Lessons Learned from the Ice Tray

Frozen
yet
free...

Here we go, another one of my blogs when some of you shake your head but trust me, you'll want to read this one. I took this picture last year and thought, "this has a blog in it, I just know it." I saved the photo in a draft blog with no title, just the pics.

This past weekend I went through my drafts to see if there was a photo ready to be transformed from a moment in time, to a blog with a lesson. Guess what, the ice cube tray won.

I am losing all hope;
​I am paralyzed with fear."
Psalm 143: NLT

There was a time in my life when I felt hopeless and paralyzed by fear. I didn't go anywhere alone. I wouldn't let my daughter leave my sight. If my husband worked late, I wouldn't open the front door or turn on the lights because I didn't want others to know I was home alone. Fear paralyzed me. 

But then something happened, a student told me what I needed, I needed Jesus. Many adults tried to tell me this but it was a child who looked beyond the facade I put forth outside the security of my home...he saw fear and hopelessness within.

His honesty and willingness and courage to be honest started the melting process. Although my heart was still frozen with fear, it slowly started to melt. As I read my Bible, went to church, and listened to how the Bible related to my life today...I was able to come out a little more. 

​I wasn't frozen by fear anymore. I was like this tray of ice cubes.

I couldn't let go 100% yet but I was outside and trying new things. I slowly let our daughter be a kid. I could sit in the house with lights on. I held on to God tight for strength but wasn't frozen by fear any longer. Eventually, I let go.

​There are still days when I'm like the ice cubes in the first pictures but most of the time, I enjoy letting go and swimming in God's protection.

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Are you hanging on for swimming?