Picking up Pieces

---

Words written and spoken: Donyale
Authorized by iTunes Purchase, Song:  "After the Storm" by Mumford & Sons

Picking up pieces

When a storm comes into your life and tears up everything that you knew, that you trusted, that you just assumed would be a part of your Journey, tears up everything you owned, rips up every blueprint, disrupted every plan, Plan A and Plan B and now your left to asses the damage,  with pieces to pick up.  

Disruption to the degree that everything familiar is disrupted, this Storm came to destroy, including arriving without any notice, without any alert.

What do you do?

Where do you start?

Looking in the rear view mirror, It was as if the storm was calculated, it arrived at the most imperfect time, from the most unimaginable place, there was no preparation for a storm of this capacity.  This was a Tsunami, with High Winds, Waves of Water, after effect shaking of the ground beneath me. It was a storm that you are keenly aware that many don’t make it out of, and I'm not just not speaking just of physical death, the kind of storm that creates drifters, mentally unstable and for many spiritually shaken even to the point of faith lost completely. 

Truth is there is never a right time for a storm, there is never a right time for a valley or for a wilderness season, a  challenging time along life’s journey. There are levels, there are layers to a storm and for one that by God’s Grace walked through a Tsunami with very visible damage left to walk through, but so Grateful one who is not destroyed. 

I can tell you firsthand, if not for God’s Grace, if not for a relationship with my Creator, that I had prior to this Caliber of a storm, it could have easily been a ripple effect of devastation from the moment that it hit right through the present day,  with a foundation of destruction designed to continue rippling and destroying my life, my children and generations to come. 

Dark rooms are not for play, it’s a serious place, this is being shared for the heart who is battling thoughts right now, who may be in a dark room that is getting darker or questioning your faith because of the storm that has arrived on your doorstep, or the cruelty, or injustice that you can’t believe has happened to you.  This is for the one Who is having a hard time to see or to know there is more. 

I employ you to get the help that you need, your life matters, your light, your life matters and it is needed here and if at this moment, you need help.  You may not have a local church, or know a trusted therapist, just to speak or to vent can be a start; The suicide hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,  # 1-800-273-8255, again the #  Help is not determined by status, color, environment, faith, so start with that number, just get the help, become someone needs you to be here. 

Picking up Pieces

As a woman of Faith, a woman who has and continues to seek a relationship with my Creator, not just a religion, it is a walk, it is seeking, it is spending time, quiet time, listening, learning, having a  Relationship with God for me is so important because it is my Faith that I’m willing to die on. I will choose to die on what I believe, so I’m not interested in a Club, a group with t-shirts, fancy slogans that represent a church or a religion, I’m not interested in a pep rally or someone or anyone celebrating me.  I am interested in my Truth, in my Faith that I’m willing to die on, to live a life of Fulfillment being of service to others who may need to know you can walk out of Dark Rooms, you can have something more, you can take whatever it is that has happened in your life, your story and help someone else. It doesn't always require sharing your personal story, maybe just volunteering and in those places knowing what pain, knowing discomfort feels like

I’m interested in who is God for me, what have I known him to be in my life, what have I experienced firsthand beyond just what I read, what I study, that is so vital to me.  

Picking up Pieces 

My life has been a Book, filled with many beautiful chapters, beyond words to express, mountain top experiences that I know only by God’s favor I was able to experience, it was His Favor, not by qualifications, titles or associations but God’s Immeasurable Favor.  My relationship started many years ago, raised in a Faith since childhood yes, but a personal relationship before even being married.  

A God I have known as Love, immeasurable Grace, Peace beyond words to even express who resided and walked me through very dark places, uncomfortable places, devastating, cruel places.

My book along this journey contains chapters filled with tears, disappointments, like most I’ve had my share of Valleys but continued in my Faith, stood on Grace, stood on the Truth that I believe no matter my feelings, no matter my circumstances it has been personally proven in  many valleys to be my Truth, 

Picking up Pieces 

Trusted when I didn’t understand, there were storms when I thought surely this must be my wilderness season and yet a Tsunami hit and at that moment you are knocked down, you are in a fog, challenged in your Faith, fighting the battle of thoughts, wrestling with pain and discomfort. You are trying to find your feet, your balance and in the midst of that recognizing you have children who are looking to you, wondering what’s next, what now?

The real question that comes can I trust the Word of God, can I trust God? That is the real question.  Devastation hitting so close in areas that you never imagined could be touched but yet was allowed. Can I Trust God? Can I trust His Word?

I’m speaking to You, I’m speaking to the one who is barely hanging on, eyes filled with tears, questions of Why? You did not arrive here to read this, or to hear this by chance and I encourage you to Run to God to ask for rest while you heal, to run to Him for Peace, not run away.  Don’t allow Fear to trap you or pull you into a Dark Room of lies, thoughts of despair, filled with Pain and building sorrow. Go to the Source who created you, who knows your end from the beginning.Who knows your journey, who knows your history, who knows your thoughts, who knows your pain. 

Picking up Pieces 

I will share that Yes, I’ve experienced being kicked down so hard in a moment that you are foggy, disoriented, assessing how or what is this.  But God’s Grace wrapped His Peace beyond me that I had never experienced in all the years that I’ve walked with Him and I have walked many years with Him.  I will not say I understand the Why, I can not say I have the answers, but I will say I Trust Him, I Trust His Word and as one who is picking up pieces, traveling a very unfamiliar path that no one in my sphere has experienced firsthand or who I can sit and talk with based on a similar experience of the moment and or present day, I will say I Trust God, I know there is No Darkness in Him (1 John 1:5). His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven and He has a Plan, a Purpose for each and everyone one of us when we Trust Him.

As I continue to walk this unfamiliar path, my Hope, my Trust remains in God, my comfort is that His thoughts are not my thoughts, His ways are not my ways and I find Peace in that.  God can see over the Mountain and my Hope lies beyond a Grave and for that, I am so very Grateful.

In this season of service, of taking what was meant to destroy but instead shook me awake, Pain will Pay Dividends not by what can I do but by what I’m in service and available to do and my sons will know that Flowers can grow out of Ashes.  You will know and anyone who is hurting while healing will know Love Always Wins, always. 

Picking up Pieces 

This is my road, this is being shared in Love, this is the road, the faith that I will die on, we all decide our own road, but the doors of Helping Build Bridges Across is open in love and it is set with a buffet table to take what can be an asset to your journey and simply leave the rest behind.

There are Eagles who reside in this community and you are welcome to ride our wings until your wings are healed and can fly on your own to then be an available ride to someone else.  

Picking up Pieces.  Picking up Pieces. 

Thank you for being here,. Thank you for sharing, reposting, reaching out. There are not enough words to say Thank you.

Thank you for sharing your story.  Thank you for wearing it, sharing it, surrounding your life with it.  Thank you for doing your part, being a part of the Eagle Call, the Movement of Making Gratitude Contagious which in turn allows each Chapter in our Book to close without pages of Regrets and that my dear friend,  is a Peace of mind that you, that I can’t measure.

Eagle Hugs,
Donyale

PS: The adventure continues and I reflect where it began online 2014 “found under About” and I stated who knows where the road will lead and I continue to say the same who knows where this road we travel together will lead, the treasures that we might find together, inspiring and encouraging and Empowering each other. 

Picking up pieces

Making Gratitude Contagious is always the intent