(Original post 3/18/2019 ~ Updated 3/1/2021) 

Did you know that you can set almost any song as a phone alarm?! Granted, I’m usually the last person to know these things, but it’s new to me and I’ve been having some fun with it!

A while back I was having a particularly difficult time seeing my way through the fog that seems to drift in and out of my mind/spirit/heart these days, but this time it was staying low and being slow to lift and blow away. Much like a low-grade fever leaves you feeling not really sick, but kind of “blah”, I was discouraged with feeling discouraged and ready to feel better already!

Ever been there?

Being a person who wears feelings on her feelings, I’m aware that sometimes it takes a word of truth to cut through all the emotions that can sometimes guide my thinking. Two things happened to speak that truth into the fog that I’d like to leave with you on Day 11.

I was reminded of the many, many passages of scripture where people are being comforted – from Genesis to Revelation – people being reminded that they aren’t alone, that God sees their heartache and not a tear falls that He doesn’t care about. Jesus was always noticing and tending to the needs of the people around him, both physical and emotional. And instead of this feeling like a company to my misery, it actually brings me great comfort to know these human hearts are able to hold ALL the feelings. Whether it’s love, joy, happiness and optimism or grief, loss, longing and disappointment….every human emotion is valid and important to God.

Around the same time I learned how to set music as alarms, I heard this song and it reminded me that I don’t have to wait for everything to be ok before I’m ok. What a concept! And it’s so, so true..

In some ways, my faith is stronger today than it’s ever been, even though I sometimes don’t feel like it; it’s just something I know to be true. Even when the fog comes in, I always know that I’m ok, and that really does make all the difference!

Because much of what I write comes from my own journey of grief and healing, so many of you who have found this little Lenten blog are going through similar seasons. So I want you to know something at the close of this day…..you don’t have to wait until you feel ok to be ok. It’s what I’m learning day by day – we’ll learn it together.

PS I turned this song into one of my morning alarms. Waking up to “maybe it’s ok if I’m not ok” actually makes me laugh….and then start singing.  =)

Love,

Shellie ♥