Beneath the Surface....

I don’t talk about her much. She was so unkind. Her harsh resentment towards me would cause me to shrink for fear of standing out.

Stop. Rather than excel. 🛑

I would try to please her as a little girl to no avail. My only hope was to never out shine her.

Jealousy is as demanding as the grave.

At the beginning of 2022 I would have told you that I did not learn anything from her that benefited me as an adult.

It turns out, the Lord would teach me differently. ❤️

This year I learned a thing or two about how He uses ALL things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. 🙌🏽

From the age of 5, I learned to clean house. 🧼 My daddy tried to object but she won the argument every time.

It’s not a bad thing to learn at a young age to keep a house tidy & clean up after yourself, but this was different.

I had from 9 am till Noon every Saturday to clean both bathrooms, both living rooms, the kitchen and dining room and clean all of the floors on my hands and knees.

My cleaning supplies were: comet, ammonia, newspaper, handi wipes and a mop bucket 🪣…no mop.

She would come behind me and wipe her hand across surfaces. If it came back with dirt, I would have to start all over. This lead to many Saturdays filled with frustration, tears and being sent to my room without dinner.

******** Fast forward…. ⏰

Today, my husband and I are doing some cleaning….he mentioned mopping the kitchen floor.

I said “No, let me scrub it really good on my hands and knees.” He knows I like to do this sometimes so he did not argue.

The Lord speaks to me through everyday life and today would be no different. ❤️

As I was moving along the floor, scrubbing 🧽 in corners, wiping baseboards, sweeping under appliances to scoop out the crumbs and unseen dirt….

I began to hear HER voice: 🗣️

“You can’t get a floor clean with just a mop. That’s called surface clean.”

“You can’t see where the real dirt is unless you get down low where it all hides.”

I began to think about this past year and how I went back to work in a corporate office and struggled getting my bearings to learn my position.

90 days in, I received a poor performance review.

The first one in my life. 😳

I could barely speak through the knot in my throat as my supervisor asked if I had any questions or comments.

“I need some time to process,” was all I could muster. Thank God we were remote because the tears that began to flow after I hung up would have been awkward. 😬

I was arguing my case to the Lord:

“I’ve always been a hard worker!! I listed all the reasons why the review was unfair …and to tell you the truth…I still think it was an inaccurate assessment of my work ethic….

I began to think “I own 2 businesses….I can come back home and make it work!”

The Lord spoke so clearly to me, STERNLY! “Lower yourself!” 😳

I was stunned…it took my breath away.

I grabbed a pen 🖊️ and post it and wrote “ Lower Yourself!” on the little paper. I pressed it along the bottom of my monitor so it was in plain view at my desk.

It hung there until I received my annual review last month.

In the 9 months in between I prayed and asked the Lord how to lower myself. I knew about humility…and I felt I have mastered parts of that as a Christian but I found I had some work to do.

I’d like to tell you I have passed the test…but some days I still fail miserably.

I can tell you that my annual review was rewarding. My manager is very pleased with my performance and I am learning everyday. I love my job & my decision to stay.

Today, as I scrubbed the floor….I was disgusted at the amount of dirt I found ….in PLAIN SIGHT on my hands and knees. Once I was finished…it felt so good…especially when I emptied the bucket of filthy water….dirt no longer on my kitchen floor.

Humility will do the same thing. As you purpose in your heart to lower your estimation of yourself, you will see what needs a good cleaning 🧹!

It’s hard for me not to think of her, my step mom, and want to tell her that she did teach me something good. ❤️

I don’t want to be surface clean!!!

In life we all have things we wish we never had to endure. Often, these are the very things….after we live through them…that God uses to show us He was there the entire time and anything placed in His hands…can be used for good. 🙌🏽

I’m thankful for His deep cleaning and lesson in humility this year. ❤️

Micah 6:8🙏🏽

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

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If you haven't already, choose a scripture that will be your mantra, words to live by. A word that will give you hope during your process. If you are looking for some inspiration, check out our latest video. If you are looking to connect with a group of women who are willing to help you through your life's opportunities and victories, look no further, connect with us!! We are a group of like minded women who desire a closer relationship with the Father! Within our sisterhood, we use our community, experiences, and the Word of God to help us navigate through life. We would love to see you at our upcoming events. Don't forget that you also have full access to our free resources, and are able to view our past blog posts! And, and, and make sure you are following us on our socials! IG FB and YT for updates.

If you are looking to connect with a group of women who are willing to help you through your life's opportunities and victories, look no further, connect with us!! We are a group of like minded women who desire a closer relationship with the Father! Within our sisterhood, we use our community, experiences, and the Word of God to help us navigate through life. We would love to see you at our upcoming events.

Don't forget that you also have full access to our free resources, and are able to view our past blog posts! And, and, and make sure you are following us on our socials! IG FB and YT for updates.