ONE

     I just realized that my last two days have not been tainted with the dread of never going back to Charlotte. There were days, while alone in the car, that tears would fall simply b/c I miss my people back in the Carolinas. This moving stuff is no joke on the heart.
     Several weeks ago, through a study I am doing, I read a verse from 1 Peter. I have clung to it, contemplated getting part tattooed, and meditated on each word.

[1 Peter 5:10] 

"And after you have suffered a little while, 

the God of all grace, 

who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, 

will HIMSELF, 

restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you."

     I love that it calls him the 'God of all grace'. Jesus holds more than one form of grace.
     Every time I read this verse Jesus not only helps my heart, he tells me to pray the same verse over a sweet friend of mine, who needs His grace in a different form of comfort.
     And 'will himself'...not a friend, not my husband, not my kids, not food, not a program, not all the people I miss...Jesus himself. That's so good!!!
     But the part that I believe is tattoo worthy is restore, confirm, strengthen and establish.
     It's all about allowing Jesus to do those things. The killer is that it is in HIS time. He has to be the lifter of my head, or my restoration won't be complete.

     Time is a beautiful thing. I don't want to fight it right now. I want to take the uncomfortable times of hurt to be that I have loved those I left well. I want to thank Jesus that I was loved well.
     Earlier in 1 Peter 5, verse 7, Peter challenges us to cast all of our anxieties on Jesus for He cares for us.
     Part of wholeness, whatever your journey, is to realize that there is ONE who can restore, confirm, strengthen and establish our souls. ONE. And it ain't you.