Dancing with the Tailspins of Life

A Book Review of the book "To Fly Again" by Gracia Burnham with Dean Merrill

About the Author:

Gracia Burnham is the widow of Martin Burnham and the mother of Jeff, Mindy, and Zach.

For 17 years, Gracia and Martin served with New Tribes Mission in the Philippines where Martin was a jungle pilot delivering mail, supplies, and encouragement to other missionaries, and transporting sick and injured patients to medical facilities. Gracia served in various roles supporting the aviation program and also home-schooling their children – all of whom were born in the Philippines.

Gracia has authored two books, In The Presence Of My Enemies, and To Fly Again.

Gracia resides in Rose Hill, Kansas. Her unique story and the captivating way she tells it makes Gracia a popular speaker for churches, conferences, and schools. As Gracia travels throughout the country, she talks about the spiritual lessons she learned during her captivity and how God has blessed her and her family since Martin’s death.

If you ask Gracia about life these days, she will say, “the Lord’s mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.”

Some people choose the easy road, why? because life is short. Why not make it just light and simple they say, well how will you know if the road you chose is easy not hard? Things gets more complicated.

Well, two things...

"Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life."

Did it complicate more?

When me and my mentors had a day to catch-up, I asked one of them how's your quest of happiness? Then he told me If I did find it. I won't live...

Well a thought in my mind... then what's the goal of the quest?

There's so many questions, but you don't have answers...

I have friends and people in my life that have their own unique struggles in life. Well I'm one of the people in this multiverse that really believe on perspective. Take a shift, shift your mind. Because if you don't have answers don't kill yourself trying to make one.

How about thinking that: There's always cupcakes and rainbows? ♡

Well, for me that's God's way of telling me: Hold on child, I know my promise. Don't complicate things, I know what I'm doing. You have to BE STILL and know that I am God.

I can't tell you that my pain is same with yours, In fact I can never compare my pain to anyone. We have our own stories and I pray for you my dear friend. I pray that your struggles might become testimonies. Testimonies to be shared, to inspire and to make other people believe in God's goodness.

So guess what ... dancing with the tailspins of life? Come on! That can't be happening, how can you say that? You don't know my pain!!! --- Hey you, deep breath, smile now. :) God knows you. He knows your heart, He knows your pain and He knows the deepest desires of your heart.

Before when my sisters and brothers in Christ tells me about "walking by faith and not by sight" i thought I already knew it. But til I experience more pain in this life, I started to ask God, when will this end? But I remember that my emotions are winning, I can't make that happen. I need to go to the word and read the Bible and ask for directions. Yes I'll cry, yes I'll be sad but hey I'll stand up. And by standing up, I mean standing up with a bang! ;) Because I have a strong God beside me who is greater than anything I face. Greater than anything you face. :)

Check how you think. Seek His word. Train your mind to see the good things.

Always in all ways!

"Look to the Lord and His strength; seek his face always."

~1 Chronicles

God does not meant for us to sit and fret, stew, agonize, string our hands or be troubled. Instead he invites us to interact with Him to gain His perspective and to rest in His perfect will for our lives.

If you know me personally, you'll know my love for journals and vision board. I'm a diplomat and a visionary. I love visualizing things and writing it, then praying for it. The key is to BELIEVE that God knows you well and He put those desires in your heart. He seek pure heart and pure intentions. Nothing just happens. He guides us on everything, even our tiny steps along the way.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. ... The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

~Proverbs 16:9

I know i have strong prayers, so I pray for other people a lot. :) I pray for people's health, people's relationships, reconciliations, friendship, understanding and for people to strengthen their relationship with God. I'm not saying that I have a very good relationship with God, but as I go with my journey I also pray that you seek him too and receive his blessings too. And together, we grow.

I love how God answers my prayers and how he delays and how He say "Yes" and how He say "No." But in the end... I believe that it's for the best. He created me and you. He knows the best for us. :)

God is the faithful one when we're not. He is the changeless One who knows the end from the beginning. He knows us, including our weaknesses, better than anyone else, because he created us. When our fragile world breaks up in a dozen pieces, he is not surprised. He stands ever ready to see us through.

Not just stand, he dance with us. ♡

This book tells us that trouble will be inevitable. Yes of course! But when you have Him, everything becomes lighter. In John 14:27 Jesus told his disciples, "I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid."

When life spins out of control for us, we find out who we truly are.

Have you given yourself a time to re-calibrate and check, Hey! self... How are you? Are you okay? Deep breath, hang on. I know you, you're stronger than you think you are. You'll get through this, your backed-up by a great God, Almighty Father, He will never abandon you. Never. While you're re-calibrating, you'll start seeing people around you who loves you. Stop pushing people away. They love you. God loves you. Be kind all the time, experiencing bad things doesn't justifies that you need to be bad to other people. Take a shift, change perspective. Be a sunshine, continue receiving God's love, continue loving other people, continue being a blessing. Be a sunshine. Keep shining! Because when we have God's love that's when we can give love.

Be a servant. ♡

"Humble yourselves under the might power of God, and in his good time he will honor you"

~1 Peter 5:6

We all mess up.

We all fall down.

We all self-destruct at times.

And we need to open up and receive the warm, restoring grace that originated with our loving Lord. Yours and my season will come. Believe.

Here's a song that always remind to live in Remembrance.

Remembrance Hillsong Worship

I take the bread of life Broken for all my sin Your body crucified To make me whole again I will recall the cup Poured out in sacrifice To trade this sinner's end For Your new covenant Hallelujah I'll live my life in remembrance Hallelujah Your promise I won't forget I'll walk salvation's road With fear and trembling Your way borne as my own As Christ is formed in me Hallelujah I'll live my life in remembrance Hallelujah Your promise I won't forget If ever I should lose my way If ever I deny Your grace Remind me of the price You paid Hallelujah I'll live in remembrance You've been so, so good to me You've been so, so good to me Oh to think where I would be If not for You If not for You (lift you hands) You've been so, so good to me You've been so, so good to me Oh to…

Don't forget His promise! Keep dancing with Life's tailspins. Let's talk about your journey! I'll be happy to talk to you. Smile and receive blessings! I declare blessings! ♡

All my Heart,

Korina ♡

P.S.

Thank you Gracia for helping the Philippines. I love you.

Please check her site here : https://graciaburnham.org/gracia/

My next books: :)

Exciting? I know! ;)