This morning I'm stoked to be co-hosting a new link up series titled "tell your story" with my dear friend Andi from The Hollie Rogue. (be sure to stop by and read her Story too!)
This is such a wonderful opportunity to share any story from your life. The good, bad, ugly or hilarious. It doesn't have to be a new post, it can be one you've written in the past. Nor does it need to be well written or some life changing event. It just has to be part of YOUR story.
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Looking back on this year I realized I've opened more about myself than I ever have in my whole life. I shared a little bit with you about how my life was turned upside down at a young age and let you glimpse into my life with having my dad in prison HERE.
Then I also shared about some crazy things God was doing with me as I was struggling with the most difficult times of my life last year HERE.
You know what though? There is a lot I haven't shared. For a lot of reasons really but mainly because God is still writing that story and helping me work through a lot of the kinks.
One thing I know though is that this year has been life changing. It's crazy to think that because of feeling ashamed of my life's circumstances for so long I taught myself to just bury my emotions and to put on a strong face. I taught myself to believe that my hurts and struggles weren't as important as every one else's and so I just made sure to keep my personal things between my God and me.
In the end that hurt me so, so much. Not letting myself even feel worthy of excepting God's truths for myself wrecked me.
I loved the Lord and had a strong faith yet, I didn't feel like I was important enough for His promises. Like they weren't meant for me.
If YOU were hurting, you better believe I'd stop and pray for you or add you to my prayer list.
If YOU were struggling with something, I would share with you scripture and bring you a coffee to boost your spirits.
You see, I have always been a people pleaser and so making sure everyone else was okay and loved on sort of became my thang.
Something happened after having kids. They opened up parts of my heart that I had kept locked for so long and so once opened I just became this overflowing ball of emotion.
Through last years bible study going through the Psalms and reading through She Reads Truth devotionals with this amazing community online I have grown so much and God has literally done a work on me.
He has shown me that I am His own. That he loves me as His daughter and that I am worthy of not only His Love but of His truths and promises.
Through all of this re-framing of my heart and mind this year I can now openly share bits of my heart with people and not feel ashamed about how I feel. I can ask for prayer when I need it and most importantly can truly feel the warmth of God's loving arms holding me on the days I need it most.
Deut 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are His everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying "destroy them!"
I can rest in that assurance sweet friends. He holds us up with His everlasting arms when we can't even lift our head to fight. It's okay to not get up, we can let Him carry us through every situation at hand.
Remember God is writing our stories. Everyday is a new one or may be new pieces adding to an existing one. It calms my soul to know that he is in control of my life. I can be still and know that He is God when I fully except His truths.
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Looking forward to reading each of your stories. I hope you'll link up this week and the next and the next! Happy Friday all. Hope you have a fabulously blessed weekend!
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.thehollierogue.com/category/tell-your-story/" title="The Hollie Rogue" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7127/8167428313_179e1da51d_b.jpg" alt="tell your story new" alt="The Hollie Rogue" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
5 comments:
Hi I'm just popping over from The Weigands. I read the post about growing up afetr your dad went to jail. What a beautiful thing to share that with strangers. It can't have been easy. Thank you!
you have such a beautiful story. i think many of us go through life believing the same thing, that His promises are smaller for us or that we are only meant to be bless but not be blessed. it's good to see the Lord has been blessing you so much through this community. I have found so much blessing in it all as well. loved reading this bit of your story. blessings to you!!
This gave me goosebumps {in a good way!}:
"One translation says that God is holding us up with His everlasting arms, fighting our battles for us."
I can just picture that in my mind. WOW.
Thank you for co-hosting, I'm so excited to have linked up with you. I hope you have a moment to come over and read my story as well -- I'm like you, I have so much to share, but God is opening my heart a little bit at a time. :)
Hugs!
Gayle from graceforgayle.blogspot.com
i love you!
HI- I just found your blog from today's unwrapping Tuesday. Ive only skimmed but can tell it is a blog for me. I too have been reframing with God this year. It has been intense but worth it. Childhood traumas and failures have haunted me all my like and I am learning to write about it and tell my story! looking forward to reading more of your blog!
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