Pressing In

I'm sitting at my desk with thirteen Advent devotions/calendars before me. I'm looking at them for ideas and inspiration as I am stuck in the writing process myself. I'm creating a family Advent calendar for our NextGenKids ministry at church and I am clearly over thinking. 

I guess I've been over thinking a lot lately. My initial instinct when I over think is to close up shop and go shopping. I feel God calling me to press into this struggle this week though and to open my ears and my heart to what he might be teaching me. 

Whether it's the over thinking about past abandonment by key people in my life (see my last post) or Advent calendars or what I'm going to cook for dinner, I feel him saying, "Press in. I'm right beside you."

There have been key people in my life who packed up and left when times got too tough or conversations got too difficult and I feel that tendency in me. Sometimes it's easier to go with the easy. Sometimes though, life is richer when you press in. 

That's why, even though I took a break to blog and clear my head, I left the mess of Advent on my desk. I didn't shut my Bible and I didn't grab my purse and hit the mall. I'm leaning into the struggle to see what God has for me on the other side.