Last week I had an exciting “pinch me” moment- it felt like I had reached a point of arrival. Not of completion, to be clear, just one of many destinations. It was an experience that makes you feel like you are dreaming and you realize, “wow, this really is my life“. It was a scary but rewarding opportunity where I got to speak to a group of women at an event, as the panelist, for an amazing non-profit called Created Woman. I was asked to encourage women from my personal journey and share how God brought me through a lot of healing to now be pursuing His purpose. Although I was SO excited there was a lot of fear when I realized that I’d be speaking about some vulnerable topics in person. What if the women judge me or my story doesn’t resonate with them? When I remembered how this has been one of my biggest heart desires, to encourage others through my personal struggles, I instantly became overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement!
This was a wonderful moment because there have been so many times in my life when the struggle felt so hopeless and the fight felt so exhausting, I remember telling God, “if you take me through this, heal me, I will share my story courageously to help as many women as You put in front of me”. Well God sure did deliver! He took me through some deep healing to set me free, this process took over a year to start seeing any fruit. Now looking back, I can see how the healing process was required before God started putting blessings in my life. I’ve learned He wants this for ALL of us because His love is so great and He knows that’s where true inner peace lives- in our healing. Today, I am so grateful for this experience, process, and story to share.
Created Woman has been such a blessing in my life- when I went to their first event two years ago, I received a big blessing from them. I heard an encouraging word that I desperately needed to hear. Their mission is exactly what they do “to equip and empower women to dream, discover and ignite their own unique purpose. Help her run her race with endurance and show up well as an Ambassador of Christ”. That’s powerful- isn’t it?
Two years ago, I was living in Houston TX when one of my dear friends, Michlele, asked me to attend a Created Woman event with her in Austin TX. At that time I was driving back and forth quite a bit to help my family because my dad was in really bad critical condition. When she asked, I remember I was not feeling social or like putting on a smile to met a bunch of upbeat women, but I said yes. I’m so glad I did!
When we attended this Created Woman event I was in a place where I felt so lost, forgotten, and confused with where I was in life. Things were not only not happening like I had “planned” but I felt so broken and angry that God wasn’t healing me of some of the things I’d been praying for. Attending this event was for sure an answer to my prayer because I heard encouraging TRUTH that ignited my hope. Has that ever happened to you? Someone speaks an uplifting and powerful word of truth into your life that ends up being EXACTLY what you needed to hear to start taking action? I felt so convicted that God was speaking directly to me. The message I took away was, “God has not given up on you, keep seeking Him, and He will bring you through to the other side“.
If you are going through something in your life that feels overwhelming, painful, or hopeless I encourage you to seek our Lord. He is the only one who can transform our hearts and lives. I know the pain of becoming raw and feeling completely exposed is something we tend to push away, but in those moments He doesn’t leave us- He carries us. I’ve experienced this and can verify that He loves you too much to leave you with wounds that are not healed. So hold tight to your faith and keep seeking Him daily- He will be there waiting to carry you through the storm.
Dear Father God, We are so grateful that you love us as much as you do. I pray for each person who reads this story – that you soften their heart and open their ears to hearing exactly what You need them to hear. So they continue to seek You in the midst of their joy and their pain. You are so merciful, gracious, and powerful nothing is too big for You to handle. In Jesus name, Amen.
Whits Life Sober 