The Beautiful Pain Of Stretching

This morning while I knelt down to pray I felt the Lord telling me to stretch my legs...not just stretch them out but to literally stretch as if I was about to work out or go for a run. I'm always curious to know what God is saying and doing so did just what He suggested - I stretched my legs. Ya know that feeling you get in your muscles when you stretch? It's like a good pain, I actually really love that feeling but at the same time it does kinda hurt a bit. They say that's when you should stop cause if you go past the point when it is just starting to hurt, you could really damage your muscles.
As I sit on my living room floor in my prayer time stretching God began to speak to me about the season I'm in.
On August 22nd of this year I got married.

 Yayyyyyyyy! 

Although we're in the "honeymooning" phase, we have more than celebrating to do. Together we have 3 children and I lived in a different city until we got married. So we're blending our family along with our stuff (lots and lots of stuff) and it is such a beautiful thing but let me tell you, it's not easy. I also know deep in my spirit that God is in it and I would even go as far to say that He orchestrated the whole thing. I have been learning lots this year that when God asks us to do things, it doesn't mean it is going to be a cake walk and right now, I feel God stretching me. I believe he is stretching all 5 of us. As I had breakfast with a friend yesterday morning, she encouraged me when she spoke of how our faith is built in the difficult situations of our lives. I want my faith to be built so I'm choosing to embrace all these challenges that come with blending 5 lives.
As I was doing my spirit lead stretches, almost right away I began to see where God was going with it. I was fully aware that if I did the splits I would not only feel the pain in the moment but would damage my muscles since I can't stretch that far.....yet. ;) If I did damage my muscles it would actually set me back and in the days to come, I wouldn't be able to stretch at all. Most likely I would have to let myself rest until my muscles heal. If I was able to continue to stretch, it would probably be much more painful than necessary due to my overextending my legs. While thinking of this I was seeing how in my life right now there is a delicate balance in how much I should stretch myself. The Lord has already blessed me with a situation where I am being stretched in my parenting, my business, my friendships and with learning to be the wife He made me to be for my husband. I know the Lord was encouraging me to take things one day at a time and not to put anything else on my plate that will cause me to overextend myself and ultimately cause damage that will be a set back in my life. Right now I am choosing to say no to some of my ideas and to some requests for my time and energy. I feel that it's important to be where God wants me to be and doing only the things He has set out for me to do.
I feel such a beautiful grace on my new family and although there are challenges, I am ready and willing to face them because I'm excited to see the beauty my Lord will create from these "stretching pains". I won't be able to do the splits tomorrow but if I keep stretching the right way everyday, I will get there. In the same way, right now I am not taking on all the things on my mind to do but their time will come. 

I believe this is for someone today. 

Maybe you have lots on your plate already, are feeling overextended and need time to heal and gain back your energy. Maybe you're feeling the pressure to take more on and juggle just a few more things like you see your neighbour/friends doing. Maybe you're like me and have idea's of things you want to do but just can't see how you would manage it on top of the other things you have going on. Lastly, maybe you have been saying no to over extending yourself and need to be encouraged to keep on doing just that! No matter where you're at, I want to encourage you to sit back and ask God where He is and what He is doing in your life right now. He is always in our lives saying as well as doing something, so don't be afraid to see where He is and what He is saying to you. Once you know where He is at work in your life, join Him! He wants to restore all things broken, breath fresh life and hope into situations feeling hopeless and He wants you to know that He sees you right where you are and knows what's in your beautiful heart.

I'm praying for you friend. Praying for clarity so that you can see truth and know the Fathers heart for your life right now, I'm believing that seeing His heart will direct your path and give you the boldness you need to walk on it! He loves you so extravagantly and I love you too.

OOO <<<----- hugs from Sue