Encouragement
I went to do some shopping today. I was happy and practically bouncing through the stores. My hair was styled. I have lost over 55lbs since last year and I am in a decent size of clothes. My make up was on, and I was dressed neatly and well groomed. Some of you are thinking "well, what's the big deal." The big deal is that it wasn't always so with me. You see I was a domestic violence victim. I was so hurt and so worn down by my abuse that just getting off the couch to go to the store took effort. When I did manage to get up and go I just threw on the first thing I could find, pulled my hair up in a ponytail and walked out the door. I never thought about how that must of looked to others, until today.
I saw women in the stores that were the old me; they looked depressed and unhappy. They looked like slobs and didn't care. I felt for them, because I know that feeling. The feeling that nothing is ever going to be good in my life ever again. The feeling that God had forgotten about me. The only comfort I had was my food and boy did I pack it in.
In less you have been in an abusive relationship you don't have a clue as to what it's like. It's loving someone unconditionally and treating them with love and respect and then having them treat you like the "enemy". It's being called vile names and wondering what you did to deserve it. It's not having anyone tell you they love you. It's not having anyone giving you a gift just because .
When I finally got the strength and courage to leave my situation every door you could think of opened for me. God gave me favor in finding a place to live. God gave me a Christian prayer partner. Then God began to become to me everything I needed a man to be. He began to teach me through the Word just how special I was to him. God and I walked alone together for five years. I would go to Him with everything. Just as a married woman goes to her husband, so I would go to God. I would say things like "Okay, God you have said in your word that you will be my "husband." I don't know what to do about my broken washing machine. There is no money to fix it, "we" need a miracle." Do you know that in each and every case God would give me a "God inspired" idea and things would get taken care of for me.
A lot of women tell me "Pastor Cathie, you just don't understand...I have no money, no job and no help." I understand that really well because neither did I. I can tell you this though; these things can all be turned around in a minute when Jesus comes on the scene. I would pray for favor with people and God would give it to me. God loves us, we are his daughters and he doesn't like to see us treated badly. We don't like it when someone is mean to our kids and neither does God. God is on your side!!
It's going to take some action on your part. It's going to take a plan. Make your plan and pray over it and then walk out in faith. God will send angels before you to prepare your way.
I wrote this today because I know a lot of you are hurting. This time of the year seems to be the worse for abuse. People are hurting and they take it out on you. It's nothing you did, you are not the problem, but your abuser has problems and he's taking it out on you. It hurts even more when you look around you and see happy people. I know sweet sister in the Lord, I know because I have been there. Jesus knows what it was like to be treated poorly, to be spit on, rejected and physically abused. I believe that's one of the reason's God has a heart for hurting women. No one has compassion for a situation unless they have lived it.
God wants you to depend on Him. He wants to be your Husband. He wants to make sure that you idolize no one but Him. Anything or anyone we put before Christ is an idol. One of the dynamics of domestic violence is "love addiction". Please look at my archives here on INJESUS and read my articles on love addiction. I believe it is one of the main reasons domestic violence victims stay in situations much longer than they should.
Now for the good news. God has not forgotten you and there is hope. After I left my emotional baggage at the foot of the cross and after I spent years developing my relationship with God.... God gave me the desires of my heart.
Out of the blue God brought Chuck into my life. I remember the day I met him was interesting. I had gone through the drive up of a fast food place. The woman there at the window touched my heart. She looked sad, and overworked. I felt God speaking to me to bless her with 10.00. I was waiting on my food and discussing this with God. "God is this really you, you know I am almost broke!" I again heard God say "Bless her with 10.00" The woman came back to the window and handed me my food. I had folded the ten up really small and I said "While I was waiting God told me to give you this." Her eyes filled with tears and she thanked me. As I was driving off I said "God I am going to name my seed. I name this seed "A Christian husband." I had heard a sermon on "naming your seed" the pastor said that no farmer goes out and throws seeds in the ground without knowing what he is trying to grow. The farmer doesn't throw the seed to the ground and say "Whatever comes up is fine with me." Absolutely not. If the farmer wants apples he sows apple seeds, ect. So I named my seed and guess what; I got my Christian husband!!
The funny thing about this is that Chuck just doesn't like "Name it and claim it" preaching. I guess God has a sense of humor because I named Chuck and claimed him.
I want you to know that Chuck is a man after God's heart. He loves to study the bible with in depth bible studies. He doesn't just "talk the talk" he walks the walk. He is a giver. He is everything a man of God should be. I had forgotten what a good man is like, Chuck reminds me each and every day. I am writing this today for hurting women who have given up. It's not God's will for you to be alone. God wants to restore your life. He wants to give you seven times more than satan has stolen from you!! One other thing about Chuck..Even though he is every bit a "red blooded" male, he has respected me and understands the importance of us being celibate until we are married. We are getting married on December 28th of this year. Miracles do happen. Chuck had been praying for a Godly woman for several years also. I want you to know that somewhere a Godly man is praying and crying out to God for you! Believe that, and know that you don't have to live in the pigsty anymore. You are a daughter of the King. God has great things for you to do with the Christian man he has prepared for you.
When you are ready to walk out of the "Egypt" that circumstances have found you in, God will part the Red Sea of your difficulties the same way He did for me and others.
Your time is here, no more excuses. Walk out and God will send angels before you to prepare your way.
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