The Domino Effect

Hello. It’s me.

{Please tell me you sang that out loud… and no I cannot sing as MUCH as I wish I could!!}

Yes, it has been quite a while since I’ve posted.

I’ve sat down at my computer with the intent to write and share, yet each time I started, I found myself hitting the backspace button until nothing was left. I think the Lord has had me marinate on quite a lot these past few weeks in the midst of utter and complete busyness.

That being said, I want to reiterate that I only write what I feel He is speaking through me or showing me. He is the Author and Perfecter of our Faith, and I do not want to stand in the way of that. I only want to be a vessel. So as much as I wanted to write, He silenced my voice until my heart was prepared enough.

Now, I would like to talk about The Domino Effect.

Life can be a lot like a design of dominos. About a year ago, I thought I had everything in my life placed in its proper place. I had a plan for the day, the month, and quite honestly, my future. I knew exactly what I wanted to happen next and exactly how I was going to control it to make these things happen.

Notice one thing, my “I’s”. My life revolved around thinking I was living out the Lord’s plan, when instead, I manipulated my desires into His plans.

I had everything in order. Lined up exactly how I wanted. Waiting on the next step.

I call this the Perfect Storm.

While I was ready to jumpstart my future, He was ready to bring me to my most humble of places in order for me to see I only need one thing, Jesus.

Not surprisingly, the storm came. The lighting electrified me to my very core. The thunder shook my foundation. The rain brought destruction.

Everything I {thought} I knew, vanished.

This is the start of The Domino Effect. As one piece of my life fell, so did every other piece in its path. One after another, each dream, plan, or idol came crashing down without my control. This was terrifying, and it felt completely overwhelming. I felt like {and still sometimes do} everything was going wrong. Not only did I not understand where my major was going, or why I was struggling with certain people, but just the small things, like dropping a coffee after a long morning and thinking “WHY ME?!”
Although I grew weary at the constant feeling of defeat, I am beginning to see the Light. He had to bring me to a point of utter despair and surrender that I knew I could do NOTHING without Him. I had to rely fully on His provision, His comfort, His control,and not my own.

As each piece falls, we are bowing in surrender to our Savior, relinquishing control of each part of our lives.

But just as those dominos fell, they are restored one by one.

He rebuilds each piece of our life ever so gently and one at a time. As He restored and brought new life into my relationship with a dear family member, or set aside a job for me that I am passionate about, I am beginning to see how He orchestrated in His perfect timing the pieces He sees fit for my life.

I am reminded of my new, favorite Casting Crowns song, “Just Be Held”. The lyrics speak to exactly where I am at the moment. They sing, “I’m painting beauty with the ashes. Your life is in my hands.”

I think this is the perfect picture. As things crumble and disintegrate to dust, He is creating beauty from the pain.

As each domino falls in our lives, we lose an idol that stands in the way of the One who loved us so much that He was willing to be laughed at, spat on, and nailed to a cross, because He loves us!

So maybe that line of dominos that we create isn’t a “Perfect Storm”, maybe it is His Beautifully Created Masterpiece.

“The Lord makes FIRM the steps of the one who delights in Him.”
-Psalm 37:23

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
-Proverbs 16:9

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