Beautiful Life

I have severe tunnel vision... As Webster's dictionary says "defective sight in which objects cannot be properly seen if not close to the center of the field of view." When I am in the moment I have a hard time seeing anything else. Sometimes the Lord sends people my way to help me look at it from a bigger point of view but most of the time - I still can't see. But every once in a while I have an epiphany as the Lord shows me the big picture I seemed to have missed while passing through.

My journey here in Orlando is ending. By this time next week I will be back in Naples Florida until the Lord calls me elsewhere. This morning though I had an epiphany. The big picture has exploded in view and I see something that is beautiful.

I came to Orlando with BIG dreams. There was one problem though - they were MY dreams. Once they were stripped away from me I didn't know who I was. I struggled with identity as a believer, and as a person. Who was Charissa McGraw? What did she like to do? How did she fit into the world? This was one of the hardest lessons I had to learn. And in the struggle to find self, I found him. The One who calls me. The One who challenges me to be better. The One who loves me. I found Jesus. When I found him, in him I found me. There I was hidden away in the shadow of his wings. I began to understand what I love and what I am called to do.

This journey took me miles outside of my comfort zone, down into dark valleys of depression and guilt, up on mountain tops of pure joy and into the arms of my Savior. I'm so much better for having left. Some people told me to go home - told me I had made a mistake, but they were wrong. Following Jesus to Orlando was one of the best decisions that I have made in my life and I will be forever grateful for the beautiful adventure I was allowed to go on.

So as I have a chance to look back I see this is a truly beautiful life. Yep.