Millennial Jas

Dear Millennial,

“Everything happens for a reason.”

Sometimes I believe this, and sometimes I don’t. It depends on the situation, and how bad I may want something to work out. My desire for something usually determines my level of patience when considering that “everything happens for a reason.” Sound familiar?

I’m learning that sometimes you have to share your life experiences, not necessarily to brag, but to uplift one another & remind others that God is real; sometimes we just have to hold on a little while longer. With that being said, I’ve got a praise report today with a lesson mixed in!

I was supposed to write a letter to you a few weeks ago.
However, I told you there was a lot going on, and that I didn’t have a new letter to share…here’s why…

My husband and I have been living and working long distance for the past few years. Initially, it was a strategic move to help our household progress financially while advancing our careers. However, the short-term plan we’d mapped out over time started to turn into a long term situation we hadn’t prepared for. No matter what we tried to do, we couldn’t seem to find opportunities for our family that aligned with our careers or finances to bring us back together.

I said goodbye each Monday morning to my husband… more goodbyes than I’d ever hope to say to him in our lifetime. We spent a lot of time talking on the phone, Facetiming and/or by ourselves. I spent a lot of time crying in the beginning. Towards the end, I spent a lot of time praying for things to change. But they didn’t, and I couldn’t understand why. In my mind, I couldn’t figure out why God brought us together to keep us apart. That’s not how marriage was supposed to work. I had to learn to lean on my faith and trust in God in order to believe our situation wasn’t by accident, but instead by design. More often than not, my faith was tested. Fortunately, I found comfort in resources that reminded me of God’s promise for me as we waited.

After years of tears and praying, I’m blessed to say that my husband and I are FINALLY back together under one roof, living, breathing and functioning the way God intended! Looking back on my prayers (I can’t believe I’m saying this), being reunited during those moments I prayed for weren’t in the plans for us. We remained obedient, prayerful and focused during our time apart. Though discouraged in our own separate ways, we helped each other get back on track when needed. In bringing us back together, God has put us in a place where we now find ourselves surrounded by those we love. The blessing in being reunited is more than we could’ve ever imagined. When we initially decided to move forward with our short term plan years ago, we had no idea where it would lead us and how it would change us. When we plan, God truly does laugh.

So remember to stay prayerful, faithful, and trust in the Lord. It could take a day, week, month and/or years, but He’s got a plan for you. Stay the course, and watch Him blow your mind. It may seem like He’s not listening, and you may feel like He doesn’t get what you’re going through…But trust me, he does. We are stronger than we often realize, but only by the grace of God.

C’mon somebody, can I get an Amen?!

Millennial Jas