Growing up I never gave one thought to being a Christian. Yes I went to church on Sundays. Attended Sunday school and youth group, but never did I have a conversation with myself that said, “I want to grow up to be a Christian, to follow our Lord and Savior”. I always thought of Church and Sunday school as some weekly attempt to keep me out of trouble. Little did I know it was the beginning of laying down the plans for what God wanted to build. See God already knew what type of foundation to build for me. It would become part of my journey to Christ. .
As a teenager I attended Cincinnati Christian, another attempt at a behavioral process and yet these where the years of setting the footings in place to properly space the framework for what would become my foundation. In these troubling teenage years God was properly aligning the events of my life. In some ways God was squaring up my journey. Making adjustments and beginning the formation. God knew not one, not two, but many events in my life would have me carrying a very heavy load. These events would shape who I would become.
While all this heaviness poured into my life, God was stirring up a mixture of resilience, determination, strength and courage. All the things I needed to get me through not only my teenage years, but the years I totally forgot God existed. He continued to stir in my heart even when I couldn’t feel his presence; God was there, preparing my form.
When I reached my late 20’s, got married and had children, God began to pour the foundation into my life, gently smoothing it into my form. Giving it time to sink in and dry up all the darkness and heaviness in my life. Tears would be shed as I allowed the foundation to dry, but it’s all part of God’s plan, as God didn’t want the foundation God worked so hard to form, crack. When God works he works on masterpieces. Forming each and every one of us into a unique person, a form like no other.
After 19 years of marriage and two sons (18 and 15 yrs old) I can tell you God has taken down the footings and let me stand on my own foundation. My husband John has been and always will be the foundation God was planning for me all along.
Now your foundation God built supports your weight and the weight of others and with this the structural integrity begins to decay and all that you have built upon God’s foundation begins to suffer. Reinforcement is needed. God is needed back into my life to fill in the unattractive cracks that have appeared over the years. Or maybe God will determine if a whole new foundation needed to ensure the integrity and values will not be lost.
Just like a building cracks and ages, so does the foundation of our lives. The earth begins to move and break away and then comes a time for repair. If not done correctly it can be costly, dangerous and you could lose everyone who stood with you, around you, and on the foundation God built just for you.
In the midst of me praying to God today asking for help to fix my cracked foundation. To help me gather a team that loves Christ as much as I do. A team who understands what felt like punishment was actually God preparing the ground for our form. A team who understands we are builders, servants of God, here to help each other. I am ready for a solid rock foundation. One I can stand firmly in my faith while keeping my eyes on my journey to know and love Christ.
Luv, Luv,
Julie
