“Because He lives I can face tomorrow.” ~ Gloria Gaither
I have been transported back in time this weekend. I’m attending a conference at a University in Indiana and elected to stay on campus in a dorm room while I am here. When I was away at school (years ago!) I lived in an apartment a couple of blocks off campus and never experienced dorm life. To say I am a happy camper tonight is an understatement! This room is modestly perfect.
As I walked around this lovely campus to my different sessions today, I was flooded with sweet memories from my time as an undergrad at the University of Kentucky. College was one of the happiest, freeing times of my life and being here takes me right back.
Sometimes revisiting the past with fond memories is a wonderful thing. Living in the past instead of enjoying the present is a different story however. I have been through seasons of life where I couldn’t let go of my past. I dwelled on it constantly and held on for life. I held on to people who wanted to leave or had let go of me long ago.
I keep having a reoccurring dream lately. It’s not necessarily a bad dream but I wake up from this dream and find myself questioning everything. How far have I really come in this journey of healing? Some days I am at total peace with my past but other days it is so raw it feels like yesterday. Are my dreams telling me I am still hanging on for life to something I thought I had finally let go of? Have I not healed at all? My desire is to only move forward and to serve God fully. But is my baggage holding me back from totally fulfilling my desire? God wants all of me, not just parts of me. The things from my past that I am still clinging to ever so tightly (and not even consciously aware of…only in my dreams!) are possibly things I am just not quite ready to give up yet.
“You will never be able to start a new chapter in your life unless you stop re-reading the last one.”
I don’t know who said that but I think it is a fitting quote since I am at a faith and writing conference this weekend.
I am working on turning the page and starting a new chapter. Heck with that, I am ready to start a BRAND NEW BOOK!
No matter what has happened in the past, your life is worth living now. You have a fresh start every day that you wake up breathing.
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” Amen!
Blessings,
Stacey ~ iamalive
P.S. I was blessed to hear Gloria Gaither and Scott Russell Sanders speak today! I will be back home tomorrow with my last post in my #31daysofprayer #31daysofwriting challenge. Thanks so much for following along. 🙂