Celebrating 5 Years of The Will to Wake Up!

The most beautiful things can come out of the hardest situations.

If you had told me that on September 21st, 2019, I would’ve plugged my ears and ran away.

That day felt like the final kick in the shins after a fight already lost. In 2019, life felt like it was spiraling out of control. There were so many difficult situations, from a car accident to broken friendships to losing loved ones, and ongoing torments, like loneliness, grief, and guilt. In many ways, it was my “coming-of-age” year.

Nothing horrible happened on September 21st. I just received news. News of things to come. Your dog is dying. Your crush likes someone else. Your friend is making harmful choices.

And all those things (even the thought of losing my furry best friend) would’ve probably seemed inconsequential after what I had experienced earlier that year.

But often, it’s when that last glimmer of hope is snuffed out that we feel the most in despair. The most alone. Our hope vanishes only when we let go of the belief that despite all we’ve gone through, goodness may still lie ahead.

I don’t consciously know why my solution to my problems was typing out a blog post about dealing with pain. Writing had always been my way of processing things, but my writing had also always been personal.

The name for the blog came instantly to me, which felt like a sign since it usually takes forever for me to decide on names! Perhaps it was because in that moment, I needed someone to remind me why I should continue forward, continue waking up each morning. Slowly but surely, I allowed hope back into my heart.

Despite life’s ups and downs over the past five years, God has used His word, His people, and even this blog to be that reminder for me. That gentle nudge to say, “Hey, it’s okay. Even if this situation doesn’t turn out the way you planned, God is with you. You are not alone.”

No matter what shape this blog takes over the next five years, I hope that it remains two things:

• a resting place where you can connect with God. The Spirit can speak through the verses, the words, even my own flawed insights, better than any person can.
• a reminder that no matter what, you are not alone. You are so dearly loved.

What are you facing today? Is it difficult to imagine that there could still be more ahead? Yes, more challenges, but also more opportunities for joy and abundant life?

In prayer, consider asking God to help you surrender your fears, failures, hopes, and dreams to Him. As our divine creator, He knows better than anyone how to bring beauty out of any situation. And as His beautiful creation, no matter what, you can always run back to His loving arms and He will care for you.

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

– Romans 5:3-5