New Article: “In the Fullness of Time…”
Awhile back, I mentioned that Mentoring Moments for Christian Women invited me to become one of their staff writers.
“In the Fullness of Time” is my most recent publication at MMCW.
I hope you will read, comment, and share.
And if you haven’t already subscribed to Mentoring Moments, I encourage you to do so.
Big hugs,
Daphne
Accountability… Who Needs It?
My heart hurts, I have a knot in my throat, and I want to cry.
I’ve just learned that a dear friend–one I haven’t talked to in a long time–is now leading a self-destructive lifestyle.
My heart hurts for her. I never would have imagined this. I saw a picture of her today and she looked…totally different from what I remember.
I know she is responsible–as are each of us–for our actions, but I’ve got to wonder… Where where her friends–myself included, her family, her pastor? Did anyone talk to her about the road she was headed? Did anyone even bother to ask her what was wrong? Even more, did she seek out help? Did she feel safe enough to say she was hurting? Did she…?
Dear one, I don’t know the answers to any of those questions. But it certainly reminds me of experiences in my life when I was hurting. Divorce. Depression. Trauma. Illness. Did anyone approach me and ask what was wrong? Did anyone say, “I’ve noticed you are having a difficult time. Do you want to talk about it?” Did my pastors counsel and encourage me? Even more, did I seek out help? Did I feel safe enough to say I was hurting? Did I take down my mask of seeming perfection and share my struggles with trusted friends? Did I…?
Some of these answers might be, “Yes.” Others might be, “No.” And yet others might be, “Kinda.”
Regardless, silence prolongs pain–mine, my friend’s and yours.
“When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long” (Psalm 32:3).
I know it can be awkward to approach someone about their personal struggles, but wouldn’t we want the same?
“Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path” (Galatians 6:1).
Dear ones, we are not meant to fight our battles alone.
“A friend loves you all the time, and a brother helps in time of trouble” (Proverbs 17:17).
“Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together. If one falls down, the other can help him up. But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help. If two lie down together, they will be warm, but a person alone will not be warm. An enemy might defeat one person, but two people together can defend themselves; a rope that is woven of three strings is hard to break” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
If you are hurting, reach out to someone–a friend, family member, coworker, pastor, or a counselor.
If you see someone hurting, reach out. Please come alongside them. Please love them. A hurting person is just that–a real person, someone’s son or daughter, someone’s husband or wife, someone’s friend–God’s creation.
None of us is exempt from suffering. None of us is exempt from temptation. None of us is exempt from falling (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Accountability… Who needs it? We all do.
Come alongside… Are you hurting? What steps can you take to reach out? Do you know someone who is hurting? How can you reach out to them? Will you forward this post to them? Will you love them?
Music to Encourage You to Open Up
Guest Post: From Pornography to Testimony
Today is the first of my guest posts. I “met” SundiJo Graham by discovering her blog. SundiJo is a writer and speaker who loves Jesus. Her story is one of redemption. She survived sexual abuse, a broken relationship with her alcoholic father, abandonment, fear, pride, a food addiction, and more. She shares her testimony to offer hope, lead others to experience a transforming relationship with Jesus, and provide a dose of laughter along the way. I’m honored to have her share her heart with you today and hope you will be blessed by her story, “From Pornography to Testimony.”
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From Pornography to Testimony
by SundiJo Graham
The words of Brandon Heath’s “I’m not who I was” is rolling around in my head.
This weekend I was reminded by an old friend whom I haven’t seen in years about some things of my past – some not so great things. He brought memories back to me that I wasn’t proud of. Flashbacks filled my mind as I read his words to me. As he laughed about those memories, my heart broke and I started to let shame fill my soul.
As the color drained from my face and I fought to hold the tears back, God reminded me that I had two choices:
- Let the devil steal my joy
- Move forward and remember the forgiveness I have received
For a brief moment I chose option one.
Only for a moment…
For the past few days I have been thinking about the grace and forgiveness God has given me. Undeserved grace. All the things I have done in my past and He still loves me. Wow!
Ten years ago I had a dream to run my own business. Do you know what I wanted to do?
I wanted to own my own porn shop.
No joke..
I had it all planned out. The name. All of it. Guess what else?
I made those plans while I wore a cross necklace around my neck.
I had no idea what I was doing. I had no clue how deep into darkness I was. But today I realize. God pulled me out of a pit that I didn’t even realize I was in.
It’s amazing how our dreams change as God changes us.
Today I dream of sharing Jesus with hurting women. I dream of traveling the world sharing my testimony. I dream of millions of hurting people reading my book. Not for my glory, but for God’s.
2 Corinthians 5:17 reads,
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Can I get a resounding amenah?!?
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Come alongside…What dream has God changed in your heart? Comment below…
New article published: Are we beyond help?
I’m honored to have an article published in the Celebrate Recovery Blog at First Baptist Church at the Mall. I hope you’ll take a look.
Click the following link: Are we beyond help?
Come alongside… When have you felt beyond help?
I look forward to your comments.
Hugs,
Daphne
If I text him, he will answer… Won’t he?
After not having my cell phone for two days, I decided I needed to catch up on texting my boyfriend, the love of my life. So once I got my cell phone, I thought I could just get to exercising my thumbs again on the number pad. Not so. First, I had to manually enter my boyfriend’s number because it hadn’t transferred on the memory card from my old cell phone. Not a problem. His was the only phone number I actually knew from memory. (Sorry, mom and dad.) So once I programmed his number, I could move on to texting….
(Oh, some back-story first: My boyfriend had been traveling for work going on 8 weeks, and he was due back that weekend. Earlier in the week, we talked about a story he had written.)
Day 1
- 10:23 am — Sweetheart, got your message. How I love you, my prince! Can’t wait to read your story. 🙂
- 1:53pm — Oh, love. How I miss you.
- 10:27pm — My love… Thank you for all your love and support.
Day 2
- 6:57am –Benj, my prince… Have a God-filled day, my love, my spiritual leader.
- 8:34am — Mi amado, cuanto te extraño. Te veo pronto, mi querido. Tuya siempre, Daphne
- 5:53pm — Hi, sweetness. How I love you!
- REPLY: 5:55pm — Who is this???? I do not know u
- 5:57pm — Huh?
- 5:58pm — Sorry. Wrong number.
- 6pm — So, so sorry.
- 6:01pm — Hi, my love. Got something funny to tell ya. :p
Aah, yes…. I accidentally entered a 3 as the last digit, instead of an 8. Sigh. No wonder the love of my life didn’t respond to any of my text messages. No wonder he didn’t mention any of them in any of our conversations throughout the day or at the end of the first night during our usual goodnight conversation. No wonder I felt ignored. No wonder.
Many times, I’ve felt that God has ignored my cries for help as well, dear one. I keep telling Him how much I need Him, how much I love Him and how much I’m struggling – be it physically, emotionally, in relationships, you name it, but I don’t see Him responding. It seems I’m the only one talking, nothing’s changing, and He’s turned His back on me. Who is this? I don’t know you.
But God does know me. And He does knows you, dear one. While we are still speaking, He hears us (Isaiah 65:24). Our cries come before Him and into His ears (Psalm 18:6), and He accepts our prayers (Psalms 6:9). He will not reject us or withhold His love from us (Psalm 66:20). He is near to all those who call on Him, to all those who call on Him with all their hearts (Psalm 145:18). Who is this? Aah, yes… My child.
Prayer: “Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul” (Psalm 143:7-8).
Come alongside…. When have you felt ignored by God? How did you handle it? What Biblical truth can you apply when you feel that way again?
