I walked into this new year with a mission. When they see me, let them see you. Inspired by the song titled, Different by Micah Tyler, I’ve decided that I genuinely want my daily presence to reflect the Lord’s presence in my life. I want my blog to more fully encompass that message and I’m determined to make that my new priority. You guys, this song changed my life! Micah’s words before he starts his song are so moving that I really want to share them with you (I will post his music video via youtube at the bottom of this post):
I wrote the song “Different” a few years ago, but I feel like the Lord is teaching it to me in a whole new way right now.
A few months ago we found out that my Grandmother has blood cancer. And as hard as it’s been to watch her lose her hair as she takes her treatments, her faith has remained in tact.
A few weeks later, Hurricane Harvey came for my hometown and in two days, poured 44 inches of rain on my house. As we’re in the process of replacing flooring and re-leveling our foundation we keep waiting on things to get back to normal.
And then just a few weeks ago, we found out that my little brother Daniel has stage 4 colon cancer.
After the shock and the tears, my family is preparing to fight by his side as gets ready to start chemo.
And in the midst of all of this, the prayer I kept saying was Jesus can you just change these things, can you stop the cancer, can you stop the storms but He’s chosen not to stop these things just yet.
And I’m finding out that sometimes the best question is not, “Jesus can you change these things around me but instead, God can you change me so that I can handle the things you are walking me through.”
So I keep singing and praying and believing the words of this song because I know that He is changing me; and that is making all the difference.
Many of you probably know or remember reading about the loss of my Dad. I remember very clearly praying things like Micah mentions. “No no no, please God, make this better” or “Please please please make my Dad healthy again and let us take him Home from the hospital”. I mean, prayers of complete desperation. I was at a loss, my family was at a loss. And nearly every struggle I walked through personally after the loss of my Dad, I continued to pray prayers asking God to change the circumstances. Too often my prayer was, “God please stop this, please change this, please tell me this isn’t happening”. Until this song. This song CHANGED MY LIFE. This year, only ten short days in, I’ve been taking a different approach. “God help me to walk through this. Change me and please give me strength so that I can handle this. Help me to be a light as I walk through this.”
As said in the song, I want to be Different. I want others to see God when they see me, through the triumphs and the tribulations. My blog has been a half effort reflection of my faith in my daily life. This year, I hope to do a better job incorporating more of my reality into this blog. Fashion and fitness are great but my faith is this year’s (and God-willing every year after) priority here on MidwestCharmwithAnna.com. God is changing me, I feel it every day. Micah Tyler’s word’s have changed me! Accepting when God has chosen not to stop the storm and instead asking Him to help me navigate it will be an incredible gift as I continue on into this year. I look forward to sharing my journey with you all as I work to not gain the world, but gain what matters. God can work miracles in your heart, I promise! Click on the link below to listen to my new favorite, life changing song. I’ve listened to it too many times to count, it’s amazing!
Happy Wednesday all!
Xoxo, Anna
