The Belmont and Closed Chapters~

This is the historical Belmont hotel in Baton Rouge.....

Well, it was the Belmont Hotel.

As I drove pass, it was a little sad to see a piece of history torn down to nothing but large piles of rubble.

 I can only imagine the parties, weddings, celebrations,  and life changing events that have been held over the years in this once beautiful antebellum style hotel.

As a teenager, I must confess, we celebrated several birthdays here.Several  friends together on New Years Eve, ringing in the new year while celebrating Diana's birthday.

OK truth be told, it was more like half the school would show up......

Oops sorry  Mom :)

I don't think there are too many people who do not have a memory or two from the Belmont.

The Grand Hall is where many entertainers have performed, banquets, fundraisers and receptions. It has been a place of shared memories.

It is now a chapter in history......

We all have chapters in our lives that close.

Some are ripped pages that are torn from our grasp....

Others are simply ones that come to an end.....

Some are bitter sweet.......

Some are joyous.

I have learned, and the hard way on some occasions, there is a time for every season in life.

It is when we try to hold on to a season ,that our daddy God himself is moving us from, we tend to  lose favor with God.

To make it simple.........

We hinder our blessings God has waiting for us in the new season.

Someone once told me......

"Stacey,  God can not give you the new until you let go of the old"

I halted my blessings from God by holding on to a season that was no longer mine.

There were times I begged and pleaded with God to leave me right where I was.

I justified.......

I told Him my plans..........

I refused........

I was comfortable, content and happy......

I did not want to be moved.

And as shameful as it is, I admit to have had my own pity parties as well as my own little dance of tantrum's.

But that doesn't move God to change His mind.

He waits for me to let go of the old......

Take a step forward.....

Walk through the door of my new season......

And then  my blessings of my new season start to flow.~

It still amazes me when I look back to old chapters of my life, I can now see where I thought I was happy......

I was held in false security.....

Where I thought I was content.....

I was held by fear......

Where I thought I was comfortable....

I was like a fish out of water flipping and flopping all over the place.

In all of God's grace and mercy He has taken my piles of rubble, all that He himself has torn down and stripped away, and is building me to be who He has called me to be.

I see now that I could not go where He has called me to go......

Do what He has called me to do......

Be what He has called me to be had I held on to the chapters He closed.

I will still have my memories.....

My lessons learned.....

My joyous times.....

My bittersweet times.....

My times of growth......

My story to share with others......

I am still learning and growing. I know my last chapter hasn't been written yet.

What I do know is that I can allow others to "read" my past chapters.....

To let them see the goodness of God and all His glory in my life.  

To be a witness of God's love and grace......

To be a testimony of God's restoration and mercy.

I encourage anyone who may be going through a tear down, removing and stripping process;

do not be discouraged......

He will rebuild, restore and establish the new season in your life.

And the best part......... your story will be one written in love from your daddy God, one that will reflect all His goodness in your life~

Let go and let God my friend :)

Much love~
Stacey

Ecclesiastes 3:1

3 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven

Linking with Leaving a Legacy~