Find Jesus — Brighter Days

By Jeanna’ Mead Here I go again, finding stories in the lyrics of songs in such a way that I know God meant for me to hear them, sit with them, and then write what He puts in my heart. > **“Find Jesus, He’s leading you straight to brighter days.

So keep your head up, keep your hopes high —in the best and the bad times.”** Jesus. That’s the pure and simple truth of it all. Only through knowing God, knowing Jesus, and having the Holy Spirit in my life can I keep my head up and my hopes high. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

That is the simplest thing I know and also the most extraordinary, extravagant, mind-blowing thing I will ever know. This love… this love… this God… amazes me. --- ## Cause the night has to happen for the sun to rise I never really gave that much thought, but then the truth soaked deeper into my soul— We need the night.

And oh, how I love the night. The stars scattered across a black velvet sky, the rising moon close enough to touch, the calm that sweeps over me when I step outside and marvel at the night’s quiet holiness. And something else happens… I feel closer to God at night, because I cannot read lips in the dark.

I cannot hear conversations or try to figure out what others are saying. So I listen to Him with my heart, my whole heart, and suddenly I hear the whisper: > “Hold on. The sun is coming. A different kind of beautiful is on its way.” --- ## There’s no healed without hurting Oh, isn’t this the truth?

It dawned on me again a few months ago when I got poison ivy— all over my face and arms. I had to cancel clients and stay home. And when I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, I realized how often I’ve taken my appearance for granted. My soft skin.

My pretty face. The things others always notice. But that rash and those blisters? Not pretty. Not soft. Not comfortable. Yet healing taught me gratitude. It made me praise God for all the days I’m not hurting. It made me aware of how often I overlook blessings because they are ordinary or easy.

But the deeper hurts—the heart-hurts— those take the longest to heal. And only God can do the deepest healing in His timing. --- ## Everybody is still learning Still learning to let go. Still learning to trust God. Still learning how to love anyway.

Still learning to see beauty in ashes. Still learning who we were created to be. Still learning from our mistakes. Still learning not to wander into the “poison ivy” of life. I’m learning to leave some things alone because they’re not meant for me… and when I reach into places I shouldn’t, I get hurt.

But so is everybody else. And we have to remember that. Offer the same grace we desperately want God to give us. Because He does— again and again and again. --- ## “Oh I know I’m not a saint, but I have got some faith—and you can borrow mine.” That line right there?

That’s why I write my heart out. Why I share stories. Why I send devotionals to certain people when God pricks my heart. More than once someone has messaged me saying: > “The timing was perfect. There are no coincidences.” God knows exactly when someone needs a piece of borrowed faith.

And sometimes… I believe He lets us carry that faith for someone else until they can stand again. --- ## “Stick with it — no quick fix. You’re gonna make it. That mountain looks biggest right before you start to climb.” He has you. He really, truly does.

And if you need it— if you're tired or worn out or hurting— you can borrow some of my faith. I’ve got plenty to share.