We have been experiencing some crazy changes in our lives the past 3 months and we truly believe it is all a part of God’s plan. We have experienced new desires in our hearts that I never thought I would be brave enough to even desire. I can’t spill it all just yet, but God will work everything out as we continue to have faith and trust in Him. Within the last few months, Tommy, got a new position at work. A position that wasn’t even available, better yet, didn’t even exist, at the department until recently. He became a Flight Paramedic, something he has been dreaming of for a while.
The back story – a few years ago, he applied at a separate company to work part time as a Flight Medic, and was turned down TWICE, two years in a row. He has had his critical care training, in order to start this type of work for a while and has literally sat on that training until God decided the time was right. He opened some doors and created opportunity within Tommy’s current Fire/EMS department. The only Fire/EMS department around that will have a helicopter/flight service to go with patient care.
Within that time frame and about a month or two leading up to this time, getting to where he is today wasn’t an easy task either. He has had obstacle after obstacle come his way. It had gotten to the point that he was questioning everything. To the point where he had to take some time off to reconsider where he wanted to go in life. He had to ask himself if being a fire fighter and a paramedic was still what he wanted and of he was supposed to continue on with this in life.
You see, anything in that is going to take you to the next level in life, there will be a new devil. A huge obstacle that you will have to face, that will test your strength, your faith and everything that you are. At the start of it all, before the position came into existence, we didn’t know where God was taking us, or that he was even working behind the scenes, answering a dream call at all. But as it all unfolded, the pieces to the puzzle started to make complete sense. Our faith was being tested and I stood firmly beside my husband to help him fight his way through thoughts. I wouldn’t allow him to give himself room for any doubt, any what ifs, any self sabotage, NOTHING, except the truth of who God says he is and what God has for him.
So many people don’t recognize the obstacle or even realize it is an obstacle, that is in front of them and just assume that something isn’t for them. Sometimes that is the case, of just God closing the door, like the previous times Tommy was turned down. We could have very well thought that the back side of things recently was the case as well. But we stood on faith and believed that God didn’t do all of this just to tease us and throw a dream in our face, just to have us look at it from a short distance. I believed He wanted us to experience the dream and make it come to pass in our lives.
This past month, we have had to sacrifice some time together, with just Constance and myself here at the house, while Tommy has been away a good bit training in different areas. It hasn’t been the easiest for him because he loves my home cooked meals, but what is hard, doesn’t always last forever. We all have to go through “growing” pains to continue growing and become closer to who God has created us to be. Living out a life that you want to live always comes with some struggles and obstacles, but its all about mindset and how we choose to face those challenges.
This life has been a journey. I haven’t always been on the most positive side of the right mindset. I have been one that gets stuck in my own head. I have been one with a really bad attitude. I have been one that would get angry when things didn’t go my way or the way that I had it planned. I have been one when something bad happened that interrupted my day, my day was just over. I couldn’t see anything positive out of the situation at all and literally let it ruin my whole day. Everything would just go down hill, but I am truly grateful that I am not like that at all anymore.
I almost believe the fear of losing control and the unknown, is what causes a lot of our mindset blocks, anger, and many of the things we deal with when we haven’t fully crossed over to a better mindset.
It is so easy to look at someone else’s life and think that they have it easier in life than you do. Its easy to think that their marriage is flawless through a few photos on social media. Its easy to think that someone has a better life because it looks like things are going so well for them. Its easy to feel alone like you are the only one going through something.
The truth is, we don’t always know someone’s struggle. We don’t know the battles they fight in silence and behind the scenes. My own life for instance, one may see a photo this evening with smiling faces, but won’t see the tears I shed running on my treadmill, the fighting of thoughts in my head, self doubt that shadows me, the complete battlefield that I may have been on that morning, OR the time when I forced myself to lie back down, shower, and completely change clothes to fully RESTART my day on a better note.
This life is definitely a journey for everyone, but that is not how its always viewed. Some people see their life as having the worst life ever and there is no one else experiencing what they are going through. Some think that they will never get out of the situation that they are in. Some may be in a dark place and have lost all sense of hope.
Let me tell you, you will be surprised what others fight behind closed doors. you will be surprised at what you are truly capable of. Sure what you see directly in front of you may seem a certain way, but you are not alone. You are not the only one going through something or facing challenges in life. You must dig deep and keep getting up. You must realize that you were gifted this beautiful life and not everyday will be easy. Choose to pick yourself up and fight back a little bit harder. You can push through anything and rise. Don’t ever let giving up be an option in anything, but let a positive mindset be the option in everything!
Much Love,
Crystal Keefer
Charleston Artist | Writer | Photographer 