I've started about five different posts this morning,

and I've found myself backspacing and deleting every single one.

Social media of any kind gives us room to vent, room to share, room to have a voice.

Sometimes I have plenty I could say or I'd like to say about life, about hurt, about pain that's simply better left unsaid.

Do you ever feel this way?

Do you ever feel your humanness rise up and almost overtake you?

Do you ever feel the weaknesses of being a wife, a mom, a friend, a woman, a human being.......

Sometimes, I feel the bite of the sharp-toothed enemy,

and I want to react by biting back.

I feel the sting of unkind words or the ache of unsaid words,

and I want to step in and fill the air with my own.

But, I'm slowly learning.......oh so slowly.

I'm learning that my silence allows God to speak.

I'm learning that my silence forces me to listen for His voice and His alone.

I'm learning that my silence is His invitation into my heart, my soul, and my mind.

So I backspace.

I delete.

I get quiet.

I pray.

And I listen.

Suddenly, I hear Him.

Not audibly.

But I do hear Him.

He speaks to my soul.

He speaks grace.

He speaks mercy.

He speaks love.

He speaks peace.

He speaks into every ache, every doubt, every fear.

He speaks hope.

He speaks patience.

He speaks victory.

So, today, if you're feeling frustrated or hurt or angry or lonely or sad or any other emotion that may cause you to type or speak words that you may later regret,

I encourage you to do the same.

Backspace, delete, stop talking, pray, and listen.

Allow God to fill your empty space with His grace.

Because His grace is beautiful, its unending, its powerfully fulfilling.

His grace is big enough to wash away every ugly thought and cleanse every open wound.

I'm soaking in His grace this morning,

because I need it.

I need His never-ending grace all over me, so I can offer that same kind-of grace to others.

I need His love running through me veins, so my heart can beat with His unconditional love.

I need His mercy in spite of all of my flaws, so that I can be a mercy-giver when others occasionally have them too.

We live in a world filled with messed-up people,

and the quickest way to NOT become overwhelmed with the messiness around us is to remember just how messy we are ourselves.

I need a fresh start today.

I need to let go of some things I cannot control.

I need to love no matter what.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within

me.

Psalm 51:10

Thankful for a God who can cleanse me and renew me when I sit still and get quiet long enough for Him to work.

Feeling freed up to love others today.

Feeling so very thankful for the work He did on my heart this morning.

So amazingly aware of just how empty my life would be without His love and praying you feel His love in a mighty way today too.

I love you all so much.