#105: Lent Reflections - Week Five

Lesson: Listen and He will provide answers.

I've often wondered if what I'm doing is right. Not like what I'm doing is bad, I'm a decent person...but is it right. Am I following the correct path. I find myself wishing it were as easy as putting on my God headphones whenever I needed a recharge, but this week I learned that it IS! We just need to learn to listen and answers are everywhere. This week I listened and He told me in so many ways that I'm going the right way.

I'll share one: I just joined the gym and signed up for a personal trainer. I made a 12-month commitment and it took me weeks to sign the papers. I've been contemplating this move for years - but since I kept having babies it was never the right time. Well, now I know it is the right time. I believe God puts people in our lives at exactly the moments we need the most - we just have to be willing to listen.

I made my way to the gym for my first Zumba class since going on this new path and as I was waiting for the class to begin a woman came up and started talking to me. She was so sincere with her words - and for those that know me, you know this is all it takes for me to make a friend...and so I did. She asked if it was okay for her to tell me something and I quickly said yes. She went on to tell me the following..."I'm 71. Don't wait until your 60s to love yourself. You are here. You have started. You must continue. You are the ONLY one that can love you as much as you need to be loved." and then she continued..."well, except for God...but he can only love you if you love yourself and he wants to love you!" I had to pick up my chin from the ground. Thank you God for continuing to send messages of your love for me and acknowledging my choice to love myself. She said one other thing that was beautiful - "human souls are fragile. If you see someone that you feel compelled to talk to or to share your story with, DO IT. Don't wait. We just never know."

This Lent season has been packed with learning to be gentile, health scares, big decisions, finding myself, asking for help, loving myself and most importantly listening.

I hope you will always be listening. Allow yourself to be still. Allow yourself to feel. Allow yourself to help others by helping yourself. Allow yourself to fail and be gentile as you get back up. Allow yourself to LOVE yourself. Allow yourself to hear God's answers.