Horrible Situations Can Have Holy Purposes

I remember it as if it were yesterday.

I would drag myself out of bed every morning with knots in my stomach, dreading facing yet another stressful and emotional day at my job. A job which  I had grown to hate, working for a supervisor whom I had grown to fear because of his demeaning tactics and less than stellar work ethics.

I had gradually, and unknowingly, allowed myself to turn into a stressed and distressed woman, who was not only overwhelmed with job stress, but was unsuccessfully trying to juggle the pressures of work, family and life. A woman whose mind, spirit, heart and soul were ravaged with turmoil, while the stress took its toll on her physical body as well.

God had been calling me for several years to lay down that secular job, and pick up His will for my life, and after a long process (of which you can read more about in my book Reinventing Your Rainbow), I eventually trusted God enough, and was desperate enough, to take a leap of faith.

I resigned from my stressful job, but as is always the case, other stressful situations were looming on the horizon. Yet, somehow I found peace in the midst of it all as I learned to fully rely on God.

As my heart healed, my spirit soared, and God helped me understand how to find calm in the chaos of my life. A calm called Jesus. I began to realize that stress relief and peace did not happen because I left a stressful job, but because I finally embraced my unstressed God.

All those years I spent stressed out to the max, God had a plan. He knew that if I only trusted Him, He could turn a horrible circumstance into a holy purpose. Maybe not immediately, but in His perfect timing. And He has done just that.

On October 2, 2012, my new book Stressed-Less Living will be released!  The sub title of the book is Finding God's Peace In Your Chaotic World. Yes, you heard right. This former stress-aholic whose life was once consumed with life robbing stress from the inside out, has now written a book about how not to be stressed.

Kind of funny in a way. But ever moreso, it's stunning to see how God's plans and blessings reach far beyond the scope of even our wildest imagination.

I had no idea - on those days when I sat crying in my car in the parking deck, putting off going into my office for as long as I possibly could while fretting over every little aspect of my stressful life - that God could use that experience to not only fill me with peace, but to teach me that real peace is found in Him - not in a stress free, problem free life.

God not only taught me to find peace in less-than peaceful situations, He also filled me with a passion to help others discover His peace as well - despite whatever circumstances they are in. And in four short months from today - my new book will be released!!!

So between now and then,  I will be posting a lot about stress and peace, and will have a variety of contests, giveaways, freebies, book previews, opportunities to get involved in my Focus Group, special promotions, and a 10 Day Stress Detox challenge in the fall.

It's going to be so much fun and I would love to have you on board!  If you are not a subscriber to my blog, sign up today so you won't miss out on anything!

I would love your help in spreading the word about my upcoming book, so I want to give you a little incentive to help others know about this resource for real stress relief!

Leave a comment on this post stating you have shared the below pre-written statements on Facebook AND Twitter, and your name will be entered to win a $10 Starbucks card, and one of the first copies of Stressed-Less Living when it's hot off the press! 

Also, if you forward this post to your friends and family in email (in addition to your FB and Twitter posts), simply state that in your comment as well, and your name will be added twice into the drawings. 

So share it on Facebook - Twitter - your email list (optional) - and leave your comment... and you're all set! 

Below are the links for you to copy and paste into Facebook and Twitter.

FACEBOOK: 
Are you stressed, distressed, depressed, or all three? Have you heard that help is on the way? P31 Speaker & Author Tracie Miles wants to help you find peace in God despite your circumstances. Sign up for her blog today to get involved in a journey to less stress and participate in her book release kickoff! http://tinyurl.com/yzy2raa

TWITTER: 
Tracie Miles of P31 invites you to get involved in a journey to discover the stressed-less life. Check out how at http://tinyurl.com/yzy2raa

(If we aren't yet connected in Facebook or Twitter, just click on the links!)


*Thursday's upcoming post:    They Said It Would Happen..... And It Did (postponed until June 12th so everyone can have a chance to enter who wants to!)