I'm Kelly Ann Snyder. Welcome to Living Perfectly Loved, the podcast created to encourage, equip, and inspire you to live free from fear and full of joy, secure in God's perfect love. If you're longing to stand firm in Christ amidst the storms of life with a faith deeply rooted in God's perfect love, stop anxiety and fear from stealing your joy and controlling your life, shine brightly and love fearlessly, confident in who God uniquely created and called you to be, then this faith-inspiring podcast, full of practical help and spiritual tools, is for you. You're listening to Season One, Episode 10: Let Go of Your Past and Embrace Your Purpose Today. Brought to you by Living Perfectly Loved Ministries and my new book, Living Perfectly Loved: A Christian's 12-Step Journey to Freedom from the Grip of Anxiety and Fear. For all recommended resources, products, and freebies discussed in this episode, please see the notes for this episode. I'm happy to announce that in each episode this season, I will be sharing an excerpt from my book containing each of the 12 steps the Lord used to deliver me from the grip of anxiety and fear. In this way, you'll be getting a sneak peek into my book, Living Perfectly Loved. I'm so glad you've decided to join me. Subscribe to my email list today at kellyandsnyder.com and you will be kept in the loop with all book and ministry-related announcements I make, and be eligible to receive all free resources I create and share with my subscribers. Visit my website at kellyandsnyder.com to learn more about Living Perfectly Loved Ministries, including direct links to purchase my book and information that can help you take the next step forward in your faith journey. If you haven't yet listened to my podcast trailer, I'd like to invite you to do so after listening to this episode. All right, let's get started! The following is an excerpt from Step Nine of my book, Living Perfectly Loved, titled: Let Go of Your Past and Embrace Your Purpose Today. Isaiah 43 verses 18 through 19 says,"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it Springs up; do you not perceive it? I'm making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." When the Lord called Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land, he said,"I will give you every place where you set your foot. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go," Joshua one verse three, five, and nine. Does the Lord not say the same thing to us today? If God has made clear you're calling, you can confidently go all in knowing that the Lord goes with you. There is nothing to fear. After saying yes to my call to write a book for the Lord, God led me through multiple significant life transitions as part of my wilderness season and transformation journey to becoming a writer and speaker for God. While, I couldn't see where I was going, I knew God was with me, even when I couldn't understand what He was doing. Some of these transitions were wonderful and filled my heart with joy and excitement. Like when I started writing my book, growing in my craft, learning all the ins and outs of the industry, and connecting with other aspiring authors, agents, and publishers, at writers' conferences and online. Other transitions were extremely challenging, stretching me beyond my personal limits, causing me to rely fully on the Lord for my every need. For example, after five years working as an intervention resource teacher, I was diagnosed with another chronic illness that ultimately led to my resignation from the school district I worked for and giving up my 17-year teaching career to stay home full time. It was hard to understand why God would allow such debilitating pain and physical limitations in my life. My husband and I wondered how we would make it financially as a single income family living in San Diego, California, one of the most expensive places in the world to live. However, God soon revealed why this was necessary and how it would work out for our ultimate good. Just a few months after I took leave, the COVID pandemic hit the country and my two school-age children ended up home full-time with me doing school via distance learning. My husband who was serving as a police officer on the front lines during this particularly volatile time of rioting in the streets needed my support more than ever. My time at home also gave me the opportunity to continue writing my book. Still other transitions broke my heart as God confirmed a need to let go and move on from a couple close relationships. I grieved these losses especially, as they involved people I love dearly. But I knew in order to live the life God called me to, to remain faithful to Him rather than an emotional bondage to others, I could only move forward in the direction of His leading. I could not cling to what had been or to what I had hoped would be. I had to accept the reality that these relationships were broken. I needed to trust God to hold secure my heart and theirs through the healing process, not knowing whether or not one day these relationships might be restored. Through each transition. God further transformed my character, increased my trust and reliance on Him, and humbled me. He helped me embrace my worth, security, purpose, calling, and fullness of life in Christ alone. I could have let these experiences wreck me, cause me to wallow in self-pity, and grow continually and anger and bitterness. I could have let fear lead to misplaced priorities and disobedience to God, but I knew making these choices would never lead to the wholeness and fullness of life only God could give me. Instead, I was determined to cling to God as He graciously revealed my path forward. When I felt discouraged by my circumstances or couldn't see God's hand a blessing, I held tight to His promises. I remembered Jesus' sacrifice for me, and that kept me humble and obedient. I remembered that God would not leave me in the wilderness to die, Nehemiah nine verse 21. He was with me and for me, Isaiah 41 verse 10. Closer than my next breath, Acts 17 verse 28. He was leading me in a cloud by day and fire by night, Exodus 13 verse 21. To become all God has destined for you to become as the new creation you are, and to finally cross over into your personal promised land in Christ, you too will experience a type of transformation. Consider, for example, the transformation process a caterpillar undergoes to become a butterfly. After spinning a chrysalis around itself, it isn't just dormant. The caterpillar releases digestive enzymes, effectively reducing itself to nothing more than a soupy mixture of cells. It loses all semblance to a caterpillar, but all is not lost. Within that cellular soup can still be found the building blocks of an adult butterfly. Cells begin rapidly dividing and multiplying, and within just two weeks, the caterpillar's transformation is complete. It can finally emerge a beautiful butterfly! Much like the caterpillar and its chrysalis, you may experience dramatic changes. In the process of becoming a butterfly, you may feel a lack of purpose, loss of identity and connection with the world around you. You may feel disoriented and directionless. Nevertheless, this is exactly where God wants you to be. Layers of who you have been will begin molting away, making way for new growth. Your old self, the you that may still be struggling with the pain of the past, unhelpful habits, and long standing hangups will disintegrate before your very eyes. While experiencing such significant life changes will feel quite unsettling at times. Try not to see yourself as who you are in this wilderness season of transformation, which may feel a lot like broken down butterfly soup, but as the person God has destined for you to become: a beautiful woman living out the purpose for which you were created. Second Corinthians five verse 17 reminds us,"If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Learn to embrace your purpose today, my friend, and trust God will be with you to see you through every heartbreaking, uncomfortable, and exciting change along the way. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Thank You for leading me through the unfamiliar territory of the wilderness I now find myself in. Please use this time to teach, refine, mold, and shape me into who You've called me to be. Give me a vision for my future. Show me my purpose and what next steps of obedience I can take to embrace it, and fulfill my kingdom calling. Father, give me also the strength and wisdom to know how to battle temptation in this desert place, and when it's time for me to cross over into my promised land, Father, supply me with the courage I need to leave the pain and sins of my past in the past. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Living Perfectly Loved podcast. While it's true that God is love and we are perfectly loved by Him, we all struggle at times to live like this true. While we should strive to grow in Christ likeness, we can rest in knowing God loves us because of who He is, not because of who we are or anything we could ever do for Him. In Jesus Christ, we are enough! Remember, you don't have to be perfect to live perfectly loved. You have always been and will always be a completely forgiven, fully accepted, deeply loved, daughter the King. Beautiful friend, His grace is for you. Please subscribe to my podcast now and stay tuned for another episode of Living Perfectly Loved. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He shine His face on you and be gracious to you. May He turn His face toward you and give you peace, in Jesus' name.