Choices
When God allows a reset, it’s a call to rebuild wisely.
Even in the ashes, He was preparing ground for something new.
Life is about a series of choices. We make countless decisions every day, some conscious, some not.
Life has thrown me some interesting situations lately — my house fire. I say I’m dealing with it. And I am, to a point. But until I actually see the physical burnt-out shell of my home, I really haven’t totally dealt with it.
There’s a piece of me that’s holding out hope that it’s not as bad as everyone says. But deep down, I know it is.
As I review, facts come out. It’s amazing how God planned people to be there to help my family member. This person’s friend left work to check on them. A person I grew up with was with the fire department that responded.
Those aren’t coincidences; that is divine planning.
Romans 8:28 reminds us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Even in the ashes, God was present.
That fire didn’t just take things — it stripped away excuses. What I’d been putting off for years, God removed in one night.
I’ve been putting off deep cleaning my house for years. I can come up with any excuse, but the bottom line is simple: they’re just excuses. My house didn’t get like that overnight, and I wasn’t going to fix it overnight either.
Why is it that we only notice a problem once something brings it to our attention? Usually, it starts small and quietly builds over months, years, even decades. I don’t know why we expect to fix it overnight.
The reason the issue gets bigger is that we keep ignoring it—saying we’ll get around to it eventually. If we really wanted to fix the problem, we’d develop a plan and follow through.
The heart of the matter is that we never really care until it becomes unmanageable. I’ve always found that if we really want to do something, nothing stops us. We find the time, the money, and the resources to make it happen. We’re willing to move heaven and earth to do it.
So here I am, facing a painful reality that’s also an unexpected gift. Given a clean slate with a lot of my old to-do list gone — cleaning out stuff, repairing, and replacing. That’s all been taken care of.
Now is the time to take this opportunity to do things right. To not let them get out of hand again.
First, with the possessions I have left, start a photo inventory, complete with dates if possible, and cost. Hopefully, I won’t have to use it, but if I do, I’ll be prepared.
Second, go through everything and decide: do I actually use or wear this? If not, donate it — or trash it if it’s not usable.
It’s much better to start with a small problem and fix it before it becomes insurmountable.
Isaiah 43:19 speaks directly to this moment: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
Even in the ashes, He was preparing ground for something new.
Starting over isn’t failure — it’s faith in motion.
What one thing have you been putting off?
Will, paperwork, sorting your stuff.
Whatever it is, why not start today?
Make it a small step. Acknowledge that something needs to be done. You can tackle bigger things later. But start small, make a plan, and work your way up.
Don’t overwhelm yourself and then quit before you even start.
🌿 One Dreams Writing — Faith-filled reflections for life’s everyday turning points.