• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Jodi Detrick

Author, Speaker, Grace-Junkie, Resister of the Safe Life

  • About
    • Press Kit
    • For Writers
    • Jodi’s Favorites
  • Books
    • The Settled Soul
    • The Jesus-Hearted Woman
  • Video Studies
  • Speaking
  • Blog
  • Connect
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Jodi Detrick / December 2, 2020

You Are Here: Hope for the Directionally-Challenged Soul

It’s no secret that I’m directionally challenged.  And I wish this were true only when I’m driving an automobile. That, at least, is a little more expected and moderately acceptable.   Unfortunately, my spatial confusion also extends to large office buildings, hotel hallways (I always come out of my room and turn in exactly the opposite direction of where I should go, much to my husband’s amusement), and shopping malls.

That’s why I’m particularly fond of those big directory signs that let you see the whole footprint of the complex at once.   Even then, I look first for that yellow star and the words, “YOU ARE HERE.”  Those three little words give me hope.  “Okay,” I think, “I am here.” (Whew!) “Now, where do I need to be next?  What’s the best route to get there—and what landmarks should I watch for along the way?”

Wouldn’t it be nice if those words were written in bold letters (with the accompanying star) on the landscape of our lives? YOU ARE HERE. If that were the case, “here” would be different in each season and circumstance of life.

YOU ARE HERE. This is what being a parent of a toddler looks like—unidentifiable food crumbs on the floor (and sometimes in your hair), an array of stained bibs and sticky Sippy cups on the counters, and daily tussles centered around a potty chair that leave you pressing weary fingers against your throbbing temple—but just breathe. Look deeply into those trusting, please-show-me-the-world eyes. Drink in that sparkling elixir of effervescent giggles, heart-melting smiles, and I-need-you-now cries. You are here, but you won’t be here long.

YOU ARE HERE. Those “for better or for worse” marriage vows? This is what the “for worse” part refers to: thick-with-hurt silence, cold looks, followed by heated, wounding words…and then more icy silence. A marriage that grows its way through the years has pinnacles of delight and slumps of struggle. And yes, you are here, in a slump…but there is a way to get “there” again. Painful patterns don’t have to be repeated endlessly. You are here, but don’t stay here.

YOU ARE HERE. So this is midlife and, yeah, things are going pretty well. Those you love are healthy, your job seems secure (even if it’s stressful now and then), and no major calamities are looming, as far as you can tell.  But, to be honest, your soul feels stale. Relentless obligations and mundane demands of midlife threaten to rob a heart of its dreams. Probing questions resurface from time to time, especially in the night hours: “Is there more for me…more to me? If so what would ‘more’ look like? A different job? A change of location? Maybe a new focus on helping others who have so much less? And how in the world would I get there from here?”  The soul-searching questions of mid-life are jarring. You are here. But if you let it, this uncomfortable place might just allow you to dust off your old dreams or find new ones.

Throughout the course of a life, our “YOU ARE HERE” sign keeps changing. Student…newly employed…recently divorced…cancer survivor…finally retired. When I re-read the Christmas story this year, I see it as a directory sign for the soul–a fixed marker around which to orient my always-changing life.

It’s as if God looked down at His directionally-challenged creation…His loved, but lost, humans. He saw our confusion, our rebellion, our futile wanderings. And He put a star in the sky as a point of reference, not only for the wise men coming from the east, but for all of us who need to find our way in life. (Matthew 2:9)  The star would lead to a young child named Jesus, meaning “Savior.” But Jesus also had another name that is described in Matthew 1:23 (NKJV):  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

What a stunning thought: God with us, here…however messy, confusing, and imperfect it may be. In the Christmas story God says to us, “You are here, so I’ll come here, too.”

Here is often hard, I know. But I’m learning that it doesn’t matter so much where “here” is—what matters most is who you are here with.  Immanuel. YOU ARE HERE…and so is God.


Follow @Jodi_Detrick

Would you like to have new posts delivered to your email?

Click here!

Want to share this post with others? It’s easy—click on one of the “share” buttons below.

Have some thoughts about what you’ve just read? Your comments are most welcome–use the comment box below!

Filed Under: Christmas, Connection, Encouragement, Hope, Life Struggles, Love, Peace, Redemption

Primary Sidebar

Wife. Mom. Grammy. Speaker. Author of "The Settled Soul" and "The Jesus-Hearted Woman." Resister of the safe life. User of the last drop of each day's allotment of grace. God-adventurer who has learned that starting over in multiples is okay. Ordinary (and sometimes tired) woman who believes you should never leave home without a loaded Starbucks card.

Enhance your own God-adventure of influence with The Jesus-Hearted Woman!

jhw

Sign Up for my E-Connection!

This free e-letter will come to your inbox with a healthy dash of hope, humor, and just the right amount of inspiration. When you subscribe, you'll receive my favorite go-to for encouragement printable:
10 FAITH RESETS (for those crazy-hard, doubt-spiraling days!)

Categories

Footer

jodi_detrick

Afternoon almost-spring hike with my favorite guy, Afternoon almost-spring hike with my favorite guy, Don Detrick. #getoutside #springiscoming
🎉 I'm so excited and counting down the days unt 🎉 I'm so excited and counting down the days until the 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐃! The thing that makes this fantastic event even 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 amazing is that 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚, from 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚, can attend--virtually! I have personally met and loved the ministry of the keynote speaker for FORGED, author and pastor, Tara Beth Leach. She's the real deal and has a powerful message you won't want to miss.

👉🏼 PLUS, our amazing NWWC leader, Jeannie Kennedy Collins, and her team have put together so many other elements designed to give us an 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒇𝒖𝒍, 𝒇𝒖𝒏, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆. You can find out more and register by copying and pasting the link below into your browser--I'll (virtually) "see" you there!! 😍

https://www.nwministry.com/events/womens-conference_29605.html
Delighted and honored to be bringing the message ( Delighted and honored to be bringing the message (via video) at Trinity Life Center in Sacramento, CA this morning! So appreciate our dear friends, Pastors Abe and Anna Daniel and Pastor Steve and Lindsey Bates Severyn who serve at this great church!! 
#familyofGod  #sheabides 
https://tlcsac.online.church/
It was such a delight to be a guest on the 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 with Angela Donadio and that episode airs TODAY!! Here's the link to listen in on our conversation: angeladonadio.com/podcast 

(By the way, Angela has some FABULOUS guests--like Lysa TerKeurst, Jennifer Rothschild, Holley Gerth and others--on this season of the MLM podcast so be sure to check out her other episodes!)

#makelifematterpodcast #angeladonadio #faithconversations #thesettledsoul
📣 𝐒𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒍, 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛!

To get 𝟐𝟎 % 𝐨𝐟𝐟 go to The Settled Soul link in my bio. When checking out, use promo code SETTLED20 or for Spanish, ESTABLE20 -- and 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛! 🎉🎉🎉
I have the sweetest Sweetheart. Don Detrick and I I have the sweetest Sweetheart. Don Detrick and I have been each other’s Valentine since we were teenagers and that man is still God’s Hallmark card to my life every day. 💕

He brings me flowers every week, gives me back rubs while we snuggle on the couch every night, and reminds me daily (in a thousand little ways) that I am loved. 

He makes me laugh with his witticisms and crazy antics and is the shoulder I cry on when my heart is hurting. He prays for me and with me. He encourages me; he supports my dreams and efforts to make a difference in this world with the gifts God has given me. And I delight in doing the same for him. 

Don’t get me wrong. Marriage is anything but easy and we’ve had to work hard to make ours what it is—and we’re STILL  working hard with the tools of forgiveness, patience, respect and grace (occasionally through gritted teeth). 😬😉

Still, there is no one I’d rather “shelter in place” with than you, Don. Whatta you say? Let’s keep this love story going for another 50 years or so, okay? I love you so much, dearest Valentine. ❤️💕❤️
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 Jodi Detrick · Site by Design by Insight

Copyright © 2021 · Digital Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • About
  • Books
  • Video Studies
  • Speaking
  • Blog
  • Connect