JOY Blog

My One Word for 2015: Resilience
January 27, 2015By Heather Brostrom

Storm at the Great South Wall by Daniel Dudek-Corrigan on Flickr under CC BY 2.0Resilience is a quality I’ve sorely lacked my entire life. Even in my youthful innocence, I was pretty high strung, often overcome with anxious thoughts.

Perhaps I’m just wired that way. I come from a long line of hall-pacers and hand-wringers.

Or perhaps circumstances contributed. I know having an older-than-average father forced me to think about his mortality. While most little girls thought only of their dollies, playing dress-up and having tea parties, I thought of my father and wondered how long he’d be around. Between his many illnesses, hospitalizations, injuries and car accidents, this thought was always top of mind. He went home to be with the Lord in April 2010. And I miss him terribly.

Even after his passing, I still found things to fret about. I was what people would call a “worry wart.” If this were an actual condition, rather than just a figure of speech, I’m quite certain I’d have been covered from head to toe with hideous bumps, enough to guarantee my entrance into some traveling tour of strange and grotesque phenomes!

Even now, as a 41-year old wife and mother, I still catch myself resisting change and succumbing to fear. I LOVE the status quo. I love how it makes me feel. It’s soothing to know what to expect. And it’s comforting to live my life assuming that all that I enjoy will always be here for me.

Now I get that that’s a childish fantasy. I know better. Case in point: people I love dearly have moved away. Some of them a 4-day road trip away. Others, a more do-able 6 hours. These are not “see you later” situations. The harsh reality is that these are good-byes. It’s good-bye to the old way of things. Good-bye to seeing their faces on a weekly basis. Good-bye to their presence, their influence, their hugs. Sorry Skype, but you got nuthin’ on the original.

So, given all this, the word I chose for 2015 is RESILIENCE. Resilience is something that I wish I didn’t have to nurture or employ. But since 2014 threw so much change at me, 2015 will be the year that I learn to accept, adapt and discover my new normal.

For example, I’ll keep those friends who have moved on to other places and callings close to my heart, but I’ll also cherish the ones who are still here and will reach out to new people who are one phone call or coffee date away from being my friend.

Most importantly, I’ll meditate on the One who never changes. Who never leaves. Whose love is solid, sturdy and secure. Who is always with me, always accessible.

The Lord is the only sure thing in this life, so I’ll place all my hope in Him. For in Him alone, I can withstand change, uncertainty, even death. He is my resilience.

Are you troubled with worry or fear? Know that God will always provide just what you need. It might not be when or how you imagined it, but it will be good. He’s got great things in store for us in 2015, if we can let go of the past and move forward with eager expectation and hope-filled hearts.

Heather Brostrom has been a Christian since she was a teenager. She has suffered with depression for all of her adult life and wonders if some day she will have a unique opportunity to share her story of hope and perseverance. She heartily believes that Jesus has been good to her, showing her that life can still be blessed even through adversity and trials. Read more articles by Heather.

 



Visitor Comments (2)
beautiful
Posted By CBOUSFIELD on February 2, 2015
Heather you have such a beautiful way of sharing your heart through your writing - you aren't afraid to let you humanity show, something we as Christians sometimes find hard to do because we think by doing so we are somehow showing lack of faith in God. You are always honest in your writing and this is quite refreshing!
Blog
Posted By JKRAMER on January 28, 2015
Love to read your words, always something in their for me, thank you for sharing!
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