Remember Where You've Been

In my office I have some lovely filing cabinets. They aren't anything to look at, but they certainly contain the details of my life. I've not had a history of "organized life", but I am making strides toward change and record keeping. Just one of those necessary things.

In the back of the top drawer of the beige cabinet I inherited from my father, is a manila folder with "Remember Where You've Been" printed on the tab. I think it is important to remember. God does too. He even gave Himself a reminder.

Genesis 9:16
"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

Remembering can help us make better choices or celebrate God's faithfulness. In my folder I have many things. Memorial papers from the funerals of dear friends. E-mails from individuals who wanted to encourage me in ministry. Painful e-mails from relationships that were strained. A letter from a mentor of mine who confronted my weakness. Bulletins from special events I was honored to be part of. A rejection letter from a publishing company. There's even a large landscaping blueprint that my husband drew up for a developer in Nashville - the developer never paid him for those plans and hired another company to install what my husband designed.
Each item in this folder is a memorial to a shift in my life.

Psalm 103:2
"Praise the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

I like pulling my folder out and celebrating all the lessons I have learned and all the growth God has accomplished in my life. Gives me great hope to face the challenges of TODAY when I remember the victories of the past and the wisdom gained in the defeats.

Remember where you've been and celebrate where you are going!