Thursday Night’s NightCap!

I hope this week has been good to you!

I can hardly believe we’re in the last week of October and before we know it we will be celebrating a New Year! Seriously as I glance over my calendar I ask myself, ‘where has the time gone?’ I am awe struck as to how quickly times is passing and how much there is still to do! What about those dreams, goals and desires we all long to see manifested in our lives. This calls for focus and the ability to push through over to the other side so not to miss out on all God has for us!

With that said, I want to remind you there is life after divorce! There is hope and a purpose for things yet to come for you and your children. Just because one part of life has ended doesn’t mean there won’t be a new life ahead to be embraced and celebrated. We cannot and must not allow the disappointments and sorrows of yesterday rule our tomorrows.

Now, I realize after my divorce 14 years ago there were times I became overwhelmed and I found it difficult to stay positive as I chipped away at rebuilding my new life. Some days were good and others, not so good. Not to mention how difficult it can become when divorce becomes a battle between the two sexes. However, there is beauty to be found when we’re stuck and in not so comfortable predicaments! No really! In these battles we may find ourselves outside of our comfort zone with only one place to turn. We may find we need to look deep within our soul in hopes of finding purpose in our pain as we look at the truth of who we’ve become. Good, bad or indifferent. We must look at those not so friendly places of our being and rediscover parts of ourselves that have been buried, and are no longer recognizable. It may be time to resurrect the buried character we’ve lost through the trials with new-found strength and love. It’s imperative we rekindle a love within so we can easily break free from the bondage which held us hostage in our past. Those broken areas that have left us stifled and unable to live a life the way God intended for us.

Are there pieces of your heart still needing to be set free in order for you to walk into your new place of truth. The place of truth where one can be authentic while creating a new life for themselves and those they love. No more façade.

Does that sound refreshing and freeing to you? Well this is what God want’s for us! Believe it or not, he does not want us bound to a past that has tripped us up, wounded us and left us with battle scars. He came to free us from those ugly parts of life that left us fearful and unable to live whole and free. His desire for us has always been that we live life authentically where we no longer have to work to experience freedom but put our trust acceptance in Him and his truth. How great to know there is One who loves us unconditionally. The One who accepts us just as we are and where there is no condemnation. A God who delivers us into a new freedom where we’re loosed to enjoy all of his creation.

Tonight I hope to leave you with a verse that encompasses these thoughts with the hope that you too can find your place of freedom.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

Today step into your freedom leaving the pain from the past behind you. Allow yourself to find happiness again.  Get excited about life and all it has to offer you!  May the children touched by divorce see transformation in the lives of their parents so they too can be set free. May resentment, bitterness and regret be a thing of the past so new life can spring into action leaving you breathless because of joy and not strife!

Cheers!

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The Power of Trust

Have you heard the saying, “If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.” For Years I had been looking for an escape route, a secret door to lead me out of the chaos and stress of what had become life. As I watched and prayed I began to see myself as the cat slipping slowly down the rope only to find myself hanging on by the knot tied at the bottom. No one person’s fault really, but more like a compilation of good intentions gone bad.

It appears most of us set out with the best of intentions and sometimes we experience a not so good ending. Things don’t always turn out the way we hoped, and sometimes for what we’ve prayed. However, I am a believer in prayer. I’ve experienced answered prayer and some I am still waiting on. It really is about God’s will and timing for us.  Because He is faithful to answer, I wait. My secret, continue to TRUST because the story is not over yet.

I want to be honest and let you know the past few weeks have been difficult in regards to my writing. I say this because I am truly happy and thankful for my new place in life, and I absolutely love So Cal! However, it’s been hard to write because a few weeks ago I received some news that has broken another piece of my heart.

As I was tapping into my emotion over this news I discovered I have been stuck because of a false belief I’ve had in that I would truly be happy once my family (meaning sons and their family) became reunited. You see, my older son and I have a tumultuous relationship with my younger son that has been wounded, traumatized, and then scabbed over only to be reopened again. It’s a convoluted story in need of multiple sessions with Billy Graham and Dr. Phil while being covered in prayer and Sozo. Oh, and let’s not forget getting rid of those who feel a need to plant seeds of division with their lies and need to divide.

Truth be told, a reunion and steps towards re-establishing healthy family relationships would leave me doing a happy dance, jumping for joy, and falling to my knees in thanksgiving! But it is not the key to what unlocks the door to my ability to trust and know true happiness.

In life we’re given choices and we always hope for the best outcome. No matter what the decision involves whether it is marriage, raising children, landing a career, owning a business or anything in life. We all hope for success. Sometimes those choices don’t lead us to the end of what we dreamed or hoped but instead they lead us to the end of our rope. This is where I was before God so graciously flung open the doors of opportunity and moved me to a place where I am surrounded by beautiful beaches, tropical weather, and gorgeous sunsets. And I love my job!

Throughout my journey I’ve gained nuggets of truth and most recently this one: Our ability to be happy and trust is going to come from stepping out and away from things holding us back from living our purpose. I am speaking of things in life that bring us down and pull us away from the purposes and plans of God. Now, we won’t always get it right and we may take detours along the way because of selfishness or ignorance. Let’s face it, we may come out beaten and bruised with a fear to trust or love again but that is when we take what we have and start over. The only people I know who have truly lost or the ones who have given up.

As I meditate on the Word I am reminded of God’s promises and one in particular:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Throughout my trust journey I have been able to hang on long enough through the tough times for God to get me back on the right path. This is where my blessings of a new job and home were able to come in.  Had I stayed fighting a battle that was not meant for me I would have missed where I am today. Now I want you to know none of this takes away from the love and desire I have to stand in the gap for my family. I have had people ask, “Do you think your son will ever be able to love and restore a relationship with you and his brother?”

All I can say is it can be done. I’ve heard and read stories of families learning to heal and trust one another again. Throughout the Bible I read stories about reconciliation and restoration. Battles have been won throughout the beginning of time but not without battle scars. These battle scars are what have made me who I am today. They’ve built a faith and strength in me that I am not sure would have been there had I not traveled down some painful roads.

In essence what good are we without the ability to trust and love? There is power in trusting someone and learning to love them. The power is within you and the decisions you make with the hope they will turn out well and be successful. I’ve decided to continue and step out in that power trusting whether I win or lose that I am not alone. There is someone bigger than I am watching over the entire plan and purpose for my life. Yes, there will be times I mess it up in my selfishness or maybe out of my ignorance. But I can be sure of one thing, He who began a good work in me will complete it to the end (Phil 1:6).

I believe He is trusting in me to take what I have and start again. (Psalm 84)