Can you believe we get to do this

As we begin a new school year, I find myself repeating this particular phrase again and again. I am exhaling it out in hopes that I will find joy and purpose within its words.

“Can you believe we get to do this?

I am trying to make a habit of repeating this phrase when I feel stuck or uncertain, frustrated and ungrateful.

Can you believe we get to do this?

I don’t know about you all, but I am one that tends to get easily disheartened and discouraged. Sometimes one bad moment can truly ruin my day. So changing my perspective with this one simple phrase can take me from a place of disenchanted, to one of gratitude.

I get to walk according to the callings God has graced me with! I get to partner with him in the raising of my children, the covenant of marriage, the work of the harvest! I get to do this! I get to have a website and talk about the love of Jesus freely. I get to homeschool my kids. I get to make dinner and feed my family, and so much more.

Because ruts are real friends. And a lot of times when we fall into ruts, we end up in ruins. And being stuck in an ungrateful rut can really ruin your day, your joy and your peace.

My kids are entering different stages of life. I have a senior, a freshman and a 6th grader! It’s a big year for us…a year of transitions in many ways. My hearts desire is to enjoy and to savor all the moments, but there is still the issue of messy rooms and sullen teenagers and too many decisions! In the midst of this life I want to be grateful, but gratitude sometimes seems like it’s on a shaky foundation and before you know it, I have been swallowed up by discouragement.

And discouragement then leads to doubt, and doubt leads to fear and nothing robs you of your peace more fear giving way to worry and anxiety.

When you have people in your life you love, you have to lead with prayer in order to love them well.

This morning I woke up very early, my sleep disturbed by all my anxious thoughts. I couldn’t even put into words what was plaguing me specifically and so I began writing all the things in a list.

When you have people in your life you love, you have to lead with prayer in order to love them well.

When worry for your people surrounds your mind, you have to leave your prayers at the foot of the cross, knowing Jesus will lead you to truth.

And as I scribbled away, I smiled with the thought…”I get to do this, too.” I get to go to the Lord and he is my peace, my firm foundation in the midst of shakiness.

In Ephesians 1:18 Paul writes, “I pray that they eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…”

Enlightened here means to reveal. When our eyes are enlightened to what God has called us to, when we can say with gratitude and praise, “Can you believe we get to do this,” we are bringing Glory to the one who calls us as he is revealing to us not only wisdom and understanding far beyond what we can imagine, but he is also lighting our paths and and lightening our loads.

Our gratitude breathed out in that simple phrase allows us to then have partnership in the works of our creator. Can you believe we get to do the things God has “prepared for us in advance for us to do?” Eph. 2:10b. Whatever He has called you to, He has not only equipped you for, but also trusts you.

Beloved, you are trusted with so much good by the one who is good.

And through it all, he is lighting the way and lightening your load, for he is your hope. Can you believe we get to do this!