“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing unto Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”
(Colossians 1:9-12)
I was so excited to write this and so I’m inviting you to join me on a journey…grab your favorite pen and paper and find your favorite spot to process life at. You’ll find me with my leather journal, a pentel pen, a candle burning, and my favorite mint green water bottle. Lean in with me, expectant, especially if life has been difficult for you recently. I understand if life has been less than all you’ve dreamed of in the last week, year or even decade. Stay with me as we process and allow yourself time to answer the following questions with me. I know you will find and remember times and moments that you may have forgotten because you let the hard moments sweep over the good moments and you lost focus of the end goal. Here goes:
1. Who Am I? I am Joanna Schlabach, daughter of Jason and Ruth, granddaughter of John & Mattie Schlabach, and Robert & Mattie Yoder. I have four siblings and one sister-in-law. I am the oldest and was born three decades ago when the world was chill, and it was just the beginning of a decade of success, much goodness, and wealth…you know that last decade of a century. I have blue eyes and blonde hair and favor my dad on the outside but I’m a good mix of both mom and dad when it comes to who I really am. Life has been far from perfect. I’ve found that at the top of one mountain is the bottom of another.
2. Why Am I here on this Earth? I have been called to share the goodness of God and to be a light and live a life of grace and gratitude…to leave behind a legacy and impact for generations to come…to inspire others to live beautiful lives through Jesus. How’s it going? I know these questions can be hard to answer and bring both fun, inspiring, and painful moments all at one time…but stay with me because it keeps getting better.
3. What keeps me going and getting me out of bed every single day? The opportunities that lay ahead waiting to be uncovered, to see new things and a fresh sunrise every day. Today I can make an impact for good in someone’s life through a smile and an understanding heart and I get to have another day to serve Jesus!!! This has me smiling because that’s this very moment in which I’m living in right now.
4. What am I most grateful for today? Time spent with friends around a campfire and Rise & Roll Donuts (If you know you know that those Bavarian Cream Filled Cinnamon Sugar donuts are so delicious!!) Soak up that feeling of gratitude and remember that feeling that floods your soul.
5. What am I most grateful for from this past week? It was church on Sunday in St. Louis, MO, singing Amazing Grace… when we’ve been there 10,000 years…with the president of Monat and all 500 of my Monat Shampoo Family singing together that left an impact on me forever. Things of the earth became dim and faded away and I got a glimpse into eternity that I will never forget. I realized that all that matters is that we are bringing as many souls into the kingdom as we can while we are still alive. There will be a celebration in heaven unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before, and I get tears even as I think about it now.
6. Think of a moment when you felt the most joy & happiness & peace in the past years…
Hands down for me…it was in Nepal in the hostel with 15 Children doing homework, dancing, talking, & playing UNO…remember and live in that moment as if you were there right now…I’m sure you’ll see that a part of your heart stayed in that moment of your story like mine did… Celebrate that moment and thank God for allowing such an incredible experience to have been a part of your story. As more experiences and moments of happiness keep coming to mind write them down and breathe in the goodness of what God has done in your life.
Thank you for answering these questions with me! You’re amazing and strong and on a journey just like me wanting to become the best I can be and do what I’m called to while I am alive on this lovely place called earth.
The story you’re living has hope and you were created for such a time as now and like you’ve heard one hundred times before…what we focus on is who we become. Choosing to see good and find joy is a deliberate choice…when I am in a state of gratefulness and focusing on what I have and what I’ve been given there is little room for depression and self-pity. Practice smiling and even clapping your hands and it will change your state of mind. Turn your eyes toward heaven and thank Jesus for one more moment of this precious life! Learn from your failures and mistakes of the past…unless we fail, we will never grow…failure is meant to teach us a lesson…it’s not for us to start feeling sorry for ourselves but to fail forward and become more like Jesus extending grace to ourselves and others. We are called to be ambassadors and a light to whoever we meet. If you’ve taken time to answer the questions, I’m sure you’ve found a part of your heart that you had forgotten, hidden deep inside…and I pray as you process that you’ll go into your heart and get a glimpse of why you were placed on the earth. If you can’t and there’s too much pain, I know a place that has counselors who would love to help you process the heartache, turmoil, and pain from the past. We as a staff at FHM love and care about each one of you and we want you to walk in the calling and purpose that God has created you for.
Count this as a very cordial invitation to our banquet happening on October 18 & 19, 2022. Come and enjoy an intimate night of stories, music, & fellowship! We have some incredible people sharing their stories and you won’t want to miss hearing them! We appreciate and love each one of you, our readers, and supporters!
- Cheering you on as you embrace the calling and place God has called you to right now,
Joanna Schlabach
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