Lost and found. Every school has one. Most businesses also dedicate a place or a corner to house a lost and found. My experience with this idea is that over and over the lost remains lost and is not found as often as it is lost. Schools end up with an abundance of winter coats, hats and mittens by the end of each school year. The question remains-who do they belong to?
Why do things get lost and remain lost? Do we desire to remain stuck in the lost rather than seek the chance to be found?
Throughout our lives there are times we are lost and found again. We lose our way, lose a friend, lose a job or feel loss over what we dreamed and the eventual reality. Over the last year, I have shared stories of change in my life. I realize that this change involves loss, but I categorize them as life changes. Retirement, caring for my dad, watching one son get married with the other son following soon in his footsteps. I have been choosing to remain lost over and over instead of letting go of what is not mine anymore. By holding on tight to what has already been set free, I am losing myself over and over.
For the last two weeks, I began digging into letting go and what this looks like in all of our lives. Hanging on with a white knuckle grip and kicking and screaming as each piece of growing up turns into letting go, seems to be my mantra. I find the world moving along at a brisk pace while I am stuck on a broken escalator. I am lost and having a hard time admitting I want to be found. Last week I began to explore three reasons why letting go helps you to find the “you” God created.
As I was hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, I saw several stacks of stones just waiting to be found. Some were stacked perfectly and others had a misplaced stone or two. I found myself in the stones. Weird, but true! God showed me that the journey of letting go is like an intricate, intentional pile of stones. Sometimes the pathway lines up perfectly and other times you find yourself turned around and unsettled. You might hang on to the past like a stone that is balanced precariously. Other times, you are firm in understanding that letting go is a beginning like the foundation stone that has been placed with purpose.
If you are in a season of feeling lost while at the same time yearning to be found, God has a purpose for you. In the continual act of letting go and the grief that accompanies each phase, God is by your side. He is in the loss, grief and waiting. God shows up when you are lost. You are found in the moment when your heart beats as one with His.
[Tweet “We are found in the moment when our heart begins to beat as one with God’s.”]
One stone intentionally placed looks like one baby step forward. Another stone stacked on top is a piece you let go of as you travel through the different seasons of life. A pile of stones, whether standing straight or crooked, is the hope we find in Jesus as we trust Him to make sure we don’t topple over.
When we are lost, we are always found in Jesus.
When letting go causes loss and grief, God is the foundation that holds us together.
Our lives have purpose and potential even when we don’t see what’s next.
God is always with us loving, preparing and building into us even when loss seems to pull us away from being found.
Reflection:
Take a few minutes and read Luke 15. In this chapter you will find three parables of the lost being found. Each time God rejoices over one more sheep returning to the fold. There is a beautiful sense of hope that being lost is not permanent. God is there to help us find the way even if it looks different than anything we imagined.
I am walking into a new beginning laced with the hope and love of God. May we all find ourselves in the purpose and plan God has created for each of us.
Blessed to be found in Jesus!
***As a side note, I FOUND some happiness today right here in this beautiful book by Jennifer Dukes Lee. The Happiness Dare launches into the world today. Come buy your own copy. You will be so glad you did! Click here to get your copy!
Linking up with these beautiful ladies!
and Dawn for Grace Moments
we are found in the moment lose our way.
Regards
Maria
Thank you for being here, Maria!
Mary, such a beautiful, hope-filled post. The idea that sometimes, as we walk through different seasons of our lives, we let go of parts of ourselves really struck me. As my sons enter their teen years, I must let go of them more and more. This scares me, honestly. 🙂 But I know, that in the letting go of them, I’m letting go of a bit of myself as well. Some of my motherhood dreams, will be fulfilled, will change, and some will be broken. And that’s okay. God is with us through every phase of letting go. And He finds me when I feel lost, and when I feel overwhelmed by the changes.
Loved your words today, friend!
God is with us in every season. Motherhood is one long season of letting go, isn’t it? For some reason, if you walk through each childhood phase knowing that their increased independence is the beginning of your letting go, it should be easier. I must have missed some of this journey along the way because it has hit me hardest recently. The beauty is that letting go is not the end. It is a beginning for us to walk into the future of God’s plan for us. I love having you here, sharing your insight and affirming all I’m feeling.
Mary, what a neat find in the stacked stones and I love how God spoke to you through what was placed before your arrival. I pass by a lost and found box at work and will look at it differently now after reading your post. Luke 15 is what I mention in my personal testimony and so loved seeing it at the closing. So thankful to be found in Him!
The stacks of stones were a delightful treasure on my walk that day. It was no accident that I discovered them. God uses ordinary to teach us lessons of faith and hope. The stones were a wonderful gift. I am blessed you joined me here. Thank you for your encouragement.
I’m reminded of how many times in the Scriptures there are stories of wandering in the wilderness, Mary. Not only did the Children of Israel have to wander for 40 years, but David ran in the desert from Saul for 8 years or so. It seems that as humans we often “get lost” and feel like we are in limbo, when God is using that in magnificent ways to put “stone upon stone” in our lives to climb to that higher level. Love your thoughts here and I see you walking a very determined and direct path here in this space! Hugs to you!
Your affirming words fill a space that has been emptied by the loss of letting go. I see God directing my steps and I know there is so much hope for the future. In this space of waiting and letting go, God continues to teach me and what I love is how freeing it is to share the words on this page. I am assured my wandering will not stick around long. Thank you for filling in a space in my life that needed affirmation. Love and hugs!
Life can sure feel tricky when in a season when there is no point of reference. Seasons like school completed but yet no job; children grown and now mornings without making lunches; goal completed and not knowing where to focus next. Being 51 now allows me to look back and see how faithful God was while going those seasons (even though I wasn’t an all in believer until 44 years old). Still definitely in the process of learning who He really is while in this letting go season! Your words are always perfectly timed. Thank you for using your gifts to minister to me and others.
Knowing you understand and share this season with me, somehow makes it easier for me. Walking with friends in the hard makes the going easier. I can definitely say I get what you are feeling and going through. Praying for you as you learn to let go while at the same time look forward to what’s next. Blessings friend!
You wrote my heart, Mary, with this:
“f you are in a season of feeling lost while at the same time yearning to be found, God has a purpose for you. In the continual act of letting go and the grief that accompanies each phase, God is by your side. He is in the loss, grief and waiting. God shows up when you are lost. You are found in the moment when your heart beats as one with His.”
Thank you for highlighting these words, Shelby! God is so good to speak to us and give us encouragement when we need it the most. I am blessed you stopped by to encourage me today.
Beautifully written! I’m at a strange place in my walk – I think I can definitely relate to being lost. Lots to chew on!
Thank you Melissa! Being lost is a place I find myself at times too, but being found in Jesus is a beautiful gift. Glad you stopped by.
I love this post. For one it’s absolute truth. I chose to remain lost for a very long time. But, then God…
Also, a great grammatical exercise of loss, lose, loose…good job, teacher!!! xo
Thank you Susan! I love the truth that God teaches us all and that is we are always found in Him. I am holding onto this truth and praying I remember it especially when I am feeling lost. Thank you for being here!
Hi Mary … that word you chose {intentional} speaks volumes, doesn’t it. It seems like an endless series of choices, but it’s in claiming the next step He shows us that keeps propelling us forward, even if it seems like a snail’s pace.
And that, my friend, you are showing us how to do well.
The only reason I ever do things well is because of God. I always pray as I hit “publish” that someone will read the words and something will resonate with them. Thank you for being that person today. I pray that as we make choices in this next phase of our life we are intentional in listening first to what God is saying. Blessings!
Amy Carmichael wrote a poem that included the phrase “all that was ever ours is ours forever,” and I come back to it often because we do tend to clutch the things we hold dear. Part of our “thy kingdom come thy will be done” praying has to be the letting go. I love the images of rock piles — both in your photos and in your descriptive words.
Thank you for bringing me along on your journey, because it is so like my own.
It strengthens me to know you are on this journey with me. Jesus gave us the beautiful “Our Father” for a reason, didn’t he? I know I clutch things because I am afraid if I let go I will never get it back again. Thank you for being with me and walking this path that is new for both of us.
Hey sweet lady I loved this and loved your tweet so much I had to tweet.
So many losses the older we get – good losses like marriage and sad losses like death. We’ve had two close family members die the last couple of weeks and now another uncle just diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Jesus is the foundation that holds us together, and I often wonder how the world handles losses without Him.
It seems that life brings many beginnings and as we reach a certain age everything seems to then feel like a loss. I am sorry to hear that this past year has been so difficult. Jesus is our foundation and I also cannot imagine my life without Him. Thank you for sharing your heart. Sending you love and hugs!
I love those parables in Luke!
Me too, Tara! There is something so freeing in knowing that the lost will be found and God will always welcome them home. Thank you for being here!
Mary – I love your quote – we are found the moment our hearts beat as one with Jesus. Such a great reminder, and I love the pile of stones that God brought across your path to serve not only as a remembrance for you, but as a lesson too. The pile of stones reminds me of the times in the Old Testament when Jesus would tell them to build an alter, or a memorial so that when others passed that way, they could look and see what God had done.
You share such great insight here. I love remembering how God called the people in the Old Testament to build altars. That is a beautiful thought to go with the stacks of rocks I found while hiking. It also is important for me to recall all that God has done in my life even if it only feels like I am letting go over and over. Thank you for providing a different perspective that I really needed to hear. I love having you here, friend!
You’re uncovering some beautiful truths about God and about yourself, my friend. I’m so thankful you’re sharing your story and these treasured truths with us 🙂 Blessings!
God loves to teach us. We just need to be open to the avenues He works through. This blog has been the source of so many beautiful lessons because I know it doesn’t belong to me but to Him. You are faithful and wise. Thank you for always blessing me with your encouragement.
Mary,
Oh how many times have I had that white-knuckle grip on things. Better to be clinging to something than be in a free fall waiting for God to catch you and help you on to the next part of the journey. I have never been good at letting go…its HARD. Still, I think, even when we really feel like we’ve found the “sweet spot”, there is still a piece of our heart that feels “lost” until that glorious day that we find our true home. It keeps us in a state of anticipation and longing.
Blessings sweet friend and thank you for letting me share in your journey…
Bev xx
You share such a great insight. Thank you for “getting me” and this process of letting go. I have not thought about finding our sweet spot when we are finally home with Jesus, but it makes such perfect sense. Walking side by side with you Bev!!! Blessings and hugs!
Thanks for sharing your journey, Mary. It is easy to get stuck in being lost, especially in times with lots of change and where we are having to let go of things. I love those parables in Luke 15- such a great reminder that God sees the individual, that every person who is lost matters to him and that, as you say, being lost is not permanent.
Thank you Carly for your sweet words. The lost do not remain lost when God is our Shepherd. I also love the parables in Luke 15. There is such hope in knowing that God will find us when we stray and bring us back into the fold. Blessed that you stopped by.
Beautiful post and pictures Mary! I love what you share using those rocks. Such encouragement. I will definitely be sharing on my Inspiration page. It was hard for me to let go of some things but God has not let things come crashing down. I now desire what He wants for my life. Thank you for sharing these words of wisdom here today. I hope you have a wonderful week and may God bless you and yours!
Thank you for blessing me by stopping by today, Horace! I was utterly fascinated by these rocks placed randomly but with so much purpose. God has a wonderful way of teaching me through nature and I knew as I was taking pictures that these rocks would be part of so much more than a memory. I pray you have a wonderful week too. Blessings!
Thanks for this encouragement today, Mary. I also find myself too often clutching what God wants me to let go of! May the Lord bless you and open doors for you during this new season. He still has a future and a hope for us, even in our 50’s! (If you’re not 50 yet, sorry about lumping you in the same group with myself prematurely! 🙂 )
Ha ha! I am smiling real big, Betsy about being in my 50s. Yes I have been sitting here in my 50s for a 6 years now!! It is a beautiful place to be and I wouldn’t trade it for a different age. I just have so many new lessons to learn. We never stop learning and God never stops teaching us. Thank you for your encouragement in this season of transition. The best part is having people like you along for the journey. Blessings and hugs!