There’s a phenomenal story in Acts 16 that is one of my absolute favourites: Paul and Silas are traveling and sharing the gospel of God, and God gives Paul a vision of a man asking for help in Macedonia. Naturally, they obey and head onto Macedonia. But guess what happens when they get there? They. Are. Jailed!
Truthfully, the Bible is by far the most dramatic book I’ve ever read (I like ‘tea’, and darling, the Bible has enough of it, and then some!) I mean if you want to read about betrayal, it’s all there. About great love stories; it’s got it. About money, wisdom, shame, regret, fear, anxiety, heartbreak, war, battles, growth (at any capacity), mental health, nutrition . . . You name it . . . It’s all there!
Somehow, I bow, and my heart gets free
Too far, too hard becomes so easy…
I find peace here in surrendering.
Now, before we get the ‘tea’ that’ll leave you refreshed and not depleted at your core, head onto to our podcast – Phenomenal Life with Vicky Meg – and kindly download the episodes you like (we grow by the numbers) rate us (it matters), review our podcast (it helps our host pair us with the right sponsors), listen to and please share it with your network (the more people the better; we want to inspire as many as 1 million in the next 12 months and we need your help to do it). Thank you in advance and God bless you.
Now, let’s serve that tea, shall we . . . 🍵
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You know that powerful feeling you get when you’re convinced you’ve heard from God? Be it as a shower thought, or an epiphany; an ah-ha moment, if you will. Wouldn’t it be tragic if you acted on it with such fervour only to be thrown into prison as a result? But that’s what happened to these blokes. At that point, if you’re like me, you’d be having a serious heart-to-heart with God about why in the world He’d ask you to go somewhere and do something just to have you beaten and imprisoned.
Thankfully, Paul and Silas knew enough about God’s character that even this couldn’t shake their faith. But honestly though, I don’t know about you, but my reactions would have been totally different. In fact, they decided to spend their night in jail worshiping God! Verse 25 says, “About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake… immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.”
What the enemy means for evil, God will always work together for good.
Romans 8:28
When the prison guard sees what’s happened, he freaks out and is about to commit suicide (before he’s tortured to death for freeing the prisoners). But, before he can, Paul interjects to assure him that no prisoners have escaped . . . yet. The guard is so flabbergasted that he literally approaches Paul to say, “I want what you got!” Fast forward, and the guard and his entire family are saved and baptized.
Okay; powerful story, huh?
Here’s the thing, though; we can read it now and clearly conclude that God had a great plan in store from the beginning for these two dudes, but imagine what they must have thought? They couldn’t see the big picture. They could only see what was right in front of them – the fact – which was an absolutely hopeless situation. They didn’t understand every element of their broken circumstance, yet they chose to worship God for who they knew Him to be – the truth – even in the midst of a cold, dark prison. And that choice made all the difference, not only for them, but for many others whose lives were then eternally changed!
Friend, I used that backdrop to say that whatever you’re walking through right now may seem so hopeless, confusing, and even heartbreaking, but we’re created by and serve the same God that created Paul and Silas and whom they too served, and He sees the BIG picture.
Point to Ponder
Someday, you may look back on this season of desperation in your life and see that God was not only bringing you closer to Him, but friend, He was also preparing you to impact others in a way that you couldn’t have unless you had walked through this very prison. I know it may be hard to see now with your tear-filled eyes, and that’s okay. I feel you. But let me tell you a simple truth, darling: whatever seems impossible to us, is ridiculously easy to God! My prayer today is that both you and I choose faith over our feelings as we lift our hands in worship in the midst of the darkness and surrender our fears and burdens to the One who knows what to do with them (1 Peter 5:7)! God is able to bring beauty out of ashes, even here.
However you go about tweaking your perspective about the bigger picture, I pray you remember that you are possible, a force to reckon with; I too am possible, unstoppable. So friend, let’s be possible together and live the phenomenal life God created for you and I in the beginning.
With you and love you, and from my heart to you and yours,
Signed,
Vicky Meg
Phenomenal Magazine 
My prayer today is that both you and I choose faith over our feelings as we lift our hands in worship in the midst of the darkness and surrender our fears and burdens to the One who knows what to do with them (1 Peter 5:7)! God is able to bring beauty out of ashes, even here.
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This is a timely message. I’m deeply blessed by this, today I chose faith over feeling as I totally surrender to God everything. ♥ ♥ ♥
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Now thiiiiiissss 🔥🙌🏾👏🏾👏🏾
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