Did you know “Under The Sun” appears over 20 times in the book of Ecclesiastes. It refers to life on earth. Some believe it means to be apart from God but my understanding is that it is a reference to our life in exile. To life in a world not yet one with God. The book of Ecclesiastes is full of lamenting with the conclusion that we are to fear God and keep His commandments. It shatters the illusion that we can control our own destiny and find satisfaction from this of the world. Heavy, I know. This isn’t to say that we don’t have free will, but to say that we will face hardships on this side of heaven and God alone is enough to sustain.

My name is EM. I’m starting this in a season where life is hitting me in the face. I have found myself in a place where surrender is the only thing I have left. I wanted a place where relatability and honesty meets truth. Where there is space for my thoughts and feelings while still being rooted in hope and trust in my maker. We as people get so stuck in “Finding/Keeping Joy” that we forget that God gave us the very feelings we are struggling with. We feel so alone. Comparison is shoved in our face and we are left with our own empty thoughts screaming that we are not enough and that we need to get it together. We believe the enemy saying “You just don’t have enough faith. You shouldn’t feel that way.”.

No? Only me?… I didn’t think so.

I decided to invite you to come with me. I have no qualifications. I am an ordinary person living an ordinary life. There’s no other reason for doing a blog than for the simple thought that I can’t be the only one who feels like this (and what can I loose?). Jesus used the ordinary fisherman to be His first disciples. I will make mistakes. Not just in typos, but in my understanding or phrasing. I may get burned out or forget to post or let depression win. This may end up failing on its face.

But I am hoping that this brings someone hope. I hope it reminds someone that the waiting isn’t waisted, the pain isn’t purposeless, and there is goodness promised on the other side of heaven. I pray God uses this small act of obedience to speak life and love into even just one person. God is still good even when life is heavy, but we also can still be human when the heaviness is too much for our shoulders. Following Jesus isn’t all sunshine and roses. All I can do is share His goodness while I live my life…

Under The Sun