The Importance of Remembering Past Miracles

Besides the Gingerbread houses, Sinatra Holiday playlists, Starbucks holiday cups, ugly Christmas sweater parties, Holiday Rom-Com movie binges, and of course the celebration of Jesus’ birthday (reason for the season)… December for me also symbolizes a time for reflection.

Where was I at this time of year last year: Mind, Body, Spirit?

While doing some reflecting of my own, I came across a video by Pastor Steve Furtick that convicted me.

At point 32:30, Pastor Steve Furtick says, “They fought a lot of battles between Joshua 4 and Judges 2, and I wonder if the battles became bigger in their minds than the blessings? And I wonder if they started telling themselves the stories that centered around the struggles rather than God’s sovereign hand that saw them through the struggles? Sometimes when you don’t go back to where you started, you lose perspective on where you’re going!”

A year ago, I was crossing through my own Jordan River: I was not happy at all in my job, going from job interview to job interview, networking event to networking event, spending the majority of my weekends in an aimless routine… etc.

On top of it all, I was suffering from anxiety and all its effects: queasy stomach, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, and more.

I remember so many mornings and evenings crying out to God, asking why He hadn’t rescued me out of my job yet, and begging Him to open the door to my own “Promised Land” of sorts.

A few months later, here I am writing this from my apartment in Madrid, Spain. I was accepted into a teaching program where I am blessed to work four days a week, take weekend trips to Southern France for less than 100 euro, spend my 25th birthday in Morocco, have ample time to work on my faith blog, have met a ton of amazing new friends, and live my life stress and anxiety free!

I guess you can say I am living in the midst of my miracle.

Of course life’s smacked me in the face more than a few times since moving here two months ago, which is expected when you move internationally with nothing but two suitcases. That takes me back to what I mentioned earlier about feeling convicted when listening to the video.

Lately, I’m afraid I’ve let my mind become so focused on the little everyday battles that I’ve forgotten to revisit all the victories God has brought me through. I wrote this post to remind myself and YOU that no matter if this finds you in a season where you’re crossing through the Jordan River or in the midst of your miracle, never forget all those times God’s come through for you!

• Where has He brought you today vs. where you used to be?
• What Has he given you that was beyond what you even expected for yourself?
• What or Who Has He freed you from?

THESE are the stories that we need to ponder upon and THESE are the stories we need to share with those that we encounter as we continue on our life journeys.

“My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day for their number is past my knowledge.” Psalm 71:15

My miracles:

• Relieving me of my anxiety driven job and allowing me to experience life in Spain.
• Changing from the girl who ate a whole box of Fiber One bars alone in her dorm room on a Saturday night to the woman who never says no to new experiences and loves going out/meeting new people.
• Changing from the girl who would eat 15 pistachios and string cheese for lunch and lived in fear of missing a gym day to the woman who loves her body and isn’t afraid to eat bocadillos, croquettes, wine, etc to her fill.
• No longer striving for attention from the wrong kind of men and now knowing my worth.
• Working for a billion dollar company despite being unqualified on paper.
• Changing from the girl who never even CONSIDERED traveling to the woman with only two pages left on her passport after having visited +10 countries and lived abroad twice.
• No longer letting a headache, bad thought, or upset stomach determine my entire day and still doing what needs to be done with a SMILE despite the circumstances.
• Progressing from the girl who walked in this world aimlessly–tossed to and fro–to a woman now following her God given purpose and trusting God fully with her future.

I encourage you to take some time to write down a few of God’s victories in your life as I have. You’ll be amazed by the difference from then and now! Refer to it and give praise whenever you find yourself low.