Chapter 2The Art of Self-Encouragement
The War Room
The summer after my termination was a challenging season.
One evening during that time I attended a Matthew West concert with my dad, who had flown in from Iowa to visit me. The fallout from my firing was very fresh.
I studied my dad as he sang along to the worship music, appreciating him. He was a rock for me. While I had so many people offer meaningful support and guidance—my dad got the most real moments of my despair. I called him every day, and he was a constant ear to listen. We talked about God, about life, about the importance of staying steady, even in hardship.
He repeatedly pointed me back to God, reminding me to trust God and lean in to His plan for my life. He brought me back to scriptures and truth, time and time again. I'll admit, at times I was frustrated by his approach. I wanted there to be concrete answers.
How do I actually fix the mess I'm in?
What do I do?
How do I do it?
And my dad, always the steadfast, patient, and kind mentor, would continue to point me not to specific solutions but to known truths:
God does His best work in the valley.
Remember, you're learning through this.
Trust in God's plan.
He went back frequently to James 1:2-3:
Pure joy over my trials? That one was hard to wrap my head around.
After the concert my dad and ...
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