About the Author

Bonnie Gray is the author of Sweet Like Jasmine, Whispers of Rest, wife, and mom to two boys. An inspirational speaker featured by Relevant Magazine and Christianity Today, she’s guided thousands to detox stress and experience God’s love through soul care, encouragement, and prayer. She loves refreshing your soul at...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
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things we love
& you will too!
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  1. I’m 26, married to an amazing husband for 2.5 years now. In the past year, I went into a totally new field of work, only to find that it isn’t working out for me. I look at my dreams and ambitions and wonder how will they come to pass now.

    My husband being ever supportive, supports the family cheerfully. There are times when it becomes heavy for him to carry too. The weight of running 2 start ups at one time can be challenging.

    I feel useless when I am not contributing financially to the family. Days turn into weeks, and weeks into months. It seems like my corps are never going to harvest.

    I pray for fertility in all areas of live, especially career, so that I can be working with my husband shoulder to shoulder in this.

    Thank you for writing this post. Indeed, He is beside us all these times. There is joy knowing that God is with us.

    Love
    Ruth

    • Marriage is a delight for the enemy to attack. It is the reflection of God with His people. I was preparing to be a Bible teacher when I went through a bad divorce. I know you both are hurting so much. Hope, in the one who can make true change. Keep your eyes on Him, and not your situation. I’ve prayed for you, and will continue.

    • Ruth, thank you for sharing. It’s a season of hard walking by faith for both you and your husband. May God deepen the love between you two and may you find refreshing moments of encouragement, as you both hang onto Jesus, who will carry you both through.

  2. Bonnie, I’ve been fighting for my marriage of over 30 years…which the enemy wants to destroy…and you, again, have spoken to my heart, through His Word, and given me Hope in this battle – thank you.

    • The struggle is evident in and in-between each of your words. I’m blessed with a 31 year marriage but it’s also a second marriage. You are a queen of endurance with an ongoing 30 year battle. We know God has or is making something good from that struggle, but that doesn’t mean it’s not painful and that it doesn’t hurt. I’m praying with you right now and asking our Lord to reach into each heart, convict it, break it, and then put it back together again, filled with the love of the Holy Spirit. I’m praying the LORD gives you peace and that you can rest in the fact that the struggle is worth it.

      • Please include me and my husband in that prayer as well. I have been fighting for my marriage for the last five years. Things don’t look to be improving and I am asking God what He wants me to do. He continues to tell me to trust Him. Satan is waging war on Christian families and we need prayer warriors to step up and defend the weak.

        • add me to this prayer list as well. the last year has been the hardest of my life. i truly feel like my husband and i are in the belly of a whale. i have been struggling with letting go and allowing God to take complete control. it’s a daily battle for me. pls pray for me so that i can keep up the faith and believe without a doubt that God will restore my marriage. pls pray for the holy spirit to soften my husband’s heart so that when God calls, my husband will answer.
          thanks everyone.

    • bonnie, as you can see, your vulnerability has opened a doorway for prayer together with others walking the same path of faith in marriage. Butterfly and Mary — I lift you up with bonnie together — along with your husbands right now. Dear Jesus, be near and let these sisters feel our Presence with them as they seek you for wisdom and strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  3. Here I am at the “home for the hearts of women”; hope I’m note intruding. Women in Christ, I’m your brother, and we share a heritage and a destination. With those credentials, I wanted to share scripture that I feel the Holy Spirit laid on my heart as I read Bonnie’s post today: Romans 5:1-5 … rejoice, endurance, character, confident hope of salvation, “he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love.” Regardless of who you are, what you’ve done, where you are or how you got there, if you know Jesus as your Savior, you can proclaim these five verses as you own testimony. Read them over and over and over again and see if it doesn’t bring joy to where you are today.

    Loving the Journey,

    Kevin

  4. Bonnie,
    This is a wonderful post! I look back over the last 4 years and I saw chaos. Prior to beginning this journey towards healing I look back and I could not see God was with me at all. I never looked for him either. God was the farthest from my mind. Now after the countless number of hours of prayer with a person God sent into the darkness to help walk me out, reading and learning scriptures, listening to God speak to me through sermons, music, friends, books etc. He has shown me where he was at all that time. I always thought joy and happiness were one in the same but have learned that there is a major difference between them. I don’t need happiness to feel joy! Joy is there regardless of what is happening around me and I know that full well now. I am not exactly happy with my current situation of being a single divorced mom of 2 children. I am not happy I do not have someone who can share experiences with me, who will hold me and love me for who I am but I have something that will outlast ‘someone’. When I find myself feeling down because of my relationship situation I remind myself and God reminds me too of the other people he put in my life who love me for me, he reminds me by letting me hear stories of women who think they are happy because they found a new man for their life but quickly find out he is not ‘the real deal’. God reminds me that I made a decision to live my life differently than I did so many years ago and I want to wait for the man that God chooses for me. The one who won’t think I’m some weirdo because I have made choices to not have sex or live with a man before we get married. I want to be married again. I want to have a husband who loves God as much if not more than I do, I want a man who will be supportive and understanding of my decisions I have made. Until then, when God guides our paths together, I am content with my life. I have joy in my heart because I know God will watch out for me, he will and does love me, he will continue to remind me in ways that I understand and appreciate.

    I love the scripture you used from Joel!
    Lisa

    • Amen, Lisa. Understanding the difference between joy and happiness can be hard but you’re right, no matter what we can have joy because of Jesus. He isn’t like our circumstances; He is constant and so we can rest in Him and have joy!

    • Lisa, God knows the faith it takes for you to trust Him, as you wait for what’s ahead. You are not weird. You are beautifully faithful :). You are a shining treasure in God’s eyes and in our eyes — those who look to God to fulfill every desire.

    • Lisa, thank you for sharing your words. I feel the depth and realness of them, of how your heart pours out from them. Your life is one of dependence on faith. How marvelously beautiful sister! Please continue to see the joy around you and within the walls of your vibrant life. The Father is there, in the midst of every part of you. And He sends the Body to lift you up, encourage, support and intercede for. It is a truly merciful gift. Hold fast to it, and to your Maker. He knows each day of yours. He’s planned it and His will is perfectly good. You are under the best wings. Know that.

      Your sister,
      Leigh

  5. You are so right; it’s never too late for joy!

    I love when you wrote:

    “While we pick up the pieces of our lives, Jesus picks us the pieces to our hearts.”

    I feel like this is happening in my life now.

    I’m so glad you discovered the corn in the back. You weren’t too late after all. And in the process your story was a beautiful illustration of how God cares for us.

    Blessings and love,
    Debbie

    • I didn’t think there was anything left, Debbie. And spent so much time beating myself over it. Then, later, as we were plucking corn, I said, “Lord, help me to remember this. Joy in the end.” 🙂 *hugs*

  6. Wow… What a reminder from God to me through you. I have felt for a long time that it seems like I’m too late for everything like I seem to make friends only to lose them whether they move away or get married and we lose touch.

    Of late, a very dear friend, whom I’ve just met recently and become close to, has been telling me that it is not too late and that God has plans for me. Reading your post just seems like God is reaffirming that I am not too late.

    Thank you for all your posts. I look forward to them every week.

    • It’s not too late, Eunice. Those past friendships were gifts for that moment. Keep walking forward, anticipating the wonderful friendships He will be blessing others through you! 🙂

  7. I recently told my husband that I felt like my life was over – we are retired. My husband said he feels similar. We retired and he helped build a church. I was going through cancer treatments. Now – where do we go. We don’t have a lot of money (I had to retired early). We also attend a church where we don’t have a place to serve. Thanks for this message. It is an encouragement to keep on praying and asking God and trusting — perhaps this is a season.

    • Becky, it is a new season for you and your husband… the beauty of the lives you’ve lived haven’t left you both. His fragrance is still in you. May you find rest and discover new ways to feed your soul and in time, God will use the seeds you are planting now to blossom and bear fruit. God bless you for your years of faithfulness in serving His body!

  8. My husband was let go from his job last January, after having worked there for almost 20 years. By the grace of God we received a nice, very nice, severance package and that runs out at the end of this month. He has been on a handful of interviews and nothing has worked out. An opportunity to work in sales came up, through a friend, which he took, though he has no sales experience. The problem, besides not having the experience, is that it’s commission only, so if he doesn’t sell, he doesn’t get paid. It’s been 3 weeks and no sales. It’s frustrating, we are tempted to collapse to our knees in fear. But we are holding on to Jesus. We continue to look for joy, for purpose, guidance. Thank you for this post. It truly spoke right to me <3

    • Lorraine, last year my dad had to close his engineering business after business came to a stop. He went five months with no income. During that time I graduated college and moved home. There were five of us in our household with no income because none of us could find jobs. God provided in ways that only He can through the love of family and friends. Now a year later, my dad is doing his dream job *pastoring a church* and driving a school bus, I have found, a job and so has my younger brother who is in college. In the process we lost our house, and had to learn to lean real hard on Jesus, but He did not disappoint. Dreams were discovered and our family learned to lean on each other and God in new ways. Things are still rough at times, but we have learned so much in the process.

      I’m sorry that your famliy has to go through this loss. I’m praying for you guys today- that God provides peace and an sales increase for your husband!

    • Lorraine, I am lifting you up in prayer. Jesus, you hear your child’s prayer. Renew their hearts and pour grace in the everyday for her and her husband as they till new soil together in this new job.

      • Please pray for me! My husband passe away four years ago this past July. And I am so lost without him!
        I have had a very hard life. my mother and my first husband of twenty years abused me.
        God brought me my second husband to show me that love does not hurt. Roy treated me like a queen. Maybe because he was ill, but we went everywhere together and spent as much time together as possible.
        I am so very lost without him.
        I now take care of my mother, she lives with me, she has dementia, it’s kind of strange me being the one who takes care of her.
        I am so lonely. I just want to go to heaven and be with Roy. I feel like I am keeping Roy waiting.
        I am not well either. I have had three back surgeries and now I have degenative scolosis. My first surgery was in 1977, so I have been in pain for 34 years.
        The end of January I am going to Johns Hopkins Hospital and have a 10-12 hour surgery, they are going to try to straighten my spine as much as they can. They are going to use rods, pins, screws etc. in order to do this. The recovery I have been told takes a year.
        I am so angry at God because he took Roy away from me, it is hard for me to pray or talk to him.
        Sorry for venting.
        Denise

  9. Please, sisters, Pray for me as I struggle to stay with my husband as he goes through a mid-life crisis. He is not the man I once knew and he is far from the Lord. Pray for him to surrender his will, dreams, and disappointments to the Lord, and pray for me that I will be able to hang on and honor God in my marriage vows. This post encouraged me that God knows just where I am and what the outcome will be. I am waiting for His leading.

      • hi butterfly, you and are in the exact same situation. i will pray for you, pls pray for me as well.

        often i think of this one verse to get me through the day:
        Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths.
        (proverbs 3:5-6)

        mary

    • Dear Jesus, I pray for my sister Butterfly – that you will nurture her heart as she sees this season through with her husband. Bring confidantes who can support her and encourage her when it feels most difficult. Thank you that you know all and love us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  10. Bonnie

    I thank God for my friend Sylvia who linked me up to your message.

    I am at a crossroad in my career right now and standing on very shaky ground.

    Being a single mom swamped with responsibilities, bills, worries and everyday demands, and now jobless, I am not thinking clearly. I have not been to church for quite a while and along the way have ‘forgotten’ that I am not alone.

    I couldn’t remember when was the last time that I felt joy and laughter. I was living daily on automatic pilot.

    Your message brought tears to my eyes as I felt God’s love surrounds me and the floodgates opened instantly and I cried tears of stress, of hope and joy … Knowing that somehow Jesus is sending me this very message and telling me that it’s not the end … There are plenty of joy, love and CORNS that He has kept especially for me.

    Jesus broke the walls of solitude and fear that I have built around my heart and is reminding me that I am still his sheep and He will never let his sheep wandered off broken and alone.

    Thank you very much Bonnie for bringing this message of hope and light back to my life again.

    No doubt I will have swollen eyes tomorrow morning with all this crying going on now, but my spirit and my heart is lighter now, I felt the burden being taken off my shoulders and I am never alone, for God is always standing next to me and He has never left at all!

  11. Bonnie, I’ve finally gotten a glimpse of that corn! What a sight. God is doing some big things- scary things, but I’m so excited! Thank you for reminding us that, even when we’re standing in the mist of what seems to be “leftovers”, there is joy in knowing who holds us. Such a great post! 🙂

  12. My husband and I are in the process of adoption. In July after seemingly waiting forever we were matched. We met the birth mom and had only 3 weeks to prepare furiously for the birth of our baby girl. I quit my job in preparation to be a full-time mom. We drove to the hospital upon finding out the birth mom was in labor, and after three torturous days, the birth mom decided she couldn’t give the baby to us and decided to parent herself.

    God’s hand has been all over the situation and we’ve been tremendously blessed through it, and we hope through our prayers for the birth mom we were a blessing to her in some way too. I know without a doubt that part of this was to get me out of the job that I had been working in, but in this new season of quietness at home, working on a creative business that is slow, and living with a new very tight budget, it’s been incredibly hard to wait on the Lord. I know He’s called me here. I know He has a great work He wants to do in me in this season. Everything in me would much rather be *doing* rather than waiting in His presence. It’d be much easier to run from the discipline He’s trying to teach me than to allow Him to do this work in me.

    The reminder from Joel that He’s in the thick of this with me, and that there is abundant life and joy to be found in His presence alone was much needed. And thank you for the reminder that He has not forgotten us as we continue to wait for the child He has for us to parent.

    • Erin, I read with a lump in my throat your story. What a beautiful heart you have — and what courage you have to continue on the journey of adoption. You truly are keeping your heart and eyes in the hands of God — as you sent prayers for that baby’s mom! What a mom’s heart you have for that child! Thank you for sharing your faith-fragranced living with us — leaning on Jesus!

  13. I’ve been miserable with my job for the last 3 years. All of my marriage….I’ve been able to stay home and care for my family. Now that our kids are HS & College age WE REALLY NEED my income. 🙁
    The problem wasn’t that I didn’t WANT to work….it’s been a rough environment to work in. Staff changes, position changes…..catty co-workers & more. All of it has taken a negative toll on my heart & attitude.
    Because of the constant stress…my fibromyalgia has been at an all time high too.
    Somedays, I cry and pray (begging) for God to make something happen that will allow me to come back home.
    I know He has a plan…..and I want to be obedient. But I have to admit, this situation has robbed me of my joy for a long time.
    I don’t like the way I feel anymore. I want my joy back!
    And honestly–SO DOES MY FAMILY!!!

    Signed,
    Dripping faucet! 😉

    • Oh, Wanda! My heart goes out to you. I dealt with muscle pain for many years and I know it is very draining. Be kind to yourself and give yourself the grace to heal and nurture your soul, as you remain faithful in this difficult season. The situation may have robbed you of joy, but God will restore it to you in time. What a hardworking mom you are. God sees!

  14. Bonnie, God’s timing is so perfect. Your words are exactly what I needed to read today. Today is the 6 year anniversary of the death my sister’s husband. They were married 42 years. My husband of 12 years died just 3 weeks ago. My sister has grieved for 6 years; I fear that pattern for myself, but long for joy instead. Thank you for encouragement in the midst of sorrow.

    • Betsy, may God continue to guide you through healing corridors of memories — grief, joy, letting go and newness. God hears the prayer of your heart – that you want the path ahead to lead towards joy. He is able to lead you there. May God renew your heart as you comfort your sister in her grief too.

  15. Such a fantastic blog post. Thank you for sharing your experience in the corn field. We used to pick corn all the time when I was a kid.
    We do have to realize that the “missed opportunities” are just seasons in our life. If we push through and persevere, we will get to the “back” where the harvest is plenty and more opportunities await us.
    Thanks for the encouragement today. God Bless!

  16. Thanks, Bonnie. It is encouraging to remember what is really important. We forget that our lives are a living sacrifice. We grow when we are dying to self. Our human minds forget to press on to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. to know Him, is our true joy!! Help us, Lord to rejoice in tough times, rejoice in the God of our salvation.

  17. After years of rejection and loss from schizophrenia, God brought me to a wonderful Christian man who loves me and cares for me and is patient with me on my bad days. Your scripture, the Lord will restore the years the locusts have eaten, is coming true in my life. After many failed attempts to go to school, I am now going back to school on-line to major in Christian Studies. I hope to be a Christian writer and encourage others as they have encouraged me. God has given me work to do that I can do even though I am disabled. And he is helping me forgive the people who rejected me. It’s hard, but with Jesus going into my heart and changing it I know I can forgive my enemies and do good to those who despitefully used me. The sense of relief from letting go of resentment is wonderful and gives me great Joy. The Joy of the Lord is my strength. this is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it. Peace and blessings always!:)

    • Brigette, what a beautiful heart to return comfort to others as you enter your season of joy. May God bless your desire to encourage others, friend! What a journey you’ve lived!

  18. Thank you for your words of encouragement. I have been struggling to find hope and joy in the midst of a few years of health issues and emotional. Just this morning God showed me that, for me, freedom comes in thanking Him for where I am and who I am. In trusting and accepting that what He is teaching me here is valuable and a treasure which far exceeds the disappointments of what I can’t do that I want to do (does the last part make sense?). Your words are part of the building upon the stronger foundation God is creating within me. Thank you.

  19. It’s funny how you seem to find that joy in the season you think you are going through (my husband is coming home from deployment soon!!), yet to only find yourself at another crossroad.

    I thought I had gotten rid of my pains of not being pregnant, after a few years of trying, only to find that the pains are very much still alive. The feelings of “This is not fair!” came out like an ugly monster yesterday, after finding out a family member is pregnant, only after a few months of dating. I cried, screamed, stomped my feet, and didn’t want to be happy. All I wanted to be was mad.

    Yes, this may seem childish, and now typing it out, I’m a little embarrased. But the pain was and is real. Yet, God is revealing to me, again, that maybe I need to be in this place of need again. Maybe I need to get mad, cry, scream but then be reminded to run to God about it and that God is still by my side. He cares about what hurts me and cares enough to replace it with something else.

    Yes, I am still in this season of not being a mother yet, but God is showing me to enjoy what I do have: a husband who adores me and will be home very soon after too long a separation, family who has carried me through my pain and sorrow, and most important, a God who never leaves, never disappoints, never lets me go.

    • Oh my goodness, is your name really Hannah or do you just identify with her story of longing for a child? I was a “Hannah” for a long time, too. After a miscarriage I tried for five years to get pregnant again. Doctors, medication, and procedures didn’t work. I wrestled with God and spent every month of on a roller coaster of hope and disappointment. Finally we gave up and decided it just wasn’t God’s will for us to have children. My husband and I decided God had other plans for us, maybe in short-term missions. I just let it all go and let God heal me of the heartache. Through all that struggle and disappointment, I came to know a side of God that I believe He only reveals to childless women. I accepted and comforted myself with that gift from Him. What you are feeling is normal and understandable. God hears your cries and collects your tears. Keep trusting Him.

      Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Prov.13:12
      About a year after I had said my final “goodbye” to my dream of having a baby, God spoke to me one day out of the blue. It was about a week before Mother’s Day. He told me to be careful with my body because I was going to have a baby. I thought I must be mistaken because I wasn’t even asking for or needing a child anymore. God had filled the void, but now He said He was going to add this blessing as well. I tucked the idea away in my heart and didn’t try to do anything on my own. Three months later I discovered I was pregnant! Today I have a 7-year-old boy.

      God not only hears your prayers, He saves them up and answer’s them when He is ready and when He will be the only one who gets the glory for the answer. God bless you on your journey. Be a mother to those around you and live in the blessings you have today.

      • Yes indeed, my name is Hannah 🙂

        Thank you so much for sharing that with me. It is always an encouragement to hear stories from others who have gone through the same thing, regarding trying to conceive.

        I’m not sure what it will take for me to fully let go, and God knows when that timing will be, but I pray it is soon. As you know, the pain is hard to bear. I do know deep down that God’s timing is PERFECT and that His plans for my life could be completely different than what I expect. Just remembering and reminding myself that every minute is exhausting.

        Thank you again for your encouragement and sharing your story. It has given me a glimmer of hope and reminded me that there are many children who do not have mothers who I can love and cherish in my time of waiting.

    • Hannah, I don’t find it childish at all. I love your honest heart. Jesus says we are to be as little children, in order to enter into the Kingdom where God the Father loves us as we are. I’m so happy that you get to hold that Hubby of yours soon! Yay! May your reunion be sweet, as you lean into each other on your journey with trying to conceive. Thank you for sharing here with us, friend!

  20. Boy! Wow!! That is exactly how I was feeling early this morning. When I read your post for today, the tears would not stop. It was precisely hat I needed to “hear”. It is so good to know I am not alone and someone else has the ability to put it into words for me. And THANK YOU for reminding me the joy of the Lord is my strength and He will never leave me. NEVER!! He was always there – through all my foolishness decisions. He didn’t bail me out, but I do believe as I look back, that he softened the blows. I’m hanging on to Jeremiah 29:11 with both hands, in prayer.

  21. Love your post and scripture references, Bonnie. You are right where God needs you to encourage others! May He bless you and your readers with the ability to see abundant joy in Him in all circumstances.

  22. God is teaching me in this season that it’s not in the doing that we find meaning, but in Him alone. So I’m learning to find joy in being still. In simple humility.

  23. Thank you for reminding me that He cares for every detail of my life and that joy is to be had no matter what station in life, what season in life, what situation in life – that i’m currently living. Blessings!

  24. Oh wow – I so needed to read that this morning! Confirmation from God at the exact moment we hope for it is such a wonderful comfort and splash of living water! I’ve been feeling out of sorts as many things I thought would be mine at this point in my life have not come. This has challenged me to really trust in His provision and plan – and to actively pursue Him while doing so. Thank you!

    • “to really trust in His provision and plan – and to actively pursue Him while doing so.” It’s a curious faith combination! 🙂 Exciting time in your faith journey, Kim. Thank you!

  25. Oh wow – I so needed to read that this morning! Confirmation from God at the exact moment we hope for it is such a wonderful comfort and splash of living water! I’ve been feeling out of sorts as many things I thought would be mine at this point in my life have not come. This has challenged me to really trust in His provision and plan – and to actively pursue Him while doing so.

  26. I just recently (four months ago) lost my identical twin girls. To say I have been in a pit and angry and sad would be an understatement. I wake everyday and ask for God to sustain me, give me peace and to reveal a piece of Himself to me. It is hard. Somedays the only thing I can grab onto is the fact that He exists. Other days the joy is my toddlers laughter or my husbands hand holding mine. He is there. Other days I just have to cling to the belief that there is a purpose for all of this. I look for Him and when I look for Him and only Him, I can find a piece of Joy.

    • Oh, Stephanie! I am SO sorry such sadness of twin deaths had to come into your life. Four months ago… that means it just happened. Oh, Jesus, keep carrying my friend in this time of tragedy. I just don’t understand why these things happen and such pain of loss. But, I ask you to bring my friend Stephanie and her husband together and others who can understand their grief, to lift them up and let them know they are not alone. In Jesus’ name Amen.

  27. I love this! I haven’t gone to all of the places that I thought I would go in life, but God has brought me to places of joy that I didn’t know were there.

  28. Oh, wow, Bonnie, this post contains so many gems of wisdom that it’s impossible to count them! Words do not express how perfect this post is for me–these words were truly what I needed to hear today, so much so that I’m in awe of how the Holy Spirit works to minister to us through the words of others! It’s never too late for anything, for joy–yes! “The place of need is the most beautiful place to be positioned”–that is so, so true, but can be so tough to remember, but what beautiful truth! Reminds me of the Scripture which says “When I am weak, then I am strong,” in the Epistles–“this is where we experience the joy of being found by Jesus once again”–amen to that! That’s what I pray for–to be found by Jesus once again, each day afresh! So wonderful to know that nothing can stop God’s joy from entering our lives–there’s always enough grace to go around! Truly, this post is just perfect–such precious reminders of God’s goodness! Thank you!

  29. The past year brought me from the pains of being told, “I want a divorce,” to moving twice, settling up a few rooms in my parents’ home for my daughter and I, returning to school, dealing with lawyers and courts systems and never-ending e-mails, to finding a church home, finding some healing, enjoying learning once again, and receiving my Life Coach certification. This past week brought me the joy of helping a friend realize something the Holy Spirit was saying to her but she hadn’t quite realized.

    Though battles are not over, and many changes are still going to take place, I know the joy that today – and tomorrow – will bring. The smiling face of a daughter, the greetings from friends old and new, and the comfort only a savior can bring.

    • Tiffany, what a difficult season you’re having to walk through. I’m so sorry for all the pain you have to go through. Know that God is closer to you than ever, He is near to those who are broken hearted and is fiercely protective of your heart and your daughters! Abba Father God will be there for you!

  30. This really spoke to me this morning- being single feels like such a silly thing to find hard when reading so many other stories of heartbreak and rejections, but sometimes it does just feel really hard! I am so blessed in many ways, and your post has reminded me that God hasn’t finished with me yet. He still has plans that are good and perfect for me, I just have to keep holding his hand while he takes me somewhere where I didn’t expect to find blessing!

    Thank you

    • Hi Emma! 🙂 It is not silly at all! I was single into my 30’s, so I have a kinship with the journey you’re walking through. Singleness isn’t an illness that needs to be cured! 🙂 Keep blossoming in the gifts and passions God’s put in you! Your pursuit of Him and being in community to bless others will put you on the path of God’s plans!

  31. My life doesn’t follow the path some would find familiar. I have not followed round-robin into the timeline of “success” or “regular” progression of life. In fact, a well-meaning friend flat out told me that my life is not normal.

    I know her heart, so I know she was not attacking me nor trying to be malicious, but it did cause me to pause, before I gently tried to explain that I know there are many levels of paths God calls His children to. We aren’t all ticked for a stable, plan-keeping, checkbox life. I thank God that He gave me the clarity and peace of truth in that moment. I was able to focus on who I know God to be, and who I am in His eyes, rather than dwell on the confusion I have to how my life does look, and why it doesn’t match someone else’s. I thanked God, because when I heard those words, as well as some others that spoke of loving, albeit disapproving notions of my current season of life, pieces of my heart broke off in shame. And my flesh wanted to focus on that hurt, that confusion and humility. But God gave me an amazing gift of truth in that moment. I was able to try and explain where my trust and faith in His has brought me and is continuing to fuel my journey through uncertainty of direction and will.
    He gave me measures beyond even that as well: He gave me the truth of another friend. The soft, gentle reminders of love, understanding, and alternative perspective.

    But the road is long, and the sojourn dark at times. So reading this was a relief for me. There is still affect for the cause. There is still pain in the unknown. But I have the joy of knowing I am His. In His eyes, I am just as He made me. I am exactly who He desires, because I have given myself over to Him, His will, and His timing. I have to do it quite literally 1000 times a day. Again and again. I don’t have a perfect track record of trust. Far from it. But I will focus on the joy. Thank you for reminding me where to fix my eyes. And a special thank you to my other friend for speaking truth to a tear-filled soul, and loving me with a pure heart.

  32. Bonnie,
    I came across (in) courage for the first time today. I don’t spend a whole lot of time on the computer and usually have to rely on my teenage daughters to navigate me around. I somehow signed up for the email subscription and ended up reading “Never to late for joy” It was Jesus speaking straight to my heart through your words. You see not even 48 hrs before reading your article I was sitting in a counselor’s office opening my heart up to her. I was greiving the death of my father and trying to make sense of my mother’s new relationship with another man just weeks after my father’s death. I was sharing with her that sins from my past were holding me captive and keeping me from pursing my dreams. I know that I am forgiven by the blood of Christ,but I have allowed the enemy to fill my mind with doubts and insecurities for too many years. I want to stop being stuck and move forward. She shared with me in her office the story in Joel about the locusts and told me that the Lord wants to restore all those years lost from the locust(and my sin). I went home and read the story in Joel and God met me in those words confirming what she had said. Then when I came across your article today, I knew that Jesus with all His grace and compassion wanted to make sure that I didn’t miss one word He was whispering to my heart. Thank you for being available for God to use you to reach me.

  33. Too late but never too late. I’m so glad you walked “further up and further in!” (I sat in on a class discussing Lewis’s The Last Battle on Monday.)
    I have been praying that God make up for the years locusts have eaten.
    That he renew and redeem.
    That he lead, direct, make the choices in my life.
    Give me his love, his peace, his joy. To share with others.
    Bonnie, you write so well. Keep writing faith for followers!

  34. For the last hour I have been typing this and also skyping with a friend in a foreign country who is having some hard trials in her marriage….as I read each reply I then reply to her some of the truths you girls are sharing she is feeling her spirit lifted by your honest posting. Is there still a problem she must deal with daily, yes but I believe she now realizes time will fade the hurt and God will bring them through this season in their marriage. She has hope because she knows God will not leave things the way they are and she also reconiges the part she must play in the healing.

    This is the third post I have read in the past few days where God has used little things, a dime on the ground, a flying bug, a mountain, and ears of corn to confirmed there is always hope in Him. In the one who cares, filling us all with the knowledge of His love for us through such different things that bring scriptures to life.

    How blessed we are to have such a personal God, who reaches from heaven to earth to touch our souls with encouragment that sometimes comes from the heartache of others. How blessed we are to be in this battle together, we band of sisters, warriors of the cross….how blessed we are to have the knowledge that even though the battle was won on the cross there are still a few skirmishes here on this earth left to deal with. How blessed we are that someday we will meet on the other side of these struggles with our crowns full of jewels and lay them at our Master and Commander feets. What an honor it is my courageous wise hearted women to be on the same team in this warfare.

    I love the reminders Bonnie to all of us no matter what season, no matter what struggle we have, He hasn’t forgotten us. There is more life ahead, Jesus whispers.
    Just hold on tight to me. I know the way to go and I’m taking you with me.

    Thank you for an incredible post…one that has reached to the other side of the sea to encourage.