Living a Life Well Lived

When I created this blog space last year, I really just wanted a chance to write about things that really mattered to my heart at the moment. I was just separated from my husband and I had a lot of thoughts and processing to do. Writing has been the easiest and best way for me to communicate what I am experiencing and how I am feeling.

Discovering a good word brings comfort to me. Just that little dose of encouragement, that atta girl, that pick me up, it does something to a person. It does something for me.

I like words.

I like words that uplift, equip and motivate people to do and be their best.

The subtitle of my blog is "A Life Well Lived". I don't know what made me really choose that line. I have been through a series of events where one might beg to differ on what I qualify as a life well lived.

A mom going through a divorce, living with her sister's family, and working a full time job barely making ends meet doesn't exactly scream "Life Goals". I get it. I really do. I don't blame anyone for taking one look at my scenario and questioning what I have to share, and asking the question "who do you think you are?"

I have certainly asked myself that question many times.

Who do I think I am that I believe I have words that will inspire and equip women to live a life well and follow Jesus with their whole being, regardless of where they may find themselves right now?

My only answer to that question has been because God instructed me to. I am set on being as obedient as I can.

A life well lived to me does not mean that I have it all figured out. That I am rich. That I have a ton of followers on my Instagram or even in this blog community. I certainly have my hopes and dreams and I am actively working through them, with the goal of achieving them. We all want to achieve our dreams. There is nothing wrong with working hard to grasp what you have envisioned and prayed for. If you know me, you know I often have visions and goals lined up because I get really excited about what's next.

What do I want people to remember me for when I am gone is that I was a woman who held tight to her Jesus no matter what. Whenever I type out the words that are spinning in my head, I think of my children. Should they happen upon this blog when they are grown and living their lives, what will they gain from these posts? Will they be encouraged to continue to follow Jesus? Will they discover it during a hard season?

Will the work that I have done in order to teach and train my kids when they were young have made a deep enough impact in their hearts and will it be well with their soul?

That is what constitutes a life well lived for me.

Did I speak well.

Did I share Jesus.

Did I do more than just take up space, did I include others in this space.

Did I use the gifts and talents God has given me in order to truly minister to women, as He called me to do almost 20 years ago.

Did I spend as much time in prayer as I did worrying about all the things that burdened my heart and mind.

Did I get out of my own way enough to allow God to truly transform my heart and to use me as He saw fit.

Did I love and serve my family well.

Did I love and serve my neighbors.

I want, at the end of my time here, to be able to say absolutely YES. I sure did. Not perfectly. Certainly with many fumbles and even some doubts a long the way. This journey will not be without pain as we were not promised an easy, conflict free life. Trauma and heartache are simply a part of this world. The enemy is real and wants nothing more than to take use down and block our vision.

When you are stuck indoors for most of the day and unable to leave your home due to a national emergency, you start to picture what really matters in this life. Jesus is what really matters. I fully believe we are in a time of revival and God is allowing this major pause to cause us as believers to really look inward and upward. Cutting out what does not serve and move Kingdom, focusing more on Him and then crying out to Him to do what He said He would do.

I fully believe He will heal and this virus will be donezo soon. I am praying for a miracle for Easter. But, even if He does not. If my prayer does not go answered and we are still forced to worship indoors.....remember that the stone has been rolled away and that death could not hold our Jesus.

How are you imagining your life during this time? What equals a life well lived for you? Have you spent the time to write out what really matters for you? If you were gone today, how would people talk about you and your faith in Jesus? Did you tell others about Him?

Praying for you today,

Tiffany Rhea