This is the cord to charge my phone.

Thanks to a couple years of working in the cell phone industry, (while having a boss that likes order as much as I do) I typically always keep all of my cords like this.

In fact, I try and keep as much of my life in order as possible, and in a place. I’ve often joked that I have a “healthy amount of OCD” (which may be true), but also it is well known that when homes and offices are clean, restful and restorative, that it creates higher levels of happiness and well being. Disorganization, clutter and disheveled environments create additional anxiety, and can lead to fatigue and depression.

And feelings of depression, fatigue and anxiety also lead to increased cortisol, the “stress horomone”, being stored up in the body. High levels of cortisol in your body can lead to all sorts of additional concerns, such as weight gain, high blood pressure, water retention and even type 2 diabetes.

So, why am I telling you all of this?

Well, I was just out in the shed, organizing the very last of our belongings from our move. Our apartment, basement, storage areas are all nice and neat, welcoming and order, and we LOVE our home. The shed was the last to organize, and as I was toiling away, I came across a bag of cords, bungees and jumper cables.

And of course, looking at this picture you’d think that they were in perfect order, right? Neat, organized and in perfect order……. But they weren’t. They were a hot mess! Tangled, disheveled, and all over the place.

I had to pause, and say a little prayer of thanks to the Lord, because seeing that hot mess of cords reminded me of how much of a hot mess I was when I was packing the old house and shoving the cords in the bag because I just didn’t care.

This big tangled mess of cords and wires was a visual representation of how I felt for the last few months before we moved!

Oh, how I have been blessed with so much healing from Jehovah Rapha, my Lord, my King, my Savior. Thank you Jesus!

As I slowly, purposefully and methodically wrapped the cords neatly, I was challenged to think of all of the folks that I love that may uncharacteristicly have some things out of place. That may be quietly existing within their own hot mess, or may be emotionally shut down so much that there is chaos and disorder around them.

Sometimes we don’t know how far gone we truly are until we safety make it through the storm.

Can you take a moment and do a heart check? Are you alright? Are you finding your peace and restoration in your heart and your environment, or are you struggling a bit?

If you are in a hot mess, what step can you take right now to start your healing and restoration?

Now take a moment and think about those that you love. Look at their environments (car, house, bedroom, office)- is there order and peace?

What can you bring to them to add to their joy and happiness?

Is their chaos, confusion and disorganization? How can you help? How can you love more? How can you help them find the healing and restoration they need?

Friends, we are not meant to live in anxiety, struggle and fatigue. We are meant to live as a community, to love and lift each other up, and be a source of strength in someone’s weakness.

We are meant to do life together!

And the Lord I serve promises me that He will make my paths straight when I submit to Him, and that He will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory! I promise you- if He can create this entire universe with all it’s intricities, He can handle helping you through this season and storm.

He may give you more than you can handle at times, but that is only because He wants you to surrender it all to Him.

If you need someone to help you through something, I challenge you to be vulnerable, and reach out to someone that you love and trust. Let them help you, and may the strength that you gain as you press through allow you to help others once you are on the other side.

Now go clean your room! 😉

#beMORE #doMORE #inHIM