The Moment Things Turn Out Better Than You Can Imagine

by Lisa Murray

Lisa Murray’s words stood before me, offering a glimpse into emotional stability, strength, a “how to” in order to “get through”. She put feet to a part of my life that needed it. And I wanted to know more. Her blog offered “more” with regular posts. Her soon-to-be-released book does, too. (Look for a review on it in March.) I jokingly call her my “long distance therapist”.  Jesus through her is that encouraging, that honest, that real. Without further delay, please meet and be encouraged by Lisa Murray.

It’s the moment you realize things are not going to go well.

Here it was. The moment I had been waiting for my entire life. My big break.

I had been chosen as one of the final eight to come in for a studio audition for a new Christian group that was being put together called Avalon. I was thrilled. I had struggled for so many years, working, hoping, praying for my dreams of a music career to come true. Finally, this was my moment.

I had practiced. I was as ready as I could be. To say I wasn’t anxious would be a lie. I was. The past few years my anxiety had steadily increased, being in a town that values youth. I knew my window of opportunity was limited.

I said one last prayer as I parked the car. As I walked through the doors, a dear friend of mine and one of the best singers in town approached me. She had just finished her audition.

What? Her?, I thought. She has a voice of gold. Her voice is perfection. She’s one of the best singers I’ve ever heard. I’m sure she blew them away.

She did.

Walking into the studio, I could hear the engineer and label representatives talking about her performance and it was clear, they were impressed.

Immediately, I could feel my body start to tense and go numb. A tingling sensation began to rise from my chest to my head. My breathing became shallow. The room started spinning. My throat felt like a desert.

That was the moment I knew things were not going to go well.

I made it through my audition. I don’t even remember much of what happened.

It was no surprise when I received news a few weeks later that I had not been chosen for the group.

The devastation I felt was no less overwhelming, no less implosive.

I needed to accomplish something big in order to prove my worth to the world. To feel like I was enough. Now what?

Looking back, this experience was one of the sweetest moments on my journey, not that I could see it then. It was the beginning of the end. The end of myself. The end of my striving.

It was the beginning of my healing.

Everything I thought gave me value and worth had been removed. Everything I longed for to complete me was gone. It was now just me and God. – and my therapist.

Without a doubt, God brought me to this place. He desired to heal me. He wanted me to be free.

All the prayers in the world had not up until this point made me free. I know – I had prayed them.

Somewhere along the way, I began to hear God speak His words of love to me, Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NIV

Me, God? Will you give me rest? I questioned.

He did. He does. He will.

For the first time in my life, I began to feel His great love for me. Not for anything that I had accomplished. Just because I was His child, He loved me. He loves me. He delights in me. He loves you and delights in you, too.

You don’t have to do anything but accept His love. Rest in it. Believe it. Let it fill you from the inside out. Let it nourish your soul.

Psalm 147:3 says that, He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.

He healed my deepest wounds. He gave me freedom, He gave me hope. He gave me peace. That same peace is available for you, too.

In my new book, Peace For a Lifetime, I share not only my story through brokenness to abundance, but other stories as well from my practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I give practical life steps and tools that will give you peace in every area of your life. There is so much hope. You don’t have to stay stuck in your brokenness and pain.

I heard Him whisper to me, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer. 29:11 NIV

Less than one year later, I was invited to be a part of the Women of Faith Worship Team and was privileged to sit under some amazingly gifted, Godly women for several years.

Perhaps things turned out better than I could have ever imagined after all!

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About Lisa ~

 

In her new book, Peace for a Lifetime, Lisa Murray shares the keys to cultivating a life that’s deeply rooted, overflowing, and abundant, the fruit of which is peace.

Through Lisa and other’s stories you’ll realize that you can experience the life for which you long. You can experience abundance beyond anything you can imagine. You can experience peace, not just for today, not just for tomorrow. You can experience peace —for a lifetime!

 Peace for a Lifetime is available on Amazon.com. You can read more of Lisa’s articles at www.lisamurrayonline.com  You can also follow her on Facebook: Lisa Murray, or on Twitter: @_Lisa_Murray.

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™