It was such a joy to sit on my porch with my new friends from New Zealand, Traci and Luke, as we studied scripture and talked about the different devotionals we were reading together.
One of the devotionals we read, Open Doors, by Rick Warren (one of my all-time favorites - I would love to send you one), prompted a deep conversation about how we handle the doors that open and close in life.
Traci is such an inspiration to me in her faith. She completely and fully trusts in the Lord. She had a very aggressive form of cancer when she had four young kids and pregnant with her fifth. Her cancer was rapidly spreading and they had no choice but to do surgery while she was still pregnant. Unfortunately, the baby didn't make it, but Traci lived through it and is a cancer survivor with one of the most amazing outlooks on life.
Traci said that during the trials of cancer treatments and losing her baby, what she kept thinking about was, "People don't watch how you win, they watch how you lose." She stated that how she chose to handle the struggle and walk in the dark would be an example of her faith and how she completely trusts in the Lord and what HE wants for her to have or not to have.
As the devotional below states, when God closes one door, He opens another. Through her trials and tribulations, Traci is an inspiration, a fighter, and a believer. Sometimes we have to 'SQUEEZE' ourselves through a window, because there isn't a door, but we can make it through.
I know for me, I had often made my job and other things my security and my significance, but today, I am SURE that everything I need is found in God.
I will forever remember the quote, "People don't watch how you win, they watch how you lose." I hope that I can be a good loser...no matter what. When my flight is cancelled, when things aren't going my way, when I fail at something, may I remember to fail forward, and fail forward with grace, peace and love. That people can look at me and see that I can "lose with faith" and that there is a reason for this time in my life. God has a plan better than my own...and, I just may have to squeeze my way through a window because the door is closed.
Thank you God for bringing people to me from all over the world that I can learn and grow from. God is funny how our lives intersect.
On a funny side note: Traci and I met totally by a fluke of being put into a chat group with each other by mistake. It was supposed to be a different "Traci," but she ended up being in my group. Then, ironically, her dad lives in Dayton, Ohio, about three hours from me. She came from New Zealand to see him and being as she was so close to Cleveland, drove up to see me for just a few short hours so we could take a walk together and get to know each other. She brought her amazing son, Luke with her. When Tanner (my son) walked in the house, Luke said "wait, what's your last name?" Tanner said "Price." Luke responded by saying "I follow you on Instagram!" So, not only did Traci and I meet by accident, but a kid from another country actually follows my son, who travels the world taking landscape photography (@tanner.price_ ). If these aren't "Holy Moments" from God, what is?
If you would like a copy of any of the devotionals or books I reference, please send me an email (button below) and I would be happy to send you one. Please reference the title of the post/devotional to ensure I send you the correct devotional/author. See my mission in the "About Me" link.
