Women of Reverence welcomes Mandi Arnold as a guest blogger.
Mandi is a single mom of two gorgeous adopted girls. Having being in the corporate world for 25 years, I took the leap to start my own business 3 years ago, and have loved the entrepreneurial journey!
I wear 2 hats in my business, doing corporate interior decorating and overseeing a Conference Centre in Durban.
My FB page for my company Workflow - https://www.facebook.com/workflow.enrichingspaces/
And for The Station https://www.facebook.com/thestationurbaneventspace/ Or www.thestation.org.za
I would describe myself as a creative, storytelling girly girl with a love for all things pretty.
Reflection. Looking back so that the view looking forward is even clearer…
As I think back and reflect on the year that has been, and is coming to an end, these words play in my heart over and over:
“For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” 1 Cor 13:12
I particularly love the way The Message translation expresses this verse:
12 We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing Him directly just as He knows us!
13 But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
If 2020 has taught us anything its that we don’t see things clearly; we don’t know what tomorrow holds; we cannot plan our year and map out our lives with our favourite Bible verse, our year planner and our pretty coloured markers.
We wake up and life is changed; the world is changed and most of it is beyond our control. We discover that if our lives have been built on beachsand with a gorgeous seaview and perpetual sunshine, our foundations have buckled under the pressure and been found wanting. We’ve also discovered that if our lives have been rooted and established on The Rock year on year, come what may, we may have taken a beating and a lashing from the storm, but our foundations are still standing firm.
We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. In our businesses; in our parenting; our church community and in every facet of our lives. I am sure the mental image of this resonates with many – we are navigating a way we have never been and the fog makes it hard to know what is ahead.
But wait! The picture does not end there! We are not left alone to peer through a mist and figure where the way is by ourselves. What a relief!
As I write this morning on a beautiful Spring day in Durban, I look out and my view is filled with the tree which has just recently bloomed outside my window. Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow. It fills the garden with such beautiful colour after a hard, dry and unrelenting winter. It’s aroma saturates the air and permeates our inside living spaces. It fills my heart with hope and gratitude because it reminds me daily that this is the message of 2020 to me and to you.
Amidst all the change, Jesus does not change. He is the same Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow.
The economies of the world may crash & burn; our leaders may betray us; the foundations of the world may be shaken and lie exposed – but He is the same. He is the One constant we can count on. We can build our lives and our businesses and our relationships on Him, knowing that come what may, when the fiercest of storms blows over, our house will be standing firm.
What comfort that is in changing days. When all is uncertain, let’s build our lives on what is certain.
As a self-employed single mom, this storm has lashed against my little house with all its might. My courage has threatened to fail me in the dark of the night; I am sure Satan has asked to sift me as wheat & blow me away – but my Jesus has prayed that my faith will not fail. And He has prayed that your faith will also not fail.
So as we we reflect back, let’s live out His advice to make our way forward clearer – let’s choose to “trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly & love extravagantly.”
And as He has promised it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright!
Love
Mandi