Women's Ministry

How ironic is it to say that much spiritual warfare went into a blog post about God’s rest? And yet, how often in the natural world does a powerful military ensure that peace resides? When rest is such a treasured commodity, it must be well guarded and fiercely protected. 

Against what? Against busy. Against complacency. Against the “good” that goes counter to God’s plan. Against a hard heart.

Hebrews 3-4 reminds believers of the Israelites not entering God’s rest due to hard hearts, hearts that “are always going astray” (Hebrews 3:10). They wandered the desert and died there rather than entering the promised land, the promised rest. Hebrews 3:12-13 counters “a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God” by compelling believers to “encourage one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” How grateful I am for friends, sisters-in-Christ, who respond to transparent, vulnerable brokenness with encouragement that prevents my heart from becoming hard and calloused from pain, from loss, from busy.

And then returning to irony, Hebrews 4:11 says, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest…” Effort for rest? Yes. A refrigerator-magnet-worthy verse follows. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword…it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” In context, this beautiful, frilly refrigerator verse seems painful aside from the precision of the word removing calluses from the heart keeping it supple. Like a surgeon conducting open-heart surgery, the word of God, exposes and discriminately discerns what is in our hearts.

This beautiful warfare to keep our hearts soft occurs in the greater context of entering the rest of God. We must make time to protect our time for rest. This, not from a religious works based rule, but out of a desire for relationship with the Father. Attending church from a religious perspective can lead to burn out, but entering God’s rest, lounging with Him, abiding with Him brings life and peace. 

God created and it was good and very good and the seventh day He rested. Shabbat, the word for when God rested after creation means to cease, to desist, to rest. Oftentimes, this rest comes not with the cessation of action, but with stopping anxious thoughts. This rest is not dependent upon circumstances. It’s about my soul being still in the presence of God. 

In conclusion, a poem:

In a world that values harsh realities, monstrous evils,

Our culture has so distorted truth that we no longer comprehend

Rest, work, ethics,

No longer value

Hope, dignity, life,

A job well-done.

With clouds of deception and the easy way out,

It becomes difficult to maintain sight on joy.

We can 

Celebrate

Joy in spite of pain

Treasure

Hope in the midst of fear

Abound with

Faith in the shadow of doubt

Exude 

Rest in the place of strife.

How do you draw 

Healing,

 Hope, 

Restoration,

Peace,

Rest,

Joy?

How do you articulate those abstractions when words fall short?

“He leads me beside quiet waters

He refreshes my soul.” Psalm 23:2-3

”Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.“‭‭ Psalms‬ ‭62‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

”Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.“ ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭62‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

”Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.“ ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.“ Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We want to thank Mary Coleman for sharing this post.

Trusting the Lord leads to finding rest in Him. It seems so simple, and yet it can be such a struggle. I often find myself getting overwhelmed with our schedule and letting stress creep up. It’s in these moments that I realize, I am not resting in Him, but trying to control my situation, and failing!

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’” Psalm 91:1-2

For years I tried to control my dating life, thinking I could make things work out on my own, deliberately ignoring the Lord’s promptings that He had something better planned. As I watched my friends and family members getting married, I became more frustrated. The Lord patiently waited and got a hold of my heart and asked me to trust Him to provide the desire He had placed there. I had to place my dream of being a wife in His hands and trust that He would fulfill his promise. When I finally surrendered to Him, I found immense peace and rest knowing He would provide, and that he heard my heart’s cry. It was so freeing, and I have wonderful memories from that season of my life when I truly rested in His promises.

When we found out my dad was sick, my entire being was overwhelmed at the news. It was so shocking. But by grace, the Lord took me by the hand and asked me to trust Him with this as well. He promised He would not leave us or forsake us, and He didn’t. We didn’t receive the answer to prayer that we desired, but He gave us peace in the middle of the battle. 

Fast forward to being a first-time Mom and lurching over to check on our baby girl every time she made a noise. We were already exhausted, but not sleeping from the added stress of “what ifs” was worse! The Lord gently reminded me that His love for our little girl was greater than ours would ever be. I could trust Him to watch over her so I could get sleep. It was refreshing to pray every night and give her back to Him. 

In every circumstance, we have a choice to let go and trust Him or try to do things our own way, which can let fear and anxiety creep inside. Whether it be our finances, marriages, friendships, sickness, parenting, or anything else, we can choose to trust Him and be free to rest. It is such a blessing and one we should cherish. 

May we all choose to put our trust in Him and find rest.

“From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.”
Psalm 61:2-4

We want to thank Christian Greer for sharing this post.

If I’m being honest, I have a hard time resting. Resting in the Lord, resting my body, resting my mind, resting in my life…my natural inclination is not resting. I am a business owner, a goat farmer, a wife, a friend, and, most consumingly, a mom of 4 kids. Currently, their ages are 5, 5, 5, and 3. We adopted the oldest 3 from foster care 4 years ago, and none of my kids are biologically related to each other. We are constantly talking about “first moms” and “first dads,” and then the baby of the family, who is biologically mine, has made up a “purple and brown” family, because she is confused why she doesn’t have another family out there like everyone else. I am running around putting out LITERAL FIRES – grass fire and barn fire – both set by my boys a few months ago. Between kids’ activities and just the chaos of having young kids, who has time to rest? By the time I put them in bed at night, I finally have alone time with my husband, Clay, so we can catch up on the day and connect.

When I picture me resting my body, I picture me crawling into my nicely made bed, tucking myself up under a big down comforter, surrounded by pillows, completely supported and comfortable. But what does it look like for me to rest in the Lord? I get the exact same mental picture, except I am crawling into my Father’s lap, exhausted from trying to carry more than I should have, weeping from the load of mommy-hood that has me worn down; my sweet Father, reaching down to help me into His lap, as He holds me and rubs my back.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Jeremiah 29:11-12

We want to thank Megan Hollis for sharing this post.

A common lie that I have allowed myself to believe is that I don’t have a place. For the majority of my life, I have felt like I don’t belong. In groups of conversation I often feel talked over, ignored, or pushed out of the circle. Sometimes I even think, “Lord what is wrong with me?” Everyone seems to have a circle of besties that throw parties for them and text them everyday just because… but what about me? Because of this lie, I have wasted a lot of my time trying to fit in. To feel loved, accepted, and invited. Doing whatever I could to feel like I was seen, not to be the center of attention, but just to actually feel wanted.

It wasn’t until very recently that I clearly heard the Lord say to me, “Daughter, you were never meant to fit in. I didn’t create you for that. I created you to be with Me.” That word is so fresh that it still brings tears to my eyes as I write this. 

The truth is, the desire to feel loved, accepted, wanted, and invited is something that can only be fulfilled by spending time with the Lord. He always meets us where we are, invites us in, and loves us with His abundant grace and mercy no matter how we show up. Not only that, but He chose us to be a people for His possession to proclaim the praises of the one who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). 

Throughout the rest of that chapter in 1 Peter, it is obvious that we are not called to blend in with the world – we are born to stand out. Not just because we are each uniquely made, but because as God’s people we are called to abstain from sinful desires and conduct ourselves honorably (and I don’t know if you’ve looked around out there lately, but there’s not a lot of that going on).

Because of the truth of God’s Word and honest friends, I now understand that it is okay if I feel like I don’t have a place. Heck, this world isn’t even my permanent home (Hebrews 13:14)! I’ve learned to take a deep breath and recognize when those lies creep into my mind, and I seek His face because I know He desires a personal relationship with me. I wasn’t made to look like influencers on instagram or whatever else I’ve made up in my head. I no longer seek my identify from outside sources based on the approval of others, but deeply know that I am a daughter of the Most High. 

And guess what? You are too. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my moments and my hard days. I am learning to truly surrender my mind, will and emotions to Him so that I can truly live a life of love and peace. But ladies, allow yourself to bloom where you are planted. A flower doesn’t think of competing or comparing with the flower next to it, it just blooms. And every flower blooms in it’s very own time. Focus on the Son, and you will bloom no matter how many weeds may surround you. 

We want to thank Paige Keller for sharing this post.

My next-door neighbor has a flowerbed of perennials that have been expertly planted to bloom in waves beginning in the spring and ending with the first freeze. My family and I enjoy watching the groupings of flowers as they each get their time to shine. It warms my heart to know that the Master Gardener made a point to bring us such delicate and intricately crafted beauty. My mind could not begin to comprehend the beauty of the intricacies he’s woven into each of us. But somehow, I often forget that it is at his pace that life moves and growth occurs.

“You are a beautiful flower planted where God wants you, but you are trying so hard to grow that you are pulling your roots out of the ground. He wants to nourish you right where you are. Rest assured you will grow and flourish at his pace. He’s got you.”

A precious friend shared this word with me many years ago when we were in college. I was doing all the things I “should” such as: serving, praying, going to church multiple times a week and so on. But still, I struggled with feeling behind in many ways. I remember the rolling thoughts of, “I should have already learned this by now!” The issue rooted in this line of thinking is that it assumes God doesn’t have my best interest at heart and that I know better than him. It also aims my focus right on myself instead of him. Yikes! Thankfully, he didn’t leave me in that cycle of thinking. He shared the truth with me through my friend to look back on. When that image comes to mind, I feel such peace in surrendering myself to the Lord. It reminds me that he is in control and that it’s not my job to set a timeline for myself or anyone else. It is my job to trust in him and remain in him. As Paul urges us in John 15:5, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” What a wonderful truth to cling to and to set me straight.

Over the years the feeling of being behind has crept in cunningly in various forms. It has barged in first thing in the morning as a worry that I did not get enough sleep and now I’m feeling behind on tackling my day. Other times it rears its ugly head in the form of comparison. And sadly, it pops up with my children as I want them to hit milestones on time or preferably early. Ugh. I know in my heart that these are all tricks the enemy uses to dishearten me and distract me. And I also know that I do not want to pass this thought process down to my children or inadvertently put them under the stress of meeting my false expectations for them. 

The truth is that I’m not behind and neither are you. He is the Creator, the Timeline-Maker and the Pacesetter.  If I’m abiding in him then there’s no need worry, toil or strain. The verbs he asks of us are much more peaceful. We are to remain in him, surrender to him, obey him and love as he loves. His word points me right back to his peace and joy of knowing he holds the master plan. Ephesians 1:4 says, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.“ He has a plan for each of us to bloom at his pace just as the flowers bloom each year in their own time.

We want to thank D’Anna Coleman for sharing this post.

I have seen countless movies where the female character has some kind of life plan. When she is going to get married, when she will move up in her career, or when she will have kids. There is a scene in the TV show Friends, where Rachel Green is talking about when she wants to have kids then calculates backwards that she would need to get engaged within the next 3 months in order for her plan to work out. Life rarely goes as planned. If you’re a planner like me, you don’t enjoy when life doesn’t work out as planned.

Going into college, I had quite the plan of what my life would look like. I wanted to graduate in 4 years and be married shortly after. That part of my plan did work out, so I figured I could continue to call the shots. I quickly completed my masters degree and had a plan of when I would be promoted out of the classroom to an administrator job. This did not go as I had planned. I had a plan of when we would have kids and how I would birth them into the world. This didn’t go as planned either.

It took me several years of my plans not working out to figure out that I am not in control. While I thought my plans were good, they weren’t God’s plans. Letting go of control is hard. Especially for this planner.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9

For me, the first thing I needed to work on was being thankful in all circumstances in order to bloom where I was planted. Things weren’t going according to my plans, but there was still plenty to be thankful for. I started a gratitude journal and would begin each day with writing down 5 things I was thankful for. I would also write down the desires of my heart, because God places things on our hearts as well.

Next, I started a consistent quiet time and prayer time. I could only let go of control once I trusted Him and believed, “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. I needed to discover God’s purpose for my life and seek it daily. This has led me on a path I would have never planned myself. Mostly because it is hard, but it has also brought great joy.

Blooming where you are planted sounds cliche at times, but more than that it can be difficult. It can be easy to sit and pout when things don’t go my way. I have learned to allow myself time to be disappointed, because I’m human. However, I don’t allow myself to stay there. The best way for me to move from a place of disappointment is to talk to a friend. Trying to move past the hurt alone is much harder. Saying the disappointing things out loud to someone lifts a weight off my shoulders. Reaching out for words of truth when I don’t feel like doing the work has been the most helpful.

Look for the good in each day, whether it’s big or small. Sometimes it’s my children making me laugh uncontrollably. Dinner turning out better than expected. A text from a friend asking to get coffee. Something good happening for someone else. A sunny day where the wind isn’t blowing uncontrollably.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-12

We want to thank Chelsea Criswell for sharing this post.

Have you ever felt in your life that you were truly content? Living the life you had always dreamed of, strived for, and prayed over. THE life. That was me. Or so I thought.

In July of 2020, when the rest of the world was panicking and scrambling in the middle of the pandemic, I remember being so grateful for the time to slow down and for the life that was mine. After a long battle with infertility, I had just given birth to our second child, our family of four was HEALTHY, we had spent more time together than normal, my part time job was providing just the right balance of work, adult interaction (if you know, you know 😉), and time at home with my babies…I was living the life of true contentment.

Fast forward a few weeks, my husband and I were sitting in a Sunday morning church service, and I remember very vividly, a vision being brought forth to my mind and placed on my heart. Picture this with me. A place of “beauty” that is different than women have ever experienced before. A place where young girls and the wisest of women could walk through the doors, feeling embraced by other women, loved on, and empowered. A place where young ladies could be taught the lesson of basic skincare, but also where and WHO their true beauty comes from. Where the hunt for the perfect cosmetic item turns into the most beautiful conversation of a true Proverbs 31 woman and what that looks like in today’s society. (Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”)  Where finding the perfect skincare regimen can be customized just for you all while feeling the presence of Jesus in a world that is definitely lacking. Can you see it? I sure could! The idea seemed so beautiful and appealing, but I was content, remember?

 The vision kept being brought forth to the forefront of my mind, on repeat. I’d wake up in the middle of several sleepless nights with this vision in mind, think of it daily when my mind should’ve been focused on what was physically in front of me, and so on and so forth. It was made VERY clear that God was speaking and trying to get me to listen! After a few weeks of battling to shove the vision to the back of my mind, I finally spoke it aloud to my husband, who quickly responded with something like, “Beckah, I believe it’s time to jump.” Although, somewhat excited for what could become a reality, I was honestly secretly hoping he’d talk it down.  Quite the opposite was occurring, and after much prayer, we both came to the realization that God was making a way for me to open my own business.

We continued to pray over what this might look like. “God, I am willing. But show me YOUR heart. Help me to draw boundaries to protect my time for my family, help me to find the right kind of help that glorifies YOUR goal of this business. Help the wrong doors to close, and the right doors to open. Help me to guide this business to be done YOUR way and to glorify YOU above all else.”  You get the gist, right?

Fast forward to the Fall of 2021. We had bought a building and were in the midst of pushing to finish a remodel to prepare to open, were trying to bring in the best inventory, attempting to get the business side of things rolling, and honestly, I was STRUGGLING. I remember the thirtieth, yes THIRTIETH, cosmetic line that had declined my attempt to pick up their line, and the days the remodeling bills came in and were significantly higher than expected due to the post-pandemic shipping crisis. And since we’ve opened there have been several days wondering “Why did I do this?!” And just today, I was feeling the Mom guilt of bringing my daughter to work with me instead of on a fun Spring Break trip. But…. through it all, even on the worst days, I have seen more of God’s goodness, provision and GROWTH than I would have ever received by living in my own personal contentment.

In those early days of struggle, I had friends rally around me and my family and pray “peace and open doors” over my business, for the “pieces of Betty Faye to align through divine intervention.” Claiming that “fear and uncertainties be demolished through the authority of Jesus”. Friends declaring that “God’s plan for Betty Faye will not be stopped” and praying a spirit of hope over me. I was being transformed by God’s plan. My fears of “what if I can’t” were being replaced with “I’ll show you the way.” My argument of “I’m already tired” was encouraged by “I will be your rest and your strength.” My thoughts of “I don’t know what I am doing” were trumped by “I will advise you and watch over you. Psalms 32:8” —GROWTH occurred for me when I quit with the pushback and allowed God’s plan to manifest in my life over my idea of what my life should look like. His Growth>my contentment. My life, my business, God use it to further your Kingdom. Then, now & always. My story, YOUR glory.

We want to thank Beckah Hunt for sharing this post.

“You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”  Psalm 139:16

Have you ever thought about how your life has fallen into place, or how it would have been so different with the change of just one decision or another?  I have thought a lot about that over the years.  As an adopted child often does, I had wondered often about my birth parents, what they were like, what the circumstances were behind my adoption, and things like that.  I wasn’t unhappy or mistreated in my adopted family – I just wondered… but by adoptive mother never wanted to discuss it, which only added to my curiosity.

When I had my own children, and the internet came along, I began to go into some of the sites where people were searching for their birth families.  I had very little information to share, so I did what I could, and then forgot about it.  One day at work, I got a phone call from a lady who worked in Austin, who said she had seen my request come across one of the websites.  She said she was unable to give me any specific information, but that my birth mother had already passed away, she had 3 other children who lived in Texas, and I should not smoke, since my maternal grandfather had had lung cancer.

I figured that would be the end of what I would ever know, so I closed the book on that area of my life in my mind.

A couple of years later, I got an email from someone who said that if I gave her my birth certificate number, she felt she could get me information about my birth mother.  I did so, and later, she sent me the name of my birth mother’s sister, along with her address.

I wrote the lady a letter, explaining what I could, and I said that if she didn’t want to talk about this, I understood.  I included my phone number, and she called back!  We talked for a long time, and then she sent me a letter and pictures of my birth mom and the man she thought was my birth father.  The story behind my birth family was very different than the house I grew up in.  Two of my birth brothers had been in prison for drugs or alcohol, and my younger birth sister had lost her children because of her own drug abuse.  My birth mom had been in an abusive relationship, and she had given up 2 or 3 other children for adoption, besides keeping the three she raised. 

What struck me was how my life would have been so very different had my birth mom opted to keep me.  The world I grew up in was safe, predictable, and loving.  My birth family seemed to have had many trials.  It just amazes me to think about that, and I ask, “Why did God choose for me to grow up in a different environment?”  Maybe He knew I couldn’t have survived.  All I know is – He has a plan.

Think about your own life.  Think about all the decisions we make, both big and small:  who we will marry, when to have children, where to live, what job to take.  Even the little decisions we make every day about where we will go and what we will do during our day impacts so many other people!  It boggles my mind! 

Of all the decisions, one we absolutely must make is to place our lives in His hands – no matter if our past decisions have been good or bad, or if we have had our lives determined by circumstances out of our control, “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”  (Romans 8:28).  We all have a story that will bring Him glory if we give it to Him.

We want to thank Sheri Warren for sharing this post.

When you look back at the chapters of your life, do you want to read the book again or slam the cover and never open it?  When I look back on my story, the beginning is rosy, the middle gets rough, and the climax is devastating. However, the ending, or rather the continuation, of my story is full of joy, faith, and hope.

Like most people I know, I grew up going to church, and I worked at the youth camp in Floydada for several summers. I loved all the social interaction, but as things do, life changed. I was abused by someone who was supposed to love me. Suddenly the bright bubbly girl I was, was gone! I was no longer outgoing, I began to dress and act differently, because dolling up would gain the kind of attention I did not want. I acted out a lot, did not do well in school, and God became an afterthought.

While in college, I began to come out of my shell, meeting new kinds of people, but I also found new ways to cope with what had happened to me. I quickly found out if you are the girl with the drugs, everyone wants to be your friend, so that’s what I became. The funny pothead that just wants to have a good time, all while making horrible decisions. Eventually, I had to move back home because of these decisions. I got clean and began to take care of myself, and that’s when I met my husband.

Chris and I fell in love fast and were not ready for the road ahead of us. Long story short, by our third year of marriage we were facing a wife with a drug addiction, infidelity, and the death of our first son. I told you the climax was devastating.

Here comes the good part: after all the hurting comes His perfect healing. Our son’s death brought me back to God, we began going to church and sought out a Christian marriage counselor and really worked on the trauma we both had in our lives. Soon life got a little brighter, and then we found out we were pregnant with our second son Connor, who is funny and bright and loves Jesus! I am still a work in progress, but I know my Father loves me, and what happened to me does not define how I see myself anymore or how God sees me. God made me funny, kind, tender hearted, and someone took that from me, but God gave it all back to me when I surrendered and put my faith in Him!

Psalm 139 : 14 – I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!

We want to thank Randi Cason for sharing this post.

I love God’s timing.  The irony of me being asked to write about “Her Story, His Glory” in the month of April is not lost on me.  You see, my real story began in April 2014.  That’s when, after hitting rock bottom, I discovered God’s true grace and mercy.

I have shared in previous blogs that in April 2014 I had to admit the worst thing I have ever done.  At least, in my eyes, it’s the worst.  I had to admit to my husband, daughters, family, and friends that I was a fraud.  I claimed to be a good person, but in reality I was living a lie.  I had engaged in adultery.  All while I was going to church and serving God.  Luke 8:17 says, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”  When my sin was brought out into the open, I lost everything.  But God…like He always does, brought grace and mercy into my life.  And for the first time, I finally understood and accepted it fully.

I had accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 13.  Shortly after that I discovered Romans 8:28:  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”  It became my favorite verse.  I just didn’t totally believe it for me.   I did my best to live a life that reflected His saving my life – I was active in my church, went to all the church retreats I could, taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible school, etc.  But the enemy kept his attacks coming.  Somewhere in my mind, I thought if those attacks kept coming something was wrong with me.  I thought apparently I was doing something wrong, and maybe, just maybe, God only loved me sometimes.  Oh the lies I believed.  At some point in my life I just gave up.  I fell into a life of sin.  I looked for validation through social media and I believed if people “liked” a post, or I had tons of “friends,” then I was really valuable.  Again, oh the lies I believed.  But God…

After I told Don what I had done, he was devastated.  He packed my bags and took me to my mother.  He! Was! Done!  Our daughters came home  to be with Don.  Our youngest daughter came to my mother’s to share her anger, grief, loss, and did I mention her anger?  She rightfully blasted me.  Our oldest daughter waited.  She is a licensed therapist and knew she needed to process her thoughts before seeing me.  That delay probably saved my life because I had decided that I didn’t deserve to live.  But God….His grace and mercy showed up in a huge way. When Becky did come to see me, she brought the children’s book “Love You Forever.”  At the end of the book it says, “I love you forever.  I like you for always.  As long as I’m living my mother you’ll be.”  That began a healing process in my heart.  And less than 24 hours after Don had kicked me out, he came and gathered up my stuff and brought me home.  God had given him a heart of forgiveness.  He said he thought of me as a wounded soldier on a battlefield, and you never leave the wounded behind.  As we worked on healing our marriage, we did a lot of talking. He shared how broken he was that first night and how he thought he was going to die that night.  When he shared this with me I was dumbfounded.  How could someone who was hurt so bad still come back for me?  Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”  He came back for us and continues to do that daily. 

In the past 10 years, I have grown more than I ever have in my life.  I have finally learned that although those attacks continue to come, I am not fighting alone.  I have a Father in heaven who watches over me, a Brother in Jesus who fights with me, and a Spirit who tells me daily that I am worthy of all this love.  Genesis 50:20:  “You intended to harm me, But God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done.”

We want to thank Hope Warren for sharing this post.