Just around the corner…

I read a quote by Joyce Meyer this morning: “When you are tempted to give up, your breakthrough is probably just around the corner.” That really struck a chord with me, because how often have we (read: I) given up, thrown in the towel and walked away… only to wonder, “what if…?” On the flip side, how many times have you (read again: I) hung in there with tenacious loyalty, only to be extremely let down in the end wondering, “why in the world didn’t I quit/leave/bow out earlier?”

That quote – and the thoughts that accompany it – remind me of a day a few years ago, when life seemed pretty bleak. July 7th, 2009. I remember only fragments of that day – most of which include tears, telephone calls and being so tired. Not like “I had a bad sleep” tired. More like, “I’ve not slept a regular night through in years” exhaustion. It was the day I just knew I was done with a portion of my life. A good portion, too. A near-decade’s worth of time. And without even saying the words out loud, my heart and my head were in agreement: this is it. Enough. Is. Enough. Funny thing, though: even at that time, when life seemed black and bleak, my heart and my head also gave me another message: It’s bad now. But: It won’t be bad in a year. A year from now – this will all be over. A memory. That wasn’t quite a turning point… but it still brings a bit of a swell to my eyes even now as I type, because at a time when it would have been so easy to wallow and give up or give in to despair – something deep down wouldn’t let me.

It’s not like my breakthrough moment came quickly after that. In fact, I slept a good portion of that July ’09 away. Sleep I hadn’t gotten in years, but really needed. I woke up to August, and to my mom’s concern and love wrapped around me like warm bath towels fresh out of the dryer. (If you haven’t ever experienced bundling up in warm towels out of the dryer – try it. Especially on a cold day. It’s even better when you’re a kid. But, I digress…) September came and went in a daze. Then I found myself on the other side of the world (see my blogs on India). Then Christmas in Canada. New Year, new opportunities. New paths. I think my “breakthrough” may have been gradual. But, looking back on the past year and a half – it was well worth the wait.

Perhaps you can identify with what I’m talking about – and if so, I encourage you to have courage. Listen to your heart – and your head. In the end – you’ll know it’s right, when both are in agreement. Joyce Meyer may call that a breakthrough. To me, it’s a miracle. And you never know: it could be just around the corner…

ps: I’ll always be “Burgess.” Or even “Burgie” to some. But I’m officially a Leibowitz now. And that’s fantastic. But now I have to figure out how to change my profile name…

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Tags: courage, India, Jenn Burgess, Joyce Meyer, Phoenix, wedding