Day 8: I believe when you hear God asking you to let your life be a testimony you have 3 choices; ignore the call, accept the call, but share only what’s comfortable, or accept the call and be transparent. God’s word says His blessings follow our obedience, so the right answer is to be transparent in our testimonies. Hey, if we expect our government to be transparent so we can trust them, maybe our life transparency will help people trust us, and eventually God. Just sayin’! Let me preface today’s post with the truth that I am no different than the next Mom at the park, no better or worse. God gives us each a different experience in life so that we can grow closer to Him and show others how much He loves us, even during the storms of life. If we aren’t transparent in our struggles then we can’t effectively minister to those around us. We may even rob people of their blessings because we refuse to ask for help when it’s needed. People are always comparing themselves with those around them, if you appear to be “perfect” they may not want to admit their struggles for fear of judgement. Much easier said than done, but here goes…

The truth of why I didn’t post for two days is because I was depressed and seriously couldn’t have heard God if He was using a megaphone! Ouch, transparency hurts :(   The goal of this website from it’s conception has always been to point to the Lord with every topic. When I felt God calling me to post during this deployment, I knew the goal had not changed.  We all have good days and bad, they are just magnified when you are experiencing them alone. The world doesn’t stop just because you miss your best friend! If you’ve put your faith in God then you have to believe that is part of His plan too. I’ve heard several pastors preach on the process of refining gold. First the gold must be heated to an extremely high temperature. *Insert life difficulty here* As the gold melts and loses it’s shape all the impurities rise to the surface. *Insert past baggage/hurts/issues* An experienced goldsmith must expertly wipe away the impurities completely without leaving any trace AND without wiping away any of the expensive, precious gold. *GOD IS THE ULTIMATE GOLDSMITH* If any of the impurities remain, the process must be repeated. This step is essential because the future strength of this gold depends on it’s purity! When this step is completed the expert goldsmith can then pour out the pure gold into it’s mold and shape it however He chooses. This is a beautiful example of how God works in our lives…when we first put our faith in God we become a beautiful piece of gold in God’s collection. As time goes on the impurities that are naturally found within us begin to weaken the shape. Sometimes it’s our past “impurities,” or it’s the wear and tear of daily use without “cleaning” that weakens the shape. Whatever it is, the ONLY way to strengthen the shape is to submit yourself to the “Goldsmith” and allow Him to remove the impurities!! It’s difficult to endure the high temperature of the refining process, but we must trust that He has a stronger and bigger purpose for us to fulfill. It’s not only a painful process, but a scary process. If we don’t understand “why” this is happening then we can’t possibly see the beautiful piece we are to become. Sharing how God has “refined” you is paramount in sharing your testimony. You must be transparent so that other’s can understand the process and allow God to work in their lives.

This separation in particular is a “refining” experience for me and one that I will continue to share with you transparently for His glory.