Take Root and Write

All or Nothing

 


Sometimes, deciding on a subject that will hit home for women who are living through any stage of the divorce process is difficult. I believe that all Christians know in some degree, that our Lord is there and that we should ask for His help when times get tough.

Well, it is my belief that the "some degree" part is where the problem lies because "some degree" just doesn't touch what we as Christian women need to understand about our relationships with our Lord. It's time to toss that "some degree" in the junk basket because the love bestowed upon us by Him is the only unconditional love that we will ever experience in our lifetimes. We need to find wonder and appreciation for that love as we are consumed by it's enormity and intensity each and every day of our lives. How we live our lives is not a  theatrical event where we use scripts to declare our love for Christ on a stage, in front of an audience. What He has offered to us is a marriage and a bond that is forever and not in "some degree" but in totality and for eternity.

So often, people proclaim their faith and their love for our Lord and then in "some degree" prove otherwise by their actions.  True love is selfless and forever and that is exactly the kind of love that Christ has offered to each and every one of us.When we least expect it, He sends "someone" or "something" to help us.

We Need To Be Open To Him When We Need Him The Most.

Ladies, I must apologize because I have had major writer's block. I have been spending umpteen hours on the computer and to be honest, my hands, elbows and back have been in a lot of pain. I guess, I have been feeling a bit sorry for myself. Yes, I slipped into that old "poor me" syndrome. While I was wallowing a bit, one of my children arrived on the scene to help me. He spent a few days taking over my computer and making things happen. At the ripe old age of eighteen, he said that his eyes burned after spending so much time looking at a computer screen. All I could think was, Little do you know.

He asked me why I didn't have a mouse for my laptop. I looked at him and said that there is a mouse on the laptop. He informed me that he wasn't  talking about the little 2x3 inch mouse on the laptop but rather a regular mouse that plugged into the laptop. He spoke of the kind of mouse that moved around and wouldn't cause my hand to cramp. He explained that it wasn't normal or healthy to hold my fingers or hands in such a position for too long. Cutting to the chase, he advised me that if I purchased that kind of mouse, it  would eliminate the pain and cramping that I was experiencing. 

Stormy Seas or Seas of Tranquility? Your Choice!

When we were married, we made promises to our husbands and they to us. Many of us said vows like, "To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part. And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness." Many of us lived by those vows and were loyal and honest to our promises. Then something happened...divorce.

For whatever reason, we found ourselves living in a different world with different rules and we were lost and afraid. We were so sad because nothing was the same. Oh, wait!!! Something was the same. Some of us sooner and some of us later, discovered that there was only one constant and that some of the rules still applied. When we embraced and held tightly to our relationship with God, we were no longer like "ships in a storm." As we placed more and more trust in Him, our courage and and resiliency strengthened.  Suddenly the turbulent waters of our days, were transformed into a "sea of tranquility." We became enveloped in a warming serenity as we experienced what felt like a sunrise and a brand new day and a brand new beginning.

Why? Because we finally figured out that there is no human being that is capable of the kind of unconditional love that has been bestowed on us by our Lord. The only unconditional vow is His to us: "Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment'"  (Matthew 22:37).

Our Mistakes Can Be Our Greatest Gifts

Each day and each moment, God offers us the chance for new beginnings. After all, it’s not the mistakes that we make in life, that are important. It is what we learn from those mistakes that counts. What is even more significant is what we do to create a better tomorrow because of the lessons we learned yesterday. Maybe this is a small example but in my last column, I mentioned the fact that while taking pictures of God’s art work on an icy day, I tried to exclude my clothesline from the pictures. Our dear Lord had to practically hit me over the head in order for me to focus my camera on that breathtaking icy cross. What did I learn from that? The answer is easy. I learned that in the past, I had all too often missed “seeing the forest for the trees."

I became acutely aware of the fact that for each of us to grow in faith, we must accept the fact that God is always there to offer us strength in a multitude of ways. We must be vigilant in keeping all of our senses open in order to experience the countless gifts that He bestows on us each and every day. So back to the clothes line lesson, I learned from my previous mistake and since that day, I have been on the lookout for more and more signs from Him. Today, I put my handicapped dog “Rugby” outside. When I went back to get him, I saw this picture. When I saw the shadow of the cross in the picture, I realized that if I not made the earlier mistake, I would have missed God’s newest gift to me. The bottom line is that we must not beat ourselves up because of our mistakes. Instead, it is essential that we should consider those mistakes true blessings from God.

"Behold, thou desires truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom" (Psalm 51:6).

Christmas and the New Year are the Perfect Times To Welcome New Beginnings!

Since this column is about New Beginnings after divorce and now is such a perfect time to think of new beginnings as the birthday of the Christ Child and the welcoming of the new year have arrived.  One of the hardest things that anyone faces during a divorce is attempting to keep the faith. It is especially difficult during the holidays. We can feel happier if we just try to enjoy God’s obvious gifts such as little children, blue skies, sunshine, a smile, the love and loyalty of animals and our friends. His love is there and will strengthen us with every step that we take but we must BELIEVE.

Today, I experienced a wonderful example of New Beginnings and how God is ever present. This morning as I took my dogs out, I saw all of the trees covered with ice and everything was gray and dismal looking. I thanked God for the gift of being able to see the ice covered trees.

Then, as He does so often, I thought I heard Him say, “You haven’t seen anything yet!” All of a sudden, the sun came out and its’ brightness turned the icy trees into a magnificent work of sparkling art that only God could create. I ran inside to get my camera and began to take pictures as I thanked God for this splendor over and over again.

Then something hit me. I was thinking about the bleakness that I felt during the divorce process. I remembered that when I was able to BELIEVE and TRUST in the Lord, that things changed. It was similar to the bleakness that I had felt before the sun came out this morning. 

Intro: New Beginnings After Divorce

 

Divorce can shatter any woman as she experiences the devastation of her family and her life. The divorce process is competent in its' ability to envelop a woman and plant the seed of disbelief in her heart. The pain of a failed marriage is capable of pushing a woman into a quagmire of distrust in people and the Lord. The aching can be so intense that it fosters doubt in God's love. When a woman is suffering through feelings of being alone, afraid, abandoned, angry, betrayed and of little worth, she becomes vulnerable. This is the very time that a woman must not turn away from God but toward Him. It is the time to trust, believe and lean on the Lord for guidance and strength and courage. It is astounding to come to the realization that Divorce might actually be one of God's dearest gifts. This column is to share and support women in each and every stage of divorce so that ultimately each and every woman can realize that with divorce, God gives the gift of new beginnings!
"Casting all your caring upon Him; for he will careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7

By, Claudia Broome

Column Posted Every First and Third Friday of each Month

New Beginnings After Divorce Group Meets in Christian Women Take Root.