Take a moment to think about what you were doing this day last year.
April 21st 2019.
See if you can really remember...
This exact day last year I was off to Reno/Tahoe, embarking on this once in a lifetime opportunity God set before me...about this exact time of day last year I was starting registration for Miss USA on the other side of the country.
It’s crazy to look back on your life and see where God has placed you, where he has taken you, who he has brought in and out of your life.
The opportunities and obstacles that have shaped us into who we are, He navigates all of those things right by our sides.
If you asked me three years ago if I thought I would ever compete at Miss USA, my answer would have been..."probably not.”
Timing plays such an important role in our lives. And it was in those years and in God’s timing, I experienced a huge amount of growth and self-awareness, cultivating my character and building my confidence all while connecting me to so many inspiring individuals through my Miss USA journey.
And if you asked me a year ago if I thought we would be in quarantine and shut down across the country I would have said…“probably not.”
God reminds us yet again in Ecclesiastes 3:1 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens..."
It is in this time that I have come to realize yet again, HE is navigating us through these unprecedented moments, right by our sides….You may be frustrated with a situation you are encountering, your current circumstances, your relationships, finances, struggling to know your purpose, quite frankly struggling to know what is next.
Wherever you find yourself right now, know that it is temporary and it is preparing you for something great.
I truly believe that…"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." – Marianne Williamson
Use this time as an opportunity to turn inward.
Reflect on things that were typically drowned out by noise and distractions.
Take time to re-focus on the blessings at hand.
It’s far too easy to think of the difficulties that face us every day.
Training for Miss USA, I could’ve looked at every day as difficult, because it was.
I was working a full time job, working out multiple times a day, volunteering countless hours, making appearance across the state, prepping for interview and stage...all while learning about myself and developing into the best version I could be.
All of that didn't even allow me enough time to get a full 8 hours of sleep, and let's just say I need that. It meant eliminating a lot of distractions in my life that I thoroughly enjoyed.
No hanging out with friends, limited time with extended family, no eating out because of a strict diet, no enjoying a happy hour or binging Netflix....I could keep going.
But the important part is that...the outcome is SO much greater than what feels like a temporary set-back. So when you feel frustrated or like your once luxuries are taken from you, know that the outcome is going to be SO much greater than what you feel right now.
God has so much more in store for you than you can even fathom.
I challenge us all in this season of waiting to focus on what we can do day by day.
Staying in the present moment and staying close to our faith.
Creating a deeper connection and personal relationship with the one who made us and allowing ourselves peace from distractions of our normally wild world.
I hope you had time to think about what you were doing this day, last year. And I hope it brought a smile to your face as you realized it was Easter Sunday, and as many most likely had the pleasure of gathering with their loved ones that day, I had to yet again sacrifice a day I had hoped I would be with my family and worshiping...to be on a plane, lonely and heading somewhere unfamiliar.
It was quite a significant day for me in many ways, one I hope I don’t ever forget.
Unlike those special moments we have all experienced, days have begun to blend together for some of us right now…they may seem monotonous or lacking excitement.
Our lives will once again be filled with many significant days…weddings, vacations, the ultimate sports match, bringing a family into this world, finishing school, finding your dream job..but among those big days, insignificant ones will continue to be scattered.
I hope that our days are never taken lightly after this experience we are all going through and I hope that we find even those insignificant days to hold value and meaning in our lives.
I think it would be great if we could remember these day. Make these moments memorable in our own ways. Knowing each day God allows us to wake up and get out of bed is significant in itself. God has a plan and purpose for you and we have to live each day in its entirety to fulfill our greater plan.
Your Girl Next Door and So Much More,
Danika Tramburg