On the Other Side of Crazy: Discovering Life Lessons in the Midst of Your Chaos

Are you in a season of crazy? Your world is spinning, and you just want things to be normal again. Of course, that implies you have some idea of what it actually means to be normal!

Take heart, sister! Most of us have been there. Many of us are likely there right now. (Can I get an Amen?) But here is the really great news…For those of us who truly desire to grow in our walk with the Lord, chaos often provides the perfect backdrop for radical spiritual growth.

Please note, the chaos I am referring to is the unavoidable type. Not the self-induced variety we create by not cleaning our house for a month, allowing our kids to be involved in every activity available, and volunteering for 3 events on the same day.

But when it comes to the inevitable chaos which often accompanies everyday life here’s more great news…

God never wastes our time.

Did you get that??

God never wastes our time. Every season we enter, whether smooth or insanely bumpy, is ripe with life lessons and powerful growth we can glean if we will pause long enough to allow Him to point them out to us.

My Crazy

In late February of 2014 we entered a season of family challenge we had never before dealt with to this magnitude.

At the time we were comfortably situated in the Washington D.C. area. Living the well manicured, suburban life. Daddy was home for dinner most nights, and his business trips were few and far between. I was typically in skinny jeans, cute flats and often a blazer for my grocery runs, Tuesday morning Bible study, and frequent Chick-fil-A meet-ups with my then 1 and 3 year old in tow.

Then, out of the blue, Tim was made capture manager of a large pursuit…in Florida! He immediately began traveling 5-6 days a week.

This is how our crazy began. When we finally came up for air a full year later we found ourselves in a beach side town on Florida’s Atlantic coast living life in a whole new way. Good bye Ann Taylor Loft, hello tank tops and flip flops!

Our family lived separated for the better part of 10 months. We sold our home, moved 900 miles south, and bought a foreclosure which we completely gutted. I had the privilege of completely redesigning our new house….mostly via email and the occasional FaceTime with a contractor I had met only once!

Oh yeah, and I was homeschooling our kindergartner and chasing her 2 year old brother, all while we lived out of a suitcase and moved from grandparents’ house to grandparents’ house for nearly three months. Meanwhile, daddy remained at his new job, sleeping on the couch in his office when the house was uninhabitable.

Know the truth

If anyone had told me we were going to find ourselves living in this type of instability for this length of time I would have lost it. I know for some of you this may be the norm, but this is not the life style we are accustomed to. It is not the plan I signed up for! But the simple fact is, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:13)

It was an exhausting year full of uncertainty and chaos. However, day in and day out, morning after morning, bedtime routine after bedtime routine somehow God continued to give me exactly what I needed to keep going. And in the midst of it all He helped me to actually enjoy myself, my life, and my kids along the way.

Grace when you need it…not before.

Regardless of where life has you right now.  No matter how capable you may actually feel. Trust that God will give you the grace you need when you need it. And not likely a moment before!

Don’t compare yourself to others and their stories. Never say you could not do something and then believe the lie that if another woman is doing that very thing then she is superwoman and your worth, value, and ability are somehow minimized.

Anything He calls you to He will equip you to do! I promise you, no matter what your current situation, God is right there with you. He will give you everything you need the moment you need it…but probably not before. That is where we must learn to trust and wait expectantly for our great God!

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become restless and disturbed within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.” Psalm 42:5