The Ladder of Life
Last year, we felt the sting of Covid19 as small businesses were declared "nonessential". Like so many, our small business, Wxlive had taken a hit . We were left with a difficult choice to make. It was time to sell our house and time for a new business model!
The housing market was on fire! We sold our home within days of listing and it was clear we would need to find accomodations QUICKLY. As I was excitedly anticipating returning to my homestate in Indiana, that was not the plan...
My son has a mask (and as much as I dislike masks at this point), I love the message, "Check Yo Self." Before making any plans, I check in. As Jeremy and I got on our knees to pray, we asked the dangerous prayer, "Where do you want us Father? We will go wherever you want."
It was not long ago, that I went where I wanted, when I wanted. It was not long ago, that my dream was just that, "my dream". It was not long ago, we would uproot our family time and time again. It was not long ago, we would continue to work hard, make sacrifices, and move up "the ladder"..Not long ago, we would learn our ladder had been leaning against the WRONG WALL!
For 20 years, Jeremy worked endlessly with blood, sweat and tears as he climbed his way up that ladder. I was so proud of him as I watched his great efforts lead him to a Chief Meterologist position at a News Channel in Rochester, NY. And with a simple slip of the tongue, all of it was taken and canceled. The ladder had been yanked away in an instant. Here's the thing, our climb had gotten us pretty high up, so you can imagine the FALL. IT HURT. We were crushed. We were shattered. We were defeated.
Those next agonizing months, we had a choice to make! Victory over victimhood! It would be during that time, as we gave up the things we had grown accustomed to that we would see God in a way we had never seen Him before. It would be a time to move the ladder and rebuild on a wall that focused on His goodness, grace, unconditional love, faithfulness, and His purpose for our family. Not our own.
As we prayed that dangerous prayer after selling our home, days later we received a message from an anonymous couple opening up their secondary home to us in New York!! I was hesitant at first, as I was ready to go home to family. We met with the couple that extended the generous offer. Like so many times before, we knew this was a gift from God. We said "YES" and what a blessing it has been, a safe place of healing for our family in such a troubled and confused world.
With the pandemic, we have all fallen off some ladder. No one has been exempt, whether it was loss of a loved one, health, business, education, job, home, connection with others, faith in institutions, marriages, friendships, emotions, and uncertainty, etc. So many of us have lost during this season.
As we rebuild, I must continue to "Check Myself" and look closely at the wall we are rebuilding on. Out of fear and anger, I have said things and reacted in ways I have regretted. May we continue to ask..What is the wall we are building our lives on? What wall am I putting my trust? How grateful am I that my reconstructed wall is OH SO STURDY and built on grace, truth, forgiveness, and love. There is MUCH TO GAIN in a time such as these. 9
Next week, Jeremy and I will be taking a NEW leap of faith. As my perspective on success has changed in recent years, life looks much different. It brings a hope, meaning, peace and freedom that worldly successes cannot touch. I will continue to ask "Where do you want us Father? We will go wherever you want." Oh the places we will GO! Details to come :)
Love,
Lisa Ray
“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” Philippians 3:7-8