If I have learned one thing recently, it’s that sometimes to have true freedom you have to let go of everything that felt was right to move forward to explore what God’s bigger plan is for you.
An example: When my children were little I would always tell them not to touch the stove because it was hot and they would get burned. It wasn’t until they touched the stove did they learn from it.
Life is like a stove and sometimes the people we choose or feel are the one that was meant for us is not really the ‘hot’ we need in our life. They burn us. It’s up to us as children of God to see what he is trying to teach us.Sometimes it takes us longer to learn the lesson and we get burned on the stove a few times.
I have always told my closest friends, you don’t need a man in your life to be complete. There is a difference between Needs and Wants. You need shelter, food and water you only want a man.
We are human and sometimes we feel that is what we need to be complete in life, but it’s much deeper than that. We have to learn to love ourselves before we can love anyone else!
If you believe in God you know you are never alone because he is with you and never leaves you! We may not feel him around us all the time but all we have to do is be still and listen.
My life may not be what I want it to be at all times but it is how God has planned it and in his plan everything is as it should be. Until we are ready to let our lives be his we will continue to repeat the same mistakes over and over again until we learn from them.
Unfortunately there are some who will never learn this lesson because they would rather believe what they think their heart is telling them. But if they put it in God’s hands and ask him to open their eyes they won’t see which path they need to be traveling on.
Today has been one of those days which has been harder than others for me.
I can't begin to explain the feelings of being alone have been more than I can bare today... Or at least I thought so until I reached out to a few friends.
I thank God for putting people in my life who don't judge me and have blessed me with a peace around my heart. I'm still taking it moment by moment right now.
I gave my heart to another who spoke of the future and what we where going to as we grow old together. Instead I learned it was all a lie and now I find myself trying to focus on me.
I've lived my whole life putting others first.. My kids, my husbands (Yes I had two) friends and even strangers!
I know God has a lesson in all of this and I'm trying to keep my eyes open to what he has in store for me. I do believe he won't give me more than I can handle. My faith thru this all has not wavered... I am human and the pain seems to be overwhelming at times.
I met one of the women who had been hurt and lied to also. She made me make her a promise to not stab her in the back and to be there for her. I have reached out to her but with no response in return. I will keep my promise to her and I know she will be reading this post. My prayer for you is the same for myself... That God put a good Christian man in my life to spend the rest of my life with. One who isn't selfish, one who is honest thru and thru, one he has chosen just for me!
Over the years when I have had low points I find writing is the best therapy there is for me. I'm able to get it out of my mind and on paper or in this case on a blog to share with others. I pray my words can help at least one person know they are not alone. I'm not alone! God is with us all the time! Just like the poem "Foot Prints In The Sand"
Below are different versions of the poem I'd like to share with you:
From Mary Stevenson, 1936:
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?"
The Lord replied, "The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you."
From Carolyn Carty, 1963:
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.
This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.
The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.
From Margaret Fishback Powers, 1964:
One night I dreamed a dream. I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.
When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.
"Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don't understand why, when I need You most, You leave me."
He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."
As you can see this poem has been around for a very long time and it was even made into a song too!
The wonderful thing I have found while writing this - My spirits have been lifted! I know it's thru prayer... God is carrying me right now! Will you let him carry you and lay it at his feet too?
Please continue to pray for me as I give it to God and let him lead me in this journey I'm on right now.
I hope my words have touched your heart in someway today and continue to pray for all affected by this situation.
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and I hope the words you read will help you in someway today. We are now 5 days into the New Year and I wish you and yours a very blessed year. I have learned so much in the past week to not share with you how God has worked in my life. The man I loved with all my heart hurt me deeply with lies. Through it all I got a chance to meet the other women he had been lied to and have seen the pattern and pain.
I won't lie my first thoughts were to hurt him as much as he had hurt me, I'm only human. During it all I've cried right along with one of them who told me "I don't need you today, I might not need you tomorrow but 6 months down the road I need to know you will be there for me". At first I didn't understand what she said but I do now. We sat together and prayed. I forgave this man for what he had done. Forgiveness is not as hard as people think it is! Forgetting about it and letting go of the pain takes a little more time.
2 Corinthians 2:5
New International Version (NIV)
Forgiveness for the Offender
5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely.
This man has blamed me for it all. I think he truly believes the lies he as said out loud. I know the truth. This was not a plan to hurt him... I didn't go into his phone and steal the numbers of the other women. Really? I asked myself over and over again, can he not see what he did was wrong? I've been able to step back and look at the situation and see it for what it is and that is he wronged not only me but lied to these other women and as long as he continues to spread these lies he will never see what he has done is wrong and can never truly live with the peace God has placed in my heart.
I have been told by my friends "I hope you're not going to continue to see him" or "your not going to let him sweet talk you into being with him again". The answer remains the same "NO".
In my life I have forgiven those who have hurt me and only wished them well.
I'm not going to say it doesn't hurt but with God's love and peace he has placed on my heart I am able to take each day one moment at a time. Later it will be one day at a time.
There is much more evil in the world and people who have been hurt more than I have!
Today I ask for your prayers not only for myself and the other women, I ask you put peace in this man's heart. I pray God use what has happen to us to teach us all our own lessons we are to learn.
I've always been a person who believes God works through all of us to show us and guide us on the paths we need to be on.
I truly believe he opened our eyes and brought us into each others lives for a reason. It's up to us to figure out what those reasons are.
As I said I forgave this man for his lies and only pray one day he learn from his mistakes.
This is my prayer!
Proverbs 12:18
New International Version (NIV)
18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
I hope my words have helped someone begin to heal.
Have a Blessed Day! Live, Laugh and Love, Dee Stevens
