Fearful. Betrayed. Abandoned. Unloved. Unworthy. Unwanted.
These are a few words that defined Donna and cast shadows over her. Here’s Donna’s story…
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Fearful. Betrayed. Abandoned. Unloved. Unworthy. Unwanted.
These were shadows from a past that would haunt me for years. A past that would hold me hostage and keep me from fully living in the light of God’s love.
Fearful as I watched a hot plate of spaghetti thrown across the kitchen. Fearful as I watched furniture crash against walls. Fearful as my dad fell to the ground a few feet from my mom after he’d swung at her and lost his balance.
Betrayed after my intoxicated father sat me on the back of a horse without a saddle or reins to hold, and then swiped the horse’s rear end. Betrayed as he laughed with his friends while I went sailing through the air and landed on a barb wired fence.
Abandoned and unwanted when my dad filed divorce papers and when I discovered he failed to even get my name and birthday correct on them. Abandoned each time my dad refused to pay child support. Unwanted as years went by without visits, phone calls, hugs, birthday gifts.
Unloved and unworthy when my dad broke promise after promise… to visit, to call, to show up for my high school graduation, to pay for college.
Fearful, betrayed, abandoned, unloved, unworthy, and unwanted. Words and emotions that I let define me and cast shadows over me … until July 2011.
Through several of my Pastor’s sermons and through a friend’s father passing away, I sensed God asking: “How would you feel and what would you do if your Dad were to die this very day?”
I had no answer. I didn’t even know or really even think I liked my dad, much less loved him. Fifteen years had gone by since I’d seen him.
Around that same time, God challenged me with two words: ACCEPT and CHOICE
I had a choice and I made it. Following God’s nudging, on July 1, 2011 I went to see my father and accepted him for who he is.
In doing so, for the first time ever, I was able to ACCEPT my past. God made it perfectly clear to me that I could not change my dad nor my past. My only job was to pray for my Dad. I cannot tell you the burden that lifted from my entire being on July 1st.
God took my acceptance one step further. He told me I had a CHOICE!
A choice to believe that He is who He says He is. A choice to believe His promises; a choice to believe I was worth dying for; a choice to be filled with His joy; a choice to let Him be my Father, my Abba Daddy; a choice to live with a confident heart.
And it’s up to me to make those choices 24/7. Not just on Sunday. Not just at 9am when my day starts – but constantly make those choices. So I get up every morning and choose to believe that God is a Promise Keeper. I make the choice – to believe He loves me like no other can nor will, to pray for my Dad, to let go of the anger. I choose to live in the Light of Jesus so I can have a the freedom and security of a confident heart.
There are days, even minutes, that I don’t make the right choices. But the good thing is as I get better and better at making those choices my rebound time gets shorter and shorter. I get quicker at turning back to the Light.
I’m praying for you today – that together we can turn towards and live in the Light of God’s love. That He’ll give us courage to make the choices He’s asking us to make and accept what He’s calling us to accept so that we can keep turning and growing.
Lord, thank You for Your promises. I thank You that You have called me out of the darkness and into Your light. Thank You for transforming my heart into a heart like Yours. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Donna, sweet friend, thank you for boldly believing Jesus and walking in obedient trust of His calling on your life. Your story and your faith challenge and encourage me to listen for His voice and do the hard thing of believing Him when my feelings are demanding their way. I”m so grateful for the Light and the way you walk in Him!
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Connecting in Community & A Giveaway: What is God speaking to your heart as you read Donna’s story o? Or is there something in chapter 5 that resonated with a change, a choice or a place of acceptance God’s inviting you to? Let’s share here and/or some of the answers to our end of chapter questions this week. Whatever is on your heart.
Donna has generously donated 4 copies of my book {for you or a friend?} Winners will be prayerfully and randomly drawn on Monday from comments left below today’s post. Just click “share your thoughts” and do just that. {If you’re reading this via email click here to share, enter and connect.}
PS. Here’s a music video that Donna shared with me – it reminds us of Chapter 5. After you leave a comment, be sure to watch/listen and let it speak to your heart today or when you have a chance later to come back and stay a little longer.
I just read this and ot brought me to tears. I had an instance last July as well. It wasnt with my father figure but it with someone much more dear, my spouse. I can not even begin to explain the extent of all those mentioned emotions as they swirled in my head 24/7. God showed me that I had to forgive and let go. I had to let Him work on things. It was such a revealation and has been with me throughout it all. I still have attacks to this day on my mind and my heart as the devil continues to try and tear it all apart again. Each time, I fight him off and we win with God. Without Him and the hope that He brings I am not sure where we would be today. But I am more than thankful for where we are. We are growing and changing for the better through something the devil meant for harm. God works all for His glory….good and bad. And we are receptive and allowing it. He is leading us into testimony and bringing more to Him. We are looking into ministering to other couples and men and women individually. He has so much in store for us and there is so much glory to be seen through something that was meant only for harm. “All things work together for good: to them that love God.” Romans 8:28
Amanda,
Praising God for His healing in your relationship with your spouse YAY God for showing you that you had to forgive and let go. And praising Him for your obedience to his prompting! Love how He prompts us to do things that are in best interests when we don’t that they are!!
Thanks for sharing!
Donna B
Dealing with some of these same issues right now! Would love to have a copy of your book!
Tamera, praying for God to guide and direct your thoughts and heart as your process through your issues. Praying that your eyes and focus will be directed towards Him.
Donna B
This brought tears to my eyes…I have to admit I had a wonderful and loving, doting father..My children have not been so fortunate…I feel like a total failure at times because I did not intend to have these children then raise them in a broken home. I see my oldest struggling with pure hate..I see the youngest, who is disabled, oblivous to the changes and not being able to cope with what has been forced upon her..I feel powerless to help them as a mother should..I do not know what it is like to have a father who isn’t what he should be..but yet I see it happening to my own children! I want to help them heal..even though the mother bear in me wants to lash out on their behalf! I am, just this week!, struggling to hang on to my relationship with God, questions, hurt, anger…yet I hold on! this was powerful for me..and I just think it was God given..bless you
Lord, please fill Marsha with your strength to hang onto You. Fill her with your courage and your boldness to cope with things as they are and fill her with your love so that she might forgive those that have harmed her. Fill her with your promises in such a way that she can grasp and hold onto those when she begins doubting and questioning you. Protect her kids and their hearts from the hurts. Guide and direct Marsha as she ministers to her children. Give her your eyes to see others through. I pray for her oldest. I pray that you would allow Him to release the hate that is holding in and replace it with your love and your peace. Transform hearts from the inside out for your glory. Fill Marsha with your amazing love so that it overflows beyond measure. Direct Marsha’s eyes to the LIGHT. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Appreciate your story of encouragement. I had to leave my SS class on Mother’s Day because they made everyone go around and say something extraordinary about their mother. After years of hurt and abandonment, what was I suppose to say–I had nothing to say. I left before my turn came and went to a park and cried for an hour. Then recently, I saw a post about this book online and actually purchased it just a few hours ago before reading this post. I am so excited to read it and hoping it will help me as well. I am tired of feeling the burden of rejection.
Traci,
I love God’s perfect timing!! So thankful that you found Renee’s book and purchased it and also found this amazing online study. Praying for God to fill you with His promises as you turn those pages. Also praying for you as you process your past and as you allow God to heal your hurting heart and works His gift of forgiveness in your heart.
So thankful that you joined us on this journey.
Donna B
what a beautiful music video. Donna, your story brought me to think about some of the things from my childhood i have tuskec aeaya nd bot dealt with. as i work through the book, Renee, i hope to be able to face them and forgive and cease the resentment and pain of being fearful and never good enough.
off to finish chapter 5. thank you both:)
Julie,
Praying for God to fill you with His courage and boldness as you face your past. Praying for His strength as you forgive others and praying that He will remove your doubts and replace them with His amazing promises.
Thanks for sharing and I too loved that video and love singing it on Sunday mornings at church.
Blessings,
Donna
This story touched me where I live. The story may be different but the choices are there for me to make too. Thank you for sharing.
Vicki,
So thankful God chose to use my story to touch your heart. Praying for you as you make those right choices one by one. Praying for God to glorify Himself through your choices and your life.
Donna B
So just how can I get past my hurt to make the choice? I have forgiven the person that sexually abused me as a child. I have moved on. I have forgiven My ex husband for betraying me and committing adultery not once not twice but three times last while I was suffering from preterm labor and having been hospitalized to carry my baby to term. But, how just how can I forgive myself. How could I have put myself in those situations? How did I make such bad choices? How did I marry that man and trust in him to be a father to my daughters? How could I have made such a bad choice? I married a man who would be an alcoholic and abusive. See all the things you were saying about your father are how my girls have had to live. He never pays his child support; he is not involved in their lives for the most part. He is drinking and dealing with his new family. He missed birthday after birthday. He would say he is coming to something and not show up. He did make it to my oldest daughter’s graduation 2 years ago only to bring his pregnant girlfriend 15 years younger than him and said surprise you going to be a sister again. My daughter was so upset. When she went away to college he was not there. He could have done something bought her a pack of sheets, but no nothing. And then last year this daughter found herself pregnant. Her father was furious how could she he was too young to be a grandfather. I thought oh why we expect him too he was never their father. Our grandson has since been born and is an amazing blessing from God. How could I have made this choice for them? I have put them both through so much pain. God has blessed me with an amazing husband a godly man. He has been a “daddy to my daughters for the past 15 years. We have parented our girls as well as the two children we have had together. So they know what love is and what a dad is suppose to be. Sometimes this only makes it harder for them. They see everything their real dad is not. Sometimes they even lash out at my husband for being the dad he is. It is not fair but, I understand. The last two chapters have been hard for me. Yes, I have beat myself up for years. I know God wants to heal me but, HOW????At times I felt like Ok I gave it all to god it is over. No, more guilt!! They slowly it creeps back into my life and I am left crying out LORD WHY? I have repented for my poor choices and for not always following his ways. I just need to be set free.
Pray… Pray …. Pray and pray some more! And forgive yourself and extend grace to yourself. Don’t want to be preachy here … but it’s all about the praying and forgiveness. And think on the blessings that God has given you through your choices. Your daughters, your grandson, your new current husband. And let the rest go. Jesus has already died for those choices …. don’t keep hammering in the nails. Lay it all at the foot of the cross …at the feet of Jesus. He loves you and wants to carry those burdens for you. Let Him.
Lord, fill Julie up with your gift of forgiveness for herself. And fill her up so much that the forgiveness flows outward to others. Fill her with your love, your grace, your compassion. Cause Julie to lay those struggles at your feet to not pick them up again. Cause her to focus on you and not on the things that she struggles with. And do the same for her kids. Be the centerpiece for that family. Focus their thoughts on you and your love for them. Allow them to find their worth in You and You alone. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Will continue to pray for you and your family,
Donna B
Thank You Donna bless you. I am refocusing on Jesus and him alone. I am ppraying for him to hold me close and rebuking the lies I am believing. Thanks so much for your prayers.
In Christ,
Julie
Chapter 5 really hit a chord with me! I have always doubted my abilities because of things and situations that have happened in my past. Learning to TURN and believe what God says about me is the only way to break free of doubt and worry and I am going to do just that! And i will have “This little light of mine” playing in my head each time any doubt or fear starts creeping back. FAITH over FEAR! 🙂 Thanks so much for all you do Renee, you are truly a blessing to us all!
Alicia,
Love your FAITH over fear comment!!! Praying for you as break free of those doubts and worry! Thanks so much for sharing,
Donna B
I remember making that same choice with my dad and that seems to have been the easy choice. The harder choices are treating my husband as a man, not another child. They are choosing to go to God first with problems, not my friends. When doubt creeps in it is so hard to remember that I am God’s chosen child! I am not the circumstances I am in, I am a child chosen by the Almighty…thank you for this study!
Kristi,
Thanks for sharing. And yes you are a GOD’s child!! And He loves you like beyond measure!!
Donna B
Dear Donna
Thank you for so faithfully answering each post. You made me feel special with your reply. I did read Psalm 139. There are so many famaliar truths in it. I realized that it is a song the Sons Of Korah sings. I think you would enjoy listening to them. Their songs are all psalms. Psalm 139 is called Still with You. I like to have my bible open and follow along to the psalm they are singing. So glad you are part of our bible study.
Thanks Renee for being a vessel for God’s Word. I know God is making changes in me to become the Proverbs 31 woman He wants me to be! I would love to give this book to my bestie! I already have the e-book. I love it!
Love how you are willing to share Renee’s incredible story with your bestie!!! Love it!!!
Donna B
Wow, thank you Donna for your story, and thank you Renee for sharing it with us. Look at how many of us have such similar childhood nightmares! Mine as not much better and I think I have blocked all the bad out of my mind over the years so I don’t have to deal with it. I know this probably haunting me everyday and I don’t even realize it. My earthly father is no longer living and I regret I never had a relationship with him and to be truthful I have always been jealous of others that had a love for their father, but I have come to know my Heavenly Father and realize He will never let me down. I thank God that I grow closer to him everyday.
Kelly,
So sorry for your loss and your pain. I feel it alongside of you. Praying for God to guide you in letting go of that pain and being filled with His love, His care, His concern, His grace, His mercy and His compassion. Praying for Him to fill you with His boldness and courage to just let it all go, never to pick it up again. Laying it all at is feet…at the cross of Jesus. And I’m praising Him for the work that He has done and is doing in your heart! Praying too that you can let go of that regret as God does not want us to live in a cycle of defeat. Praying for God to finish the work in your heart that He has already started. And we have that promise in His Word to claim as our own.
Thank you so much for sharing your heart with us. Praying for God to do what He does best … heal our hearts and make Himself known to us in new ways.
Donna B
Herbrews 12:2 comes to my mind “Looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
“Be ye holy as I am holy” – this comes with a price, laying down our lives and reputations, taking up our cross and following Him.
Thank you for sharing such a great testimony as it encourages us to push forward for the prize that awaits us when we leave these mortal bodies and join our Faithful High Priest who is making intercession for us daily.
Sharon,
Love those verses!! Thanks for sharing them with us. And yep, we must, we must , we must keep our eyes on the PRIZE – JESUS!!!
Thanks much,
Donna B
Donna,
Thank you for your transparency and honesty. What a blessing you have brought to so many by choosing to share a portion of your life with others as well as your love for Christ. I am thankful to God for the path that He has given us to walk, as it brought us into friendship and we are able to share our lives, our stories, and our love for God with one another and the world. He is so very proud of you, His chosen child, and He has made beauty from ashes in your life. Shine on sister! Shine on! Love ya!!
Deanna,
Love my friend and her encourging words!! Thank you so much for your amazing words and friendship. God blesses me so much in and through the words that He gives you to share others. Love ya back Sista! So thankful and so blessed that He brought us together last August through Renee’s book and Melissa’s online study!
Love ya bunches and bunches.
Donna
“We hesitate to ask others for forgiveness because they might think we’re the only one who did something wrong, and they won’t think they need to change…You can’t go back and change the circumstances or relationships that have wounded you, but you can go back and process the pain with Jesus…the pain from yesterday can keep you from having confident hope for tomorrow.” (CH. 4) “It’s just that when we focus our attention on ourselves, we turn our attention away from God. We leave no room in our thoughts to listen to what He is thinking about us, because we have given that place away to be occupied by other people’s opinions.” Doubt is a weakness, but only because we turn away from Him for a moment (Peter walking on water). Relying on others’ opinions of us will only keep us in the shadow of doubt, because none of us can see the whole picture of another’s life as God can. Process that pain, ask for forgiveness, and keep looking ahead to the confidence He has for us!
Kimberly M,
Thanks so much for sharing. Love how you have made the connections between Chapter 4 and 5 and us having a confident heart! And absolutely love your comment on how we are to keep lookiing ahead to the confidence He has for us!! He is our confidence!! Love that!
Thanks again for sharing,
Donna B
I forgot to add in my earlier comment that I know what it is like to have your parent not know your birthday. I got birthday presents from friends and my mother asked me what the gifts were for — when I told her she asked me when was my birthday. That was really painful when it happened. Maybe it was a blessing though because birthdays are a big deal to me and I make sure that I celebrate them for my children, grandchildren, friends, everyone.
Lora C,
Praying for you my friend! Praying that God would guard your heart, your mind, and your thoughts as you meet with your Mom. Praying that God will direct your steps and help you to choose the next right thing that He wants you to take in order to bring healing to your heart. Praying for God to fill you with His boldness and courage as you forgive your Mom and your kids’ Dad. And for your kids as they process all of this too.
God, go before Lora and make away for the forgiveness to happen. Give her boldness and your courage as she tackles this head-on. Take her hand and guide her steps along this part of her journey to healing. Heal her heart! And I pray the same for Lora’s kids. Move them to forgive and heal them too. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
LORA-
I’m praying for you sister- Your story touched my heart, My Mom passed away in 2005- I’m so glad I was able to love her despite the many hurts of our past we both forgave eachother- And Lora you will attend her funeral one day and you will cry… It’s just how God works in us and through us.
Father- please help heal Lora’s deepest hurts and give her courage to face her Mother- May they be able to press foward and draw close to you Lord, May they both have forgiving hearts. I pray all this in precious Son’s Name Jesus Christ. Amen
Good Luck Lora
Aloha from Hawaii xoxoxox
Thank you for sharing Donna’s story. I am going to print it out to share with my son and daughter. Their father broke so many promises to them and is still doing so. My son has decided not to have any contact with him and hasn’t allowed his father to meet our 2 month old granddaughter. He is supposed to be purchasing a car for our daughter, but I don’t believe it is going to happen since he is dragging his feet.
I also needed this since my mother was physically present as I grew up but she wasn’t there for me. She ridiculed me in front of my friends when I was a teen and abused and neglected me all of my life. I still struggle with self-esteem issues and wonder how she could treat me the way that she did when i love and adore my children so very much. She now wants “to be close”. This is scary for me since my mom can turn on you in an instant. Once I literally had to throw my children into my car and take off from her home because she got angry about something my son did when he was 4. I have struggled with the question of what will I do if she dies. I wasn’t sure if I could /would attend the funeral. I have wondered if I would even cry.
After reading this I know that I need to go and see her–as much as I don’t want to I have to go and deal with all of this once and for all. Thank you again for sharing this.
“I took my eyes off God’s strength and focused on my weaknesses.” I don’t know how many times I do this in a day. I’m not proud of it. But it’s a real struggle. I have a fair amount of head knowledge about Chrisianity. I was raised in a Christian home. Consistently attended church. But I’ve come to realize these past couple of years that I was living my parent’s faith and not my own.
It’s difficult because I used to be a joyful person. Always looking at the positive. Not worrying about things. And now I can’t seem to stop worrying. It’s a struggle because I want that ah-ha moment for things to click. Where my faith outshines any doubts but I’m not there yet. This is an uncomfortable place to be. I won’t give up pursuing the light
Lord,
I thank you and I praise you for Missi and her desire to pursue the LIGHT! Fill her up along the journey. Be her fuel, Flame her desire. Be her JOY. Cause her to focus on you and not herself or others. Lead her. Guide her. Move her head knowledge into your heart knowledge. I praise you and I thank you for the words that you gave Renee in Chapter 2, “The only way we’ll have a confident heart is if we move beyond knowing God and relying on Him – to depending on His Word with our whole heart, mind and soul.” I would make Renee’s plea that you would move the gospel of grace from Missi’s head to her heart. Cause Missi to rely on You and Your Word! Encourage Missi. Strengthen Missi. In your amazing name, I pray. Amen.
For the first time in years I have a joy about the Lord I have longed and prayed for!!! I don’t know why I have struggled so hard to TURN, without success, until now. As I read and reread Ch 5, I am reminded of a Beth Moore lesson one of my friends at work had copied off for me a year & a half ago. In it she illustrates how our thoughts hold us in a prison cell and how God’s truth opens the door of that prison and eventually we are on the outside of it. Anyway, I have known in my head for years that I needed to take my thoughts captive, to quit listening to the voice of lies and darkness in my head. I have known that I needed to get in the Word and find what God says about me, but I always had an excuse and/or an unwillingness to believe Him. Until now! In the Ch 5 section of my journal, I have started writing verses, inserting my name, or me, or mine, or writing His promises in first person (?) so that they are mine alone. I am so excited to get up….the other thing I have struggled with for years…….earlier, so I can seek Him and His promises, His love, His heart for me in the mornings. Honestly, I can’t say that any one particular “past incident” is standing out to me right now, He has taken me through so much already, even in my hard-heartedness, but just getting in the Word and seeking His truth for me……I can feel my perspective of Him changing. I can feel joy returning. I have rediscovered a quiet expectation in meeting with Him that I thought I had lost a long time ago. His Word says that when I seek Him with my whole heart, I WILL find Him!!
Jesus!! Come out , come out, wherever you are!! LOL! 🙂
LaDena,
You have just brought tears to my eyes!! And I am praising Him and singing in His court this morning as to how He has restored His joy to your heart through His words that He gave Renee.
Your post reminds me of His verses in Philippians 4:8 ” Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”.
I have learned to take my thoughts and use His filter in Philippians to process those thoughts. If my thoughts do not match up to His scripture, I throw them away. For example, if I have a thought of being unworthy, I take it and filter it. I ask myself is it noble, is ist pure, is admirable …. and if not, it’s thrown away because it is not of God!
Thanks for sharing your heart and praying for you as you seek Him with your whole heart! He is going to amaze and daze you for His glory!!!
Blessings,
Donna
Thank you Donna!! Now you’ve made me cry!! 🙂
Thanks for those powerful words. It is truly a reminder to me that I have a choice in how I am going to conduct myself irregardless of how anyone else is acting. God calls me to walk in the Light of His Word. Thank you so much for that reminder. God Bless.
Kim Fair
Kim,
So blessed and thankful that God is showing up for you in BIG ways. Keep on walking in the LIGHT!! And keep making those right choices, one by one! And as you do, He is drawing you closer and closer to His Heart!!
Blessings,
Donna B
Thank you for sharing. There are so many hurts in our pasts that we need to choose to give over to the Lord and let Him heal and repair. It is only through our giving all our hearts over to Him do we get the gift of true peace. Something all of us long for but so often don’t go about finding it through our Lords healing.
Chris,
I love how you talk about His peace. He so wants each of us to live in His peace. And you are so right, it goes take us constantly giving our hearts over to Him. It takes action on our part – that surrendering of our will to His will. Thanks for the reminder.
Blessings,
Donna B
One, among many things, that grabbed my heart in chpt 5 was about reciting God’s promise in order to turn our hearts and thoughts toward God and off ourselves. I need to make it a priority to have His promises hidden in my heart. I have horrible fear and anxiety about flying. I avoid it at all costs. Our family is flying to my inlaws this July. I am already fighting the doubt and fear of getting on the plane. As I am reading A Confident Heart, I realize how I need to take my eyes off me and claim God’s promises He has for me. I am thankful for how God is using A Confident Heart and posts like Donna’s to change lives to the glory of God.
Sherri,
Thanks for sharing how God is working in your life and heart. Take a look at Chapter 12 in Renee’s book and read it over and over and memorize some of God’s promises as you face your fear of flying. Take em and claim em in your heart for not only that upccoming plane ride but for your every day walk with Him.
He loves you like crazy!!
Donna B.
Donna,
thank you for sharing that. I saw myself. For years I tried to change people or to get the to see what I see but I realized God reveals Himself to those who are seeking Him not those who aren’t open to Him. My job is not to force or pry just to love. My dad was almost the same way. I received a word that I was to get it right with my dad. I was terrified of my dad. I kept getting the same word. Finally I called and he was so excited to hear from me. He told me so many wonderful things that he never said before that my spirit longed to hear! God knew what I needed. I was also able to process the pain of the past and tell him how I really felt. He apologized to me! I cry just typing this. Not long after we rebuilt our relationship my dad was called home to be with the Lord. I so miss him! I thought God played a bad trick on me to take my dad after we made up. I realize now how much pain I would have felt had I of not obeyed. I feel compassion for my two sisters as they were not willing to process the pain or to have any contact with my father. They are still grieving that opportunity and it was in 2008. I praise God for your sharing and I can’t say enough about a Confidant Heart. Each chapter is like peeling back a layer of a beautiful flower and God revealing yet Himself! He is sweeter than the honey on the honeycomb! I am tasting and seeing that the Lord is good with each chapter and each breakthrough that comes from processing. surrendering and turning toward Him The marvelous light! Thanks ladies and much love to you both!
August Rose,
Now, you have me in tears! Praising God that His plan for you included restoration with your Dad before he passed away. What an amazing gift that He personally gave you. Love how His thoughts and His plans are higher than ours!
So blessed and thankful that God is using Renee and A Confident Heart to reveal Himself in new ways to you. I believe that the message that God has given Renee is one that every woman should read and apply to their hearts and their life. So thankful that God included Renee and her story in my healing.
Have a blessed day and weekend,
Donna B.
August Rose-
I’m so glad that you were able to make it right with your Dad before he was called home- I feel the very same as you, my two siblings still have a chance- I just don’t think they will reach out? I love your saying: My job is not to force or pry but to LOVE…sometimes that’s all that’s left to do… LOVE like Jesus would love!
Thank you for sharing your story too. We are so blesed by Donna B & Renee!
Aloha from Hawaii xoxoxoxox
Gail and Donna,
Thank you very much!!!!! I normally do not post comments. My heart was actually pounding when I wrote the earlier post. But afterwards I felt a release!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Praise God! He is sooooooooo faithful!!!!!
Peace and Blessings to all!
RT
Praising HIM with you RT!!! Thanks for your boldness and courage!!
Donna, I so want to make the right choices and walk in forgiveness! I have been reading the various stories of my sisters in Christ and have been truly touched and blessed! I am praying and looking to the Light as I go from glory to glory. I made the choice to call my mom. Although I did not get an answer (which is typical of her not answering my calls), the most important thing is I called. I did the opposite of what my flesh wanted! I plan to retread chapters 4 and 5 and continue on this healing/forgiving/making right choices journey! Still working out my salvation with fear and trembling!
You and Renee are a God send!
God speed to you, Renee and all of my sisters in Christ who are on this healing journey! God is ABLE!!!
Blessings!!
Donna’s story spoke to me in the sense that we always have a choice, to become bitter or better; to become a victim or a victor; to not forgive and carry that heaviness or to forgive and be set free.
God bless you Donna. Thank you for sharing your story with us. So many people you will encourage with this.
ANA M,
Thank you so much for your kind words and I love your comment about become a victim or a victor. God so desires and gives us every opportunity in Him to choose victory and to walk in victory!!
VICTORY AND FREEDOM IN HIM!!! What a great way to live!!
Donna B.
Thank you for sharing, Donna! I’m 24 and still learning how to accept a “dad” that I don’t even know. A “dad” that I have no recollection of and that I’ll probably never meet – unanswered questions will never be answered.
I looked more into what “Abba Father” means which led me to Romans 8:15-16. I find great comfort in these verses!
Oh, and July 1 is also my birthday! 🙂
xo
Happy Birthday to you on July 1st! A really good day in my calendar these days!! Praying God to fill you will His peace as you deal and live with unanswered questions. Praying for God to fill you with Himself and reveals Himself to you in BIG ways as your Daddy!
Donna B
Thanks for sharing your story, Donna. And thanks for posting it up, Renee. Truly, those words (Fearful. Betrayed. Abandoned. Unloved. Unworthy. Unwanted.) resonated with me back in my childhood years and it has just recently resurfaced with my current friendship struggles. I really needed to hear those two words again: Accept and Choice. I have had good days when I have come to accept and have chosen to believe that God is for me but then crashed and burned whenever the storm hit hard. Indeed, it is truly a choice and I pray for God’s grace to make the right choices day in and day out. I would love to read the book one day. God bless you…
JessCC,
You are so welcomed and praying for you as you make those choices too! Praying God to fill you with His wisdom as struggle with your friendships. Praying that not only to you see God as your Abba Father but that you see Him and experience Him as your friend as well!
He loves you and your heart!
Donna B
Donna –
Thank you for sharing your testimony- I too made peace with my Dad- he was an alcholic, He and my Mom would argue & fight so much I was a kid then- eventually this led to divorce- My Dad had an affair and ultimately broke my mom’s heart- He married that woman he had the affair with. I was angry with him but I loved him so it was so hard not having him around helping me with choices, that Dad’s would help their daughters do? how to fix a flat maybe change the oil in the car-I missed out of hugs, birthday presents, didn’t make it to my graduation either- never gave us child support- we survived on welfare. But when I graduated from High School this was 1982 ( I know I’m dating myself) I made it a point to fly to Louisiana and see my Dad for the first time in quite some time-it was my first trip on a plane going that far away from Hawaii…When I got to the airport my stepmom greeted me? I asked “Where’s my Dad” She said he went to the car – he’s crying he can’t believe your a young woman, he only remembers his baby… When we went to the car my Dad’s eyes were red and so was his nose… I hugged him so so hard- and told him “It’s okay Dad-it’s okay” He said “How can you forgive this old fool” I said I forgave you a long time ago…Daddy… and you are my Hero, today and always! I’m making that trip to Lousiana this December to visit with him again – we have kept in touch since then always talking on the phone mailing letters & cards to eachother – while my brother & sister won’t have anything to do with him, I chose to keep in touch and treat him with love & respect and kindness, it’s been over 20 years since we last saw eachother- I’ve battled Breast Cancer, my Dad would call after each of my chemo treatments to see how I was doing- I love him, no matter what happened in the past… we have to move foward.
So Donna Thank you for sharing such a similiar story… and Thank you for the video- I will hang on to the lyrics:
INTO THE MARVELOUS LIGHT I’M RUNNING,
OUT OF THE DARKNESS
OUT OF THE SHAME
BY THE CROSS YOU ARE THE TRUTH
YOU ARE THE LIFE YOU ARE THE WAY!
“Aloha Ke Akua” “God Is Love”
Aloha from Hawaii oxoxoxoxox
Donna from Hawaii!!!
PRAISING GOD IN MY LOUD VOICE FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR DAD!! And how God has restore your relationship. Love how you love like Jesus!! And YES!!! FORWARD is a great direction to be moving in!!
Big Hugs from the Main Land and save travels here to see your Dad,
Donna B.
Thank you so much Donna! You & Renee truly are heaven sent to all of us women who share the same hurts… To all my sisters in Christ Have a Safe & Fun Filled Memorial Weekend! Pray for our Soldiers serving- may they feel the hand of Jesus upon each of their shoulders- And to all those who have been taken from us too soon, Thank you for serving your country with your life-And all our veteran’s you all deserve purple hearts! God Bless all of you.
ALOHA KE AKUA- “GOD IS LOVE”
Aloha from Hawaii xoxoxoxoxo
Donna you are awesome in Christ! Thanks for sharing your post. I am glad I went to visit my father as well. I pray your family heals and finds the hope we have in letting go of the past. God’s blessings on you in Hawaii and I pray healing for you always! August Rose
August Rose-
What a beautiful beautiful name! I can’t wait to visit my Dad in December! Thank you for your prayers- my two siblings don’t even call him – nor do we keep in touch with eachother. My sister is a drug addict on Meth- I tried so hard to help her- finally I had to give it to God because I can’t help her unless she helps herself-all I can do is pray. My brother- chose to disconnect from the family after my Mom passed away in 2005- He has a lot of anger issues- again I had to give it up to God- I had to pray hard- because I felt the need to fix it-fix my family? But I just couldn’t… I went through Breast Cancer and survived… I did this all on my own,it was the help of friends the helped me through it, because my siblings are the way they are… I forgive them and love them no matter how my heartaches.
On the lighter side of things…. My Dad has beautiful ocean blue eyes and blonde hair… I have light brown eyes and dark-brown hair… it’s so funny when we get together with the family in Lousiana & Mississippi…
God Bless you August Rose- I so love your name 🙂
Aloha from Hawaii xoxoxoxox
Thank you for sharing your story, Donna. I love how you said the time it takes to rebound gets shorter as you get better at Making the right choices! Thank you (and Renee) for also reminding me that I have a choice to make–despite my emotions. We can choose to forgive like you and Renee both have shared, and this leads us into light and freedom. Having choice is very powerful and I know this word was meant to bring freedom to many.
Thanks for sharing the song, too. We sing this worship song at church sometimes, but it hadn’t come to mind as I read. What a perfect representation of all that we are learning about our father and our savior! We are running out of darkness and shame, and oh! What sweet freedom we find there in God’s light. We are free indeed!
BLESS THE LORD, OH MY SOUL, AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME! BLESS HIS HOLY NAME!
Thanks for the encouragement today! Bless you.
Rhonda G,
You are so welcome and thank you for sharing your heart and thoughts here today. I think I am the one walking away so blessed … first by God using Renee and her story to heal my hurts and pain and secondly that God would use mine to heal others. And the best of both of those it that God gets all of the glory!! It is all His doing and His work in and through all of us!
Blessings and hugs,
Donna B
Renee, glad you are feeling so much better, Donna thank you for sharing your story. When I read stories like yours, I think of how many other people are going through times like yours and some worse than others and some have no way out. A verse that kept coming into my mind through chapter 5 reading and than reading your story was Genesis 4:7 ” If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Every time we choose darkness it desires to have us but when we choose light we are in the light and we need to stay in the light. But the mastering of choosing the light is a daily learning and listening to the nudging of the Holy Spirit to help us along~~~~~~~~forgiveness is a hard road but you made the right choice, you chose light.
Susan M,
Thanks for sharing…especially the verse in Genesis. I had forgotten that one. And you are so right on with your comment about mastering our choosing the light – it is a daily learning and listening opportunity for all of us …. And yep forgiveness is a hard road and it took me many years ….
Blessings to you,
Donna B
Your honesty and your heart are absolutely captivating, thank you for sharing!
Elena,
Thank you so much for your kind words. It’s all God and his work in my heart and in my life. He gets all the glory!!
Donna B
DONNA,
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS SO I FINALLY SEE WHAT I NEED TO DO. MY FATHER DID THE SAME TO ME. UNFORUNATELY, NOT TO MY OLDER SISTER. THIRTY YEARS LATER AND HE STILL REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME. BUT IS AT HER HOUSE DOING FOR HER EVERYDAY. I ALWAYS FELT THAT I WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH, LACKING.
I AM STARTING TO FIND MY WAY TO MY TRUE FATHER, GOD AND IN HIS EYES I AM JUST AS I SHOULD BE AND JUST AS HE MADE ME.
THANK YOU TO RENEE AND YOU FOR HELPING ME FIND MY WAY
Praying for you as you let go and let God help you forgive your father and your sister, too.
Praying for you Kay as you deal with your pain. Praying that you will release it and let it go and give it to God and let Him heal your heart. Crawl up into His lap and give it ALL to Him! Prasing Him for your journey to His heart! And YES! Keep your eyes on HIM!!! He loves you like no other can nor will!!
Praying and praising Him for you!
Donna B
Dear Donna,
This is lovely. Your heart is beautiful. Every word of your testimony is life-giving. Thank you for sharing.
You are bold. You are brave. You are more than a conqueror. So grateful for your steadfast to His heart. It’s deep and wide and long and high and never-ending . . . for YOU!!
Much love, Sam
Sweet Sweet Sam Antha!!
I so love your heart and your encouragement! You so shine your light for Jesus and for others! Love your servant’s heart and how you love like Jesus! So blessed to have you in my life. Thankful for your amazing gift of friendship.
Thank you for teaching me to say “Yes” to Him and to His asks!!! Getting excited to your “YES” video to El Salvador and Compassion.
Love ya Sam!!!
Thanks for sharing your story. This is all too familiar for me. I didn’t talk to my dad for years growing up. As an adult I learned that I had to accept him for who he is and pray for him. There is nothing more that I can do. He doesn’t always make the best decisions, but no one does. I can’t judge him. That’s not my job. I think it was easier for me to forgive him because my mom had already forgiven him for the abuse she suffered with him. She is an incredibly strong person and I have learned so much through her. My dad will now tell me, when he’s drunk, how proud he is of the woman I have become. I don’t hear it often, but I know that somewhere in there he really is proud of me. I have to remember that he doesn’t know how to show love and that’s ok. My children now sit on his lap and love on him, which makes him feel uncomfortable, but I think he really enjoys it 🙂
Thanks for this incredible book. It has really opened my eyes and my heart.
Tricha,
Thanks for sharing your story.Love how God has given us both the same instructions when it comes to our Dads.
And I too love Renee’s book and stories. She makes it so real and she is so transparent. And I just love her heart! She makes me smile, laugh and cry all with the same sentence!
Praying for you as your continue in your A Confident Heart journey!
Blessings upons blessings for you,
Donna
Donna- thanks again for your message of hope! My question for you is can you expand on what you did in regards to the date July 1,2011? I guess what I struggle with in regards to my past is how does one forgive and then never re- visit that past pain? I see myself in your story and God- willing I can move forward to accept and choice just wondering and looking for insight!
Julie
Julie,
I live in Kansas City, Missouri and my mom, sisters and Dad live in Texas. And I don’t get home but a couple of times a year, three times at the most. God kept prompting me to go see my Dad. And my Dad lives a couple of hours from my oldest sister. And in the past, I flat out refused to use “my vacation” or as my mind would tell me, “waste my vacation days” on my Dad. Besides, he never used his on me … yes, I can and did justify so much when it came to my Dad. My heart was concrete hard!! And I knew that I would never go see him by myself because we would have nothing to talk about … dead silence in my mind … yes more justification. So I called my sister as she always hosts a party for the family on the 4th and told her that I wanted to go see him while I was in town. And she about fell out in shock that I wanted to see him!
So we scheduled the visit for July 1st, 2011 out of convenience for both my sisters and off we went to visit him. My little sister picked him up at the nursing home and we all meet at the local restuarant for lunch. His two sisters and one of my cousins that I hadn’t seen in about 25 years or so also meet us there.
So that’s why it was July 1st and why the date stuck out to me! It was one of the largest turning points in my life outside of accepting Jesus into my heart!
And I was just getting ready to lead “A Confident Heart” in my home and had just signed up for Melissa Taylor’s online study of A Confident Heart. God was so preparing my heart for this study and the truths that Renee had laid out in the book. It was all such a God thing! There is so much more to the story and how God used Renee and her story to impact my decision to not only see my Dad, but also forgive, accept and to continue to make the right choices.
And trust me, I will re-visit my past pain again….probably about Father’s Day this year and then again around July 1st as I head home for my nephews baby shower.. . but I now know what triggers my doubts and my behaviors so I can now anticipate the feelings, the doubts, the anger but as I stated earlier, the rebound time will be less. Renee will share more on triggers in a future chapter.
This is probably more info that you needed … but I ramble alot … sorry … hope this helps you and I will be praying for you as your move forward toward the LIGHT …. the key is to never loss sight of the LIGHT!!
Praying dear sister,
Donna
I never realized how much God loved me till he gave me a revelation about it about a year ago… He opened up my eyes and my heart to see how much he loved me after I had stepped out of his will. God loves us so much, so much to spank us when we rebel… to chastise us. I’m so thankful for God’s love. He is the light, and I truly believe when you step out of God’s will, and you truly come back to him with a repenting heart he will take your wrongs and make them right again.
Question # 5 Answer:
When I read the statement in this section that said, “It’s important for us to realize that damaged emotions and insecurities from our past have a powerful influence over how we see ourselves today…” a memory popped into my mind from my past. I dated a guy for about 5 years, and from the beginning to almost the end of it, he always belittled me. He always made me think I wasn’t pretty enough, smart enough, that I talked too much, that I had no worth or significance. I noticed at the time when he would say things that hurt me, I would only get sad or hurt. Some words would make me cry, or really sad. But little did I know how they would “infect” me later on, because I didn’t deal with them at the time. I’m pretty good about always putting a smile on my face even when I don’t feel like smiling. I always wants to help others, or lift others up, and sometimes a smile will do just that. I see how important is to surround yourself with people that ‘affect’ you for the good, and not “infect” you for the bad.
Just like a sickness, you get an infection… People we hang out with either affect us for the good, or infect us for the bad. What friends are we associating ourselves with? Are they helping us grow in the Lord?… or are they infecting us with their sickness. They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. What are we allowing others to put in our hearts and minds? It’s not the things that go in a man that defileth him, but the things that come out of the heart. Just felt led to share this…
Kim,
WOW!! Thanks so much for sharing! Praising Him for how He has revealed Himself and His love to you! I love how He uses different things in our lifes to reveal Himself to us!
Thanks so much for sharing your heart and your life with us.
Blessings,
Donna B
When I read stories like that it amazes me. What people have to go through, how people are shaped, and molded. What an amazing story! Thank you for sharing. I “struggle” to relate in some ways, because I feel as though I don’t have a story to tell. Plain Jane & simple…… and yet I struggle daily, lacking in confidence, lacking in trust…… worrying, etc……
I am very much enjoying this study!! Thank you!!
Laurie,
I think you have a story. You will be amazed at the lifes you touch and not even realize that you are touching them.
And I’m thinking that God just used your honesty above to touch someone’s heart in this group. You are not alone in your struggles and I admire your courage and boldness in sharing them. Keep turning those pages in A Confident Heart and I’m praying that God will increase your confidence with each line read!
Thanking God for your courage to share your heart!! And praying for God to increase your belief in Him, your trust in Him and your confidence in Him and in yourself. Praying he takes those doubts away and replaces them with His promises. Cheat a little and read and re-read the promises that Renee shares with us in Chapter 12. She won’t mind that you took a sneak peak at it. I use Chapter 12 every day to beat back my doubts.
Praying for you and thanking Him for you!
Donna B
Rejected, abused, abandoned, unloved, unwanted but one day Like Donna, God showed me that I had a choice. Other people’s words and actions do not define me. God’s love embraced me, His son died for me, I am His daughter, loved beyond life itself. He chose me, wants me and has promised over and over never to leave me. I remind myself daily that I have a choice; I choose to trust Him. I love the promises of His word, in Jesus I am a new creation, I don’t have to understand this life, just trust the one who holds my future and accept His love for me.
Praising God for you and with you! I love how He works in our lifes! Thanks for sharing.
Donna B
Reading Nehemiah this week Chapter 1…I have read it for years…yet, for the first time I noticed it has an amazing prayer in Chapter 1:5 through 11….great cleansing prayer…for life….. Also praying for you through the cough. Hope you know the importance of getting a Whooping cough booster. The one we receive as a child needs a “booster.” I received one a few years ago when I was having my updated Tetanus shot. A lot of these “prolonged coughing episodes” can be possible “whooping cough.” Praying for a quick recovery so you can give that beautiful Aster a hugggg!!!!
“A choice to believe that He is who He says He is. A choice to believe His promises; a choice to believe I was worth dying for; a choice to be filled with His joy; a choice to let Him be my Father, my Abba Daddy; a choice to live with a confident heart.” By Donna, Your testimony show the cast of doubt and shadows in life, but turns with courage and confidence. Praise the Lord for your strength and your testimony. I have a shadow of doubt that continues to haunt me, in regards to a family relationship situation. I have peace in my heart after admitting for my part in the mistake, for asking for forgiveness from those affected and for lots of praying to our Lord. But my doubt comes from not knowing if I will ever be welcomed again. This is the part of my past that I am having difficultly with. Your words ACCEPT and CHOICE, hit hard at home with me, I have learned and become closer to the Lord with this situation, and I continue to work on forgiveness to release the anger and hurt daily. Thank you for your story this gives me hope and faith, that God is the light to follow forever, even in difficult times or good times. Lifting up prayers for our sister in Christ, especially those in our bible study, that the Lord touches each ones heart and each will continue to seek God as their light for each and everyday. May the Lord continue to bless you, Donna, God Bless, your sister in Christ
Pam Z,
So blessed by your encouraging words. So thankful for you and for allowing God to use you. Praying for you and you continue to do the next right GOD thing with your family relationship. Praying for you as wait patiently for Him to do the work and as you pray for your family. Praying for God to continue the growth in your heart and in your life.
Thanks again for your encouragement.
Donna B
Donna thank you for the prayers,your thoughtful words of prayer bring tears to my eyes, God Bless w Love Sister in Christ……
Just when I think all is going to be resolved, the doubt flares up again. Again, it has brought pain fo myself and my daughter. Please pray that situation can be resolved in our hearts, in our love for our family not matter what has happened in the past, and that forgiveness with hope is placed in each of our hearts. For I have shed more tears with the question that have been ask in regards to our character… the pain endured and the escape was to run and hide, sit and cry, but I found that turning to God and discussing it with my daughter brought hope for ourselves, but the doubt still lingers for others. Thank you in advance for the prayers. God Bless
I have a lot of forgiving and work to do on letting go of my past too. I would love to read this book.
Angie Hite,
We are all a work in progress with the forgiveness and the letting go. I always have to remember that those are a choice as well. Choices that I am faced with every day. Praying for you as you forgive others just as God forgave you.
Blessings
Donna
Blessings, Donna you said everything one needed to here like if God painted the picture of my past to you, missing out on his love made me not trusting anyone wh osays they loved me with out a a catch and believe it or not i was hard for me to trust that God really loved me but what you said was true, we all have that choice to believing in our Creator and acept the past in order to move on, these words made me see and understanding that i need to stay away from the darkness where i was once and remine in the light i am in presently, that all we are going throu is a test and blessed if he/she that are been tested, thank you for your encouraging words may God continue blessing you and yours
Angie,
It’s all God and how He also chooses to use us! I am very humbled, blessed and honored that God would use me to honor and glorify Himself and to change the hearts of others just as He used Renee and her words to change my heart for His purposes.
Praying for you as you seek the LIGHT and stay in the LIGHT! Praying for God to heal your heart and hurts as only He can. He loves you so much!!
Donna B
Donna thanks, both you and Renee are blessed for allowing us to feel and see that we are not alone, thank you both for allowing God to used your temple to help us, and allowing us to open up to things we wish to scream out and say but could not. for as short as chapter 5 is it hurt me the most so far (have not read the others yet) more than chapter 4 cause it took me back to all past pain from grandma to dad to first, second and third love to be with one now and keep comparing him to what they did to me waiting to see when he will, hit, cheat, lie, used or pretend that he love me to my surprise he is totally different, but truthfully my sister remind me he is not mind my kids are not mind for all is borrowed God give and He can take away, so enjoy God’s blessing for now and know someday He might take it/them away, Father in the name of Jesus I thank You for Your loving kindness I thank You for the hearts for all that knows You and all that don’t, You said that if 99 sheep’s are save and 1 out of the hundred got lost You will go out and look for him/her, so Father if any of us is that 1 lost sheep Father God my prayer is that you take us out of the darkness that have us lost and give us that light to lead us back to You, Father may you strengthen us to do Your will in the name of our Lord Jesus this I pray in Jesus precious name Amen
Oh Donna…praise God for your faith and your freedom in forgiving. What painful memories…and yet, God’s call to forgive, because He truly knows what’s best for us. He is our perfect Father. My mother was the one who I had to learn to forgive. Actually, I too chose…to obey God. I knew He was calling me to it. Even though I had to forgive over and over again. Mom stopped by almost daily, though I asked her to respect my boundaries and would feel panicked when I saw her heading toward my door. She was emotionally abusive–critical, hysterical, angry, blaming, and sometimes vicious. She did not know how to love. Now Mom has Alzheimer’s. She is finally on the meds she probably should’ve been on for many, many years. Her memory fails her miserably…and yet, she is happier and kinder than she’s ever been before. Now, at 53, I can enjoy my sweet 81-year-old mother, who never utters a critical word. She’s a pleasure to be with. It’s pretty unbelievable…and a gift that has smoothed over a lot of the past hurts. Bless you!
Elise,
So thankful for you and how God is using you to love on your Mom even through the past hurts. I love how God works things out for His glory and for His purposes in all of our lifes. Praising Him for how He has filled you with His forgiveness and how you have extended that forgiveness to your Mom. Praying for you and for your daily choices as well.
Thanks for blessing me and others in this group with your amazing story of forgivness and love.
Donna B
You story has been so thought provoking for me. I had always thought that the abuse that I have suffered was because of me. I am going to sit down with pen and paper and list the people in my past and present that have hurt and abused me and write down things about them that make them who they are and look ad see why they are like they are and this is myself included! I will then try to accept these people for who they are and maybe finely let go of some of the pain and emotional bagage that I have been carrying around! I have always tried to keep the peace and it seems to have always turned on me. I know this may sound crazy but after suffering physical, mental, emotional, 2 unfaithful husbands, the easiest for me to deal with was the physical abuse because the bruises and pain would go away when the pain from the other did not! Luckily I was not severly physically abused. i would not tell people what was going on either so I feel like it was my fault there too. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us because it has really touched my heart deeply and opened my eyes!!
God, I thank you for Jan and her desire to seek after you and your will. Give her your eyes to see others through. Give her the courage and the boldness to forgive others as you forgive and forgave her. Fill her with your love and let her extend that love to others that you have placed in her life. Fill her up with yourself, your grace, your mercy, your compassion, your understanding, your love. Show Jan how to extend these things to others. Heal her heart. Draw her close to you. Use Jan so that others will see you in her. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Donna, thank you so much for praying for me. I did not get to check yesterday but I really needed it this morning! I start counciling this morning and I feel that God has led me to this lady and I can not wait to start! I am going to pring out your prayer and read it every day, maybe several times a day! Thank you again so much.
My session was more than I could have ever expected! i can not wait until next week. There were so many things that she opened my eyes and heart to this morning. I know that this will be an ongoing process but it was such a great start! She made me see that I really am worth something. God created me and that I am wonderful and I do bad things but that does not make me worthless. She helped me understand not to allow other people to make me feel worthless, belittle me, or hurt me in any way. The first day of the rest of my life started today! I praise God for this!!
Reading Donna’s story makes me think about all the children who were abandoned, who have never met their father, or don’t know why he is not in their life, and don’t know our heavenly Father either. If only we could give them all the gift of knowing their Heavenly Father, as each of us do.
Dawn, I love the reminder and I so agree with you. I volunteer with the Global Orphan Project and have been to Haiti three times after the hurricanes and the earthquake. And the last time I went, we organized and lead approximately 120 orphans with a week of Vacation Bible Church. I also financially support 6 little Haitian girls. Love them and miss them. Haiti unfortunately has deemed and labeled unadoptable. It’s sad …. And not sure if you know Renee’s and Aster’s story. Renee, JJ and their boys adopted Aster from Ethopia. Love Renee’s heart for adoption and Aster! Brings tears to my eyes when I see pictures of her!
Hi, I have just read Donna’s journey of faith and release form the past and how it affected her relationship with her father. That is truly amazing and blessed me so much. While reading her words I thought of a young friend of mine who is held back by her past and in particular by her parents lack of care and support for her as she grew up .I so long to see her released from the unforgiveness and bitterness in her young heart.That day will come. So it was especially encouraging to read the process of how donna arrived at that point , even naming the date specifically. I think my job now is to pray in faith for my young friend that she too will arrive at a point where she too will name the date of her turning point and be able to move forward and have a renewed relationship with her parents, in particular her father. Thanks.
Christine, praying alongside you! Love you heart towards your friend and her parents. Can’t wait to you get to share that turning point date with Renee and I.
May God bless and restore that relationship for His glory.
Donna B.
I have a ‘choice’. A choise to turn from doubt, anger, depression, fear, worry, self-pity. A choice to belive God’s word. A choice to walk in the light, instead of the shadow of my doubts. (learning, learning, learning…)
Thank you Stephanie for what I needed to
hear… I’m reading another book now & it is now talking about “choices.”
Think that God is talking to me? Thanks again for your comment. I don’t feel
so alone!
Susan,
God loves you and you are so right. You are never alone! He is there and walks every step with you!
Blessings,
Donna
YAY God and YAY Stephanie!!
Wow-just read Donna’s story-made me cry for that little girl.
I wanted to hug her and love her thru it all. In chapter 5 it says,
“its important to realize that damaged emotions and insecurities
from our past have a powerful influence over how we see ourselves
now.” I am living that statement. Feelings of low self-worth haunt
me. I was a sensitive child who was told not to feel the way I did.
I was made to feel shame over how “different” I felt. I wish I could tell
that little girl that she was special because God made her-even with
her sensitivity. I felt and still feel “wrong.” I look at others who seem to
look to God for love and support -how can I get there
too???????
Susan,
I’m feeling the hugs! Thank you so much for your tender heart! God gave you your sensitive heart! Take it and claim it, you will be amazed at how God uses your tender heart to show His love!
Not only are you SPECIAL, but you are LOVED by the Creator of the universe, ADORED by the King of Kings, CHOSEN by a God who loves you like crazy, and REDEEMED by the love and blood of His amazing son JESUS!
And it’s in all of these things, that God had given you the CHOICE to BELIEVE Him!! A CHOICE to TRUST Him!!
Turn to the LIGHT and keep turning to the LIGHT! Turn towards His heart and He will let you find Him, choice by choice, hour by hour , day by day.
Praying for you and hugging you back!
Donna B.
Donna-Thank you for sharing your testimony with us. I admire to be so open about what you are going through. Will be praying for you. Thanks for sharing and God Bless!
Shannon, thanks for the prayers! Taking them and claiming them.
And please know that I, along with Renee, will be praying for each of you.
Keep turning those pages and keep your eyes on the LIGHT,
Donna B.
That took so much faith and guts to make those changes. It is so hard to accept some things until we let go and live by faith through God knowing that he will always be there for us. You are so brave.
Cassie,
It is all God – His faithfulness, His strength and His grace! I love His promises in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.” and in Philippians 4:13 “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me”. It’s when we rely on Him that He does His best work in and through us.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words.
Donna B.