I can honestly say, it's been a journey here in LA.
My roommate Kristen and I have a little phrase from our social media days- #LIFE. We use it when find ourselves in crazy & or unusual circumstances- which is not uncommon. From being houseless, with a full-time job in Agoura Hills- and finding ourselves staying anywhere from Pasadena to Oxnard from night to night... to getting to drive home via Malibu every day once we temporarily made our residence in Oxnard... to being gone in a different city almost every weekend... being background actors together as "surrogate moms" getting to where the pregnant suits (let me tell you.. that was a dream come true.. I always wondered what they used to make those actresses look pregnant)... and on and on and on... it's been one heck of an adventure. Mixed in has been pain... confusion at times.. learning the vitality of forgiveness... and one of the most frequent words God's given me is PATIENCE.
"My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." - James 1:2-4
Sometimes you just want to give up. Sometimes, the very things that God has promised are tremendously challenging. Sometimes things don't happen in the time frame we expect them. And what do you do? What do you do when all you want is to be settled? When all you want is "stability" in the world's sense of the world.. but it's just not evident?
"When the going gets tough... the tough gets going" is a phrase we've all heard. But what in the world does that mean?
Maybe it should be "When the going gets tough... in the tough, you get GROWING" :)
All I know.. is that while this has been the most uncomfortable year and a half of my life... and the most painful year and a half of my life- the process of PATIENCE has worked in me. God has challenged me to stay the course even in the midst of my faults, heaviness & weakness. And... these challenges have led to the refining of my faith. You think you have faith when you're traveling around the world with barely anything...not knowing where you're going to stay from night to night- trusting that Papa's got a Master Plan. And He ALWAYS does. I will forever give Him praise for that. You think you have faith when you don't know how your bills are getting paid from month to month- but you trust your Papa to supply. And He ALWAYS does. You think you have faith when you reach the end of your rope time and time again.. and once again at the point of aggravation choose to step out and TRUST God. And HE IS ALWAYS GOOD.
But what happens when you find that your former "measure" of faith is no longer adequate? What happens when you encounter a BIGGER BATTLE than the ones before? Your faith is challenged. And once again it comes down to a choice. A choice to lean not on our own understanding... but to TRUST FULLY IN HIM & HIS FAITHFULNESS!
Trials and life's hardships can be seen in one of two ways.
From a perspective of self-pity and negativity, or through the lens of JOY & REJOICING.
In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. -1 Peter 1:6-9
Trials are opportunities to GROW. And my, have I ever grown. If this is the outcome of pain.. grief..of life's turbulence... then I count it worthy for JOY's sake. And I can take courage in the fact that my HOPE does not reside in the outcome of the promise, but that my final destination is heaven.
I am grateful for all of your prayers along the way. And I know that I am not the only one on this planet that's experienced these things.
1 Peter 4:12-14 reads,
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
On a final note~
In the last blog, I mentioned that it has really been a time of me entering into the "Promise Land" of the promises that God's given me. But just a reminder to all of us. There are still giants & battles to fight in the Promise Land. There is land to be subdued and territory to be taken. But at a price.
When God gave Moses His protocol on taking the territory of the Promised Land, he specifically addressed the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He told them that while they were receiving their "Promised Land" before crossing the Jordan, and before the rest of their peers, they were still called to leave their wives and children behind and fight alongside their brothers; going ahead of them so that they too could receive God's promises.
"You are to help your brother until the Lord gives them rest, as He has done for you, and until they too have possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave your east of the Jordan toward the sunrise."
- Joshua 1:14-15
When we have received our victory or our Promise Land, the primary purpose is so that we can serve alongside and strengthen our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Before Simon Peter rejected Christ three times, Jesus addressed him and said..." But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." -Luke 22:32
Jesus knew that the outcome of Peter's testing & denying Him, would not only result in Peter being strengthened upon his return but would also result in his ability to strengthen others.
Courage means to take heart. To encourage means to give courage or to give heart. To become discouraged means to lose courage or to lose heart. One of the purposes of our trials is so that we can exercise courage in battle, and once we have taken heart, then encourage others that have become discouraged and remind them of God's faithfulness.
I just want to take the time to remind you of God's faithfulness. It's never-ending. He's got a Neverending Story for you.. and it's not over yet. In the midst of the most painful month of my life, God showed me a picture. And it was of a little boy reading my story. A book I had written about my journey. He was a little over halfway through the book and at the exact point that I was at in my life at that present moment. He had reached a cliffhanger.. as had I. I had absolutely NO idea what the outcome of the trial was going to be. I did not have the luxury of reading ahead.
But one thing I was sure of... that THE STORY WAS NOT OVER... and- NEITHER IS YOURS :)
I am currently in the process of writing my story in the form of an e-book (also Lord Willing hard copies), not only as a reminder to me of God's faithfulness- but also as a way to encourage people on their journey. I would encourage you to do the same.
"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." - Psalm 139:16
He has every day of your life written in His book for you. My life has a purpose. And so does yours.
Love in Christ,
Lauren Michelle
 |
| Kristen & I exploring new food... in K-town! (Korea Town) |
My roommate Kristen and I have a little phrase from our social media days- #LIFE. We use it when find ourselves in crazy & or unusual circumstances- which is not uncommon. From being houseless, with a full-time job in Agoura Hills- and finding ourselves staying anywhere from Pasadena to Oxnard from night to night... to getting to drive home via Malibu every day once we temporarily made our residence in Oxnard... to being gone in a different city almost every weekend... being background actors together as "surrogate moms" getting to where the pregnant suits (let me tell you.. that was a dream come true.. I always wondered what they used to make those actresses look pregnant)... and on and on and on... it's been one heck of an adventure. Mixed in has been pain... confusion at times.. learning the vitality of forgiveness... and one of the most frequent words God's given me is PATIENCE.
"My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." - James 1:2-4
Sometimes you just want to give up. Sometimes, the very things that God has promised are tremendously challenging. Sometimes things don't happen in the time frame we expect them. And what do you do? What do you do when all you want is to be settled? When all you want is "stability" in the world's sense of the world.. but it's just not evident?
"When the going gets tough... the tough gets going" is a phrase we've all heard. But what in the world does that mean?
Maybe it should be "When the going gets tough... in the tough, you get GROWING" :)
 |
| Notice the cross... yup ;) |
But what happens when you find that your former "measure" of faith is no longer adequate? What happens when you encounter a BIGGER BATTLE than the ones before? Your faith is challenged. And once again it comes down to a choice. A choice to lean not on our own understanding... but to TRUST FULLY IN HIM & HIS FAITHFULNESS!
 |
| The telescope that gives you a close-up of the Hollywood Sign |
From a perspective of self-pity and negativity, or through the lens of JOY & REJOICING.
In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. -1 Peter 1:6-9
Trials are opportunities to GROW. And my, have I ever grown. If this is the outcome of pain.. grief..of life's turbulence... then I count it worthy for JOY's sake. And I can take courage in the fact that my HOPE does not reside in the outcome of the promise, but that my final destination is heaven.
I am grateful for all of your prayers along the way. And I know that I am not the only one on this planet that's experienced these things.
1 Peter 4:12-14 reads,
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
 |
| My bedroom... on a messy day :) we all have them |
In the last blog, I mentioned that it has really been a time of me entering into the "Promise Land" of the promises that God's given me. But just a reminder to all of us. There are still giants & battles to fight in the Promise Land. There is land to be subdued and territory to be taken. But at a price.
When God gave Moses His protocol on taking the territory of the Promised Land, he specifically addressed the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He told them that while they were receiving their "Promised Land" before crossing the Jordan, and before the rest of their peers, they were still called to leave their wives and children behind and fight alongside their brothers; going ahead of them so that they too could receive God's promises.
"You are to help your brother until the Lord gives them rest, as He has done for you, and until they too have possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave your east of the Jordan toward the sunrise."
- Joshua 1:14-15
When we have received our victory or our Promise Land, the primary purpose is so that we can serve alongside and strengthen our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Before Simon Peter rejected Christ three times, Jesus addressed him and said..." But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." -Luke 22:32
Jesus knew that the outcome of Peter's testing & denying Him, would not only result in Peter being strengthened upon his return but would also result in his ability to strengthen others.
I just want to take the time to remind you of God's faithfulness. It's never-ending. He's got a Neverending Story for you.. and it's not over yet. In the midst of the most painful month of my life, God showed me a picture. And it was of a little boy reading my story. A book I had written about my journey. He was a little over halfway through the book and at the exact point that I was at in my life at that present moment. He had reached a cliffhanger.. as had I. I had absolutely NO idea what the outcome of the trial was going to be. I did not have the luxury of reading ahead.
But one thing I was sure of... that THE STORY WAS NOT OVER... and- NEITHER IS YOURS :)
I am currently in the process of writing my story in the form of an e-book (also Lord Willing hard copies), not only as a reminder to me of God's faithfulness- but also as a way to encourage people on their journey. I would encourage you to do the same.
"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." - Psalm 139:16
He has every day of your life written in His book for you. My life has a purpose. And so does yours.
Love in Christ,
Lauren Michelle
