Get Real!

There is a woman in my life who I have come to admire and appreciate more than I ever knew I possibly could. As I read her blogs I find myself encouraged, inspired, but most of all challenged. I am encouraged to look to God and follow Him with all that is in me, I am inspired to help others who need it so desperately and I am challenged to stop being so selfish and fake with those around me. This woman is my beautiful sister, Elizabeth. She recently posted on her blog a challenge from her friend Angel to GET REAL! I encourage you to check out both of their blogs and take the challenge. And here I am now terribly afraid of what you might think about me if I get real, but tired of being fake. So here goes...

Over the past couple of months:
*I have celebrated my 4 year anniversary with the man of my dreams, and realized that I don't appreciate him as much as I should, but I live in fear of life without him.
*I have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) when (what seems like) every woman around me is getting pregnant or having a baby and asked God..."Why not me?". I have found that there is a tremendous amount of bitterness, anger, jealousy, and resentment in my heart towards these poor women (and some of them I don't even know).
*My husband has lost his job, and I live in fear of the what ifs on a daily basis. I wonder what God's plan is for this stage of our lives because the comfort that we have is being challenged. I don't know what we will do if Paul doesn't find a job by the time the severance package runs out, and then there is the frustration with those who complain about the job they have.
*I often question why it seems that I have had to deal with every horrible challenge a person could possibly face, and then realize that I have a home, clean water, food to eat, and clothes to wear.
*I take for granted the blessings that God has given me, and worry about those things that are out of my control.
*My heart goes to from peace and contement to debilitating fear at least 10 times a day.
*I feel like telling you these struggles will change your opinion of me, and I forget that in Christ I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). And a new favorite verse of mine reminds me that these current afflictions are momentary and light. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 "For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

So there is my junk...now it is your turn to GET REAL!