friends thats exactly how God heals our brokenness our broken hearts. The problem is most of the time when he starts to peel or pry open our hurt to see how deep it is, we pull away.  We scream because it hurts too much. The hurt is way too deep and we would prefer if He would just quick-fix us.

There are no quick fixes where there is brokenness. Trust me!  I’ve tried and failed miserably.

If you want God to bind up your broken heart, allow him to work from the inside out. Allow him to pry open the depth of your hurt, clean it out and then bind it up.

Ryan will always have a scar from his injury, in the same way, our hurts and headaches leave scars but they no longer hurt.  They are reminders of our hurts and Gods amazing grace!

Posted on by kellyyarborough

A defining moment

Merriam-Webster  says that a defining moment is a time that shows very clearly what something is really about.

What happens when  you find yourself falling short of the goal or expectation that you and others place on you?  Do you give up?  Do you give in to the failure or do you rise above your disappointment and try again?

Last year on February 12, to be exact, Amy was competing at the NCHSAA State Championship 1A/2A.  She was seeded 2 and fully anticipated finishing 1st or 2nd. Through her warm ups it was evident she was tight, not relaxed and rushing her throws.  I was attempting to relay information to her, mostly through hand gestures, because we weren’t close enough to talk to her. All we could do was watch and hope and pray.

She delivered her first throw.  Then her second.  Then her third. None of her throws were terribly awful.  The throws just weren’t hitting the distance she was capable of throwing.  She was just trying too hard and not relaxed.  The good news was she was in the finals and had three more throws.  Her next three throws were much like the first three.  She finished the day in 4th place.  A very disappointing 4th place.  She asked me not even to take a picture.  I don’t always listen.  Regardless of her finish, I was proud of her and I knew in time, she would see it as a blessing.

Angry. Hurt. Disappointed.  She felt as if she’d let everyone, coach, teammates and us down.  She definitely had let herself down.  I think for a few minutes, maybe more, she even contemplated foregoing the sport she’d grown to love.  She certainly wasn’t loving it at that moment in time.

She didn’t even want the medal but I kept it anyway.

As soon as indoor season was over, outdoor season began.  She had a new outlook and new goals.  A new determination and better work ethic.  She was finally beginning to see that her loss was actually a motivator to perform at a higher level.

Stress still plagued her.  I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but I knew something was wrong.

On the drive home from her first track meet, which arose the “mama bear” in me, (maybe a story for another time) she again was disappointed in her performance. She had finished 2nd in both the shot put and discus.  She does not like to lose. She’s highly competitive. Once again I found myself listening to,  “I should just give up.  I should just quit.  I’m just not good enough. ”

I reminded her, “Amy, you know that Cale’s invitation for you to be on the team at WCU is still on the table.  He sees potential.  He thinks you’re good enough.  I know you weren’t convinced after your visit but maybe you should reconsider.”

I left it there.

A week or so later she made her decision official.  She was going to WCU.  She was going to be a collegiate athlete.

She continued to compete and performed well.  She finished 1st in shot put and discus at Regionals.  Then she went on to finish 2nd in shot and 1st in discus at the NCHSAA State Championships.  She still fell short of the goals she had set for her but she certainly overcame the defeat and dissatisfaction from the indoor season.

She hung her new medals on the rearview mirror of her car, and mysteriously the 4th place medal found its way out of the cabinet and into the car with the other ones.  At that moment, I knew what had been, to her, one of the hardest days of her life, would be one of her most defining moments.  A moment that clearly defined her character.

We all have times when we fall short of expectations, either ones we’ve imposed on ourselves or ones others have set before us.  The key in overcoming our feelings of defeat and failure lies in the attidude of how we respond.  Initial progress may seem slow; however we must press on and keep on.  The choice is really ours.  We can overcome or we can be overcome.  It all depends on our response.

John Wooden says, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”

 

 

Posted on by kellyyarborough · 2 Comments

About me…and why I write

Before I go any further in my blog, I think there are a few things that you need to know about me that will help you to better understand me and why I write.

First of all, I was born in Brevard, NC a small town in Western North Carolina.  After my dad’s death, my mom remarried and we moved to Columbus, NC, another small town. After  small stints in the Charleston, SC area and Bremerton Washington, I moved to Hendersonville, NC in 1992 and have been here ever since.  Clearly, I am a small town girl and the mountains are my home.

It is no coincidence that God has placed me in the mountains because each time I look at them, I am reminded of how much they resemble my life and my walk with Him.

I have been married for 22 years and my husband is the big personality. The one everyone in the room wants to be around. He’s magnetic.  He’s quick-witted and quite the comedian. He’s very spontaneous. He never changes.  He is the same regardless of who’s around.  He’s also direct and never shies away from confrontation. I am one very lucky gal and he’s definitely a keeper.

I have four amazing children, three boys and one girl and I adore them all.  Each one is uniquely different and I can hardly wait to share the lessons I’ve learned through having them.  And there’s also the fluffy, white Sammy dog.  He is currently dubbed “mom’s favorite child”  and there may be some truth to that accusation….maybe.

Writing for me has always been a release.  It’s an easy way for me to express my feelings and then draw a conclusion to what I am feeling.  Honestly, I can’t begin to number the times  writing has actually helped me see things from a totally different perspective.  I love to write and it has been a passion of mine since 7th grade.

The main reason for starting this blog is because over the past couple of years I have been approached by several of my friends who’ve asked or suggested that I start a blog. While I was very humbled and flattered,  I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do. As I began to pray over it, God kept tugging at my heart.  I kept reminding him of all of my inadequacies and He kept reminding me that delaying obedience is actually disobedience.  It took two years for me commit. Yes, I am stubborn.

The thing you need to know is that I am not doing this for any reason other than to bring glory and honor to God.  You see his word tells me that, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which he prepared in advance for us to do.”  Ephesians 2:10  (I will discuss in another blog.)  If this is the thing that he has prepared for me to do, then it’s my responsibility to comply.

My prayer is that you will find encouragement and hope.  I also want you to know and see that I am perfectly imperfect and it is only by God’s immeasurable grace that I am where I am today.  Without Him I would be nothing.

Posted on by kellyyarborough

Always on His mind

This wasn’t the blog I planned to write.  In fact, until this morning, my plan and thoughts for the next few blogs didn’t relate to this one but I read a statement this morning in my devotion and I just can’t shake it.  In fact, I believe it’s something that most, if not all, of us need to hear.

Right now I know a lot, and I mean a LOT of people going through tough times.  Friends who’ve lost loved ones or are facing losing loved ones.  People who are battling cancer or other illness.  Dear ones who are going through marriage, family or financial struggles.  You name it and I probably know someone who’s facing difficulties.

Honestly, I have my own struggles too and maybe that’s why I was so impressed when I read this:

“He could have removed Himself from the cross but He chose not to! He chose to contain His power. Why? Why didn’t He save Himself from the mockery of hell itself?

He stayed there for you … because YOU were the joy set before Him. You were on His mind while He hung on Calvary’s cross.”  Carol McLeod

I don’t know about you but this certainly speaks to the very core of my heart. I am His joy and he thought of me!  My frailties, imperfections and sin didn’t keep Jesus from enduring the cross, they kept Him on the cross.

This is why and how He can relate to us even more. Not only did God become flesh and dwell among us but on the cross he felt every pain, every sorrow, every bitterness..everthing that we would ever feel and He stayed there and endured the cross because He values and loves us that much. He views us as His joy because He desperately wants to be our joy, especially in our hardest struggles.

One of my favorite songs sums it up perfectly

Verse 2
You didn’t want heaven without us
So Jesus You brought heaven down
My sin was great Your love was greater
What could separate us now

What a wonderful Name it is
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King
What a wonderful Name it is
Nothing compares to this
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus

What a Beautiful Name
Words and Music by Ben Fielding & Brooke Ligertwood

Posted on by kellyyarborough

All in a day

On Sunday, like usual, we drove to Greenville for church. (Yes, we drive 50 minutes to go to church. I will tell you why in the next post)

Before church we always go out for breakfast. Our customary stop is Tommy’s Country Ham House. If you haven’t been, trust me, you should go.  You will not be disappointed.

After church we decided to go downtown to  Falls Park to walk.  We had been walking about an hour when I suggested we sit down. Luckily we found an unoccupied park bench in the shade and started to people watch. Terry looked at me and said, “How long have we been walking?” When I told him an hour he replied, “No wonder my legs were getting tired.” We rested for a few minutes and decided it was time to head home.

When we arrived home, I started prepping for dinner. As I was finishing chopping potatoes, Amy said she wanted to go practice throwing.  She asked if we wanted to go. Terry was content to sit on the couch with Sammy. Obviously, I was not going to turn down an invitation to go with her.

We arrived at the field, only to find the fence locked.  The only way in was to climb the fence.  I’m standing there looking at the fence thinking to myself, “Oh, I’m not sure about this.  I’m not even sure I can do it.”

Amy was reading my mind. “Mom, it’s the only way in.  You’ll have to climb   Here let me show you.”  She said and climbed the fence with ease.  It was my turn.  It was comic but I managed after about 4 minutes. Whew.  I made it.

Once over the fence, Amy discovered that the throwing implements were not left in their usual place.  We had to climb the fence again.  I thought I would go first because in my mind, I thought it would be easier.  Not.  I didn’t make it the first time; however I did the next time.  I realized Amy was video taping and snap chatting the entire episode.  By the time we got in the car, I was laughing so hard, I was doing the “squirrel laugh” It’s the name my kids have given my laugh.  Normally when it happens anyone who hears it laughs too just because the sound is funny.

As I finished getting dinner ready, Alex and Amy were howling at Terry.  Amy had convinced him to do some snap chatting.  If you don’t follow her, you’ll just have to trust me.  He ain’t right.  He’s like a little kid and says the darndest things. For example, his face was in a rocket ship, and he said, “Oh, I’m in a rocket ship getting ready to blast off. Whee!”  Unfortunately, my description pales in comparison to watching the video for the full effect.

After dinner, we were still laughing over Terry and his silliness. Alex looks at me and says, “How did y’all meet anyway.”

“It’s on my other blog.  Didn’t you read it?” I said

Amy pipes up, “You have another blog?”

“Yeah, but it’s old.  Didn’t keep it going and I’m going to eventually transfer those stories to the new one.” I replied.

“So, are you going to tell us the story?” Alex asked.

Terry chimed in, “Let your mom tell you the story.  She remembers it better than I do.”

As we sat there and I shared our story, I realized I love it more.  It reminds me how fortunate and blessed I am.  I am humbled to I realize how intricately God was weaving our hearts and lives together before we met.

I was also reminded of the sermon we heard from Brad earlier in the day:

“Built to Last”

  • Nothing lasts by accident
  • Everything has sacrifice involved.  It is not cheap
  • It’s never built alone

At the end of the day, we had come full circle.  We had worshipped together.  We walked together. I climbed a fence and Terry blasted off in a rocket ship. More importantly, we laughed together.  Here we sat, at the dinner table as the day ended, with our precious children sharing our story that started 23 years ago. It’s a day that will be etched deep in my mind for a very long time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on by kellyyarborough

Pure Joy

“Consider it pure joy whenever your face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”  James 1:2-3

I’m not sure about you but when I first look at this verse, I don’t like it.  I find myself asking the question.  “God, do you really mean that you want me to count my trials as ‘pure joy’? Am I missing something? Are you missing something?”

He says, “Yes, that’s exactly what I am telling you to do.  You’re the one missing the point.  I understand pain and trials more than anyone.  I created you in my image.  I feel every ounce of your pain from whatever trial you may be facing.  I really get it.  The problem is you don’t”

I argue, “How can that be?  I mean the past two years have been some of the hardest in my life and you tell me to consider  or think about or ponder these things as pure, unfiltered, untainted joy.  Ok!  I’m not buying what you’re selling.”

“You’re not buying what I’m selling because you’re refusing to see the whole picture.  You’re refusing to see the whole picture because you’re only looking at the circumstances and your feelings regarding those trials.  What you fail to realize is what I can do in your heart when you don’t base everything on feelings.  Feelings are temporary.  They come and go.  Happiness is a feeling based on emotions.  Like the moon, emotions can wax and wane.  What I want to give you is joy.  Joy is not merely a feeling based on emotions.  Joy resonates the soul.  Joy is the light from within the soul that can illuminate the face even in the darkest of days. Joy is what makes the heart content and allows faith to rise.” He gently replies.

Again I question, “So, in order for my faith to increase and be stretched, I need trials?  In these trials you teach me.  I may not always like the trial but I can have “pure joy” because it’s for my good. Honestly, I’m still not wholly convinced.  I mean I like having a pity party every now and again.  I like sympathy from time to time.”

“I know.  Remember I am the God who sees and know all about it.  I know everything.  The problem with sympathy and pity parties is they take the focus off me and place all the focus back on you and your emotions. It’s precisely what I want to remove from you.  I want to give you my joy.”

“Ok.  I will trust you.  I can’t promise that I will always consider my trials ‘pure joy’ but I will try.  I will teach others when I can and I am sure there will be times when you will have to send someone to remind me.”

Maybe you don’t have to reason through scripture the way I do.  I wish I could simply take God at His word.  I can’t.  It’s not my nature.  But it’s through reasoning it out that I am able to have a better understanding of what it says and what I need to learn.  I’ll admit, I’m not always a fan of these lessons.  They are hard and sometimes long; but if you’ve ever been around someone who’s been through the wringer with trials and they have a countenance that glows, you know they’ve got that unspeakable joy deep, deep down in their hearts.  It takes trials to bring about such joy.  The cost is great but the reward of joy and peace is greater still.

 

 

 

Posted on by kellyyarborough

Hello world!

This blog will include valuable lessons I’ve learned over the course of my life.  Some lessons were learned through trials over which I’ve had no control, while others are a direct result of my naturally rebellious nature. It is my desire to use these lessons to encourage you and inspire you, to give you hope and know you are not alone in this world.  The most important thing I want you to know is that without the grace, mercy and love of Jesus, I would not be where I am today. I am no accident and neither are you.  We were created by God on purpose and for a purpose.