Grace to Live….

Grace to Live

This is probably one of the hardest blogs or piece of writing for me to write besides my first book, Tomorrow is Not Promised: A Personal Journey of Total Submission to Holy Spirit. Why? Because I need to be transparent once again. It seems that I live my life under a microscope. I have lived in such a way that the transparency is just normal now. I do ministry in a very transparent way and love and care for people in a very transparent way. I feel there is no other way to reach women, at least for me anyway except to live outside of that bubble. So here goes.

Grace to Live ministry is a ministry for women to help them live a life of grace in God and to overcome the consequences of their lives either by their own doing or by the hand of someone else. I present this ministry with great humility in the next few months in a new way. But more on that later.

Transparency

I remember when I used to be in severe depression. The crippling pain in my mind and soul was crushing everything about my life and it was doing it everyday. My day, my dreams and simply existing seemed harder to live out with each day.  I had no energy to fight for my own life most days and had to trust God for what seemed like every breathe. That state was not a weakness. To be very clear, I am not weak but life had hit me so hard in that season, I didn’t know what to do. But, some of you are there too. Some of you are afraid to admit it also. 

But God, the one who is so faithful and so gracious to me in the middle of my pain, He gave me a great ministry to help those of you just like me. 

We live in a world where they say image is everything. That is true but it is also damaging. Damaging sometimes to those that have to keep up that image.

One of “those” and there are many, who are in ministry, counsellors, clergy, priests, pastors, church leaders, worship leaders, etc. For the sake of this blog, I am going to be talking about those of us in ministry. I am an ordained minister as well as a mom, a life coach or counsellor as my clients call me. I’m also a friend, a sister and a daughter.

So, what am I being transparent about you may wonder. Two things. The pain of divorce and the image that women are holden to about being divorced and the healing that is needed. Why? Because I am divorced and I’m not healed and I am not afraid to admit that.

I am, for lack of a better word, freeing myself in this blog from the judgmental attitudes and opinions of people about how I feel about this part of my life. I have to in order to help other women. To be able to help a host of women in the world that are hurting from a pain worse than death.  Most Christian people feel that a divorced person should move on. Be healed. Be free. Get over it and more. That is true, but that comes with much process. 

Now, to admit I am not healed is not a bad thing. Why? Because I am NOT talking about the fact that I am in a bad place or can’t function in a healthy way in my walk with God as a believer. No, quite the opposite. What I am saying is that–I carry some hurt. But I am not the only one. There are many more of us and for many different reasons. This hurt is stopping many of you from living the life that God created you to live and from living in the purpose God created for you.

The pressure to be healed and walk as a healed person every single day in the midst of loss, pain and a truck load of unanswered questions is extremely difficult.  It can be done with grace, with transparency and with knowing who you really are.

Since my blog is called Grace to Live let me start with this blog as a reboot to my website and with this transparent post of my own personal struggles. Like I said, I’m under the microscope all the time and a minister as well. That is a unique combination.

I want this to help others in ministry to come out from under the microscope where every word, action and deed we do is  judged because we didn’t live up to some standard set by those around us.

What is the minister to do when he/she is in pain and needs ministry. Does anyone know about their personal struggle?Who do they go to? Some of them don’t dare go to anyone, because people may deem them weak and ineffective. Well, I’m here to tell you I am not weak or ineffective and neither are you.  I am just a person in a situation that I didn’t want, still don’t want and can’t change.

What is the minister supposed to do when they feel that nothing is being answered and no change in their situation is in site. This is the thought that some of you have. We are told to keep putting on the face of joy and happiness and live each day in Christ. I get that I really do. But, at the same time, the pain is real. The disappointment is real. The looks in your children’s eyes are real. The lack of finances is real. The unknown future is real. But, all those things can change and will change, yet in each moment how do you make it?

Great Grace

 Grace. Great grace. More grace.

Now, I am living by grace which is God’s empowerment on my life to do what I cannot do. I think I have been doing a great job at that. Not a perfect job. There is a difference. 

So many do not understand the deep emotional pain that goes with divorce. So, I’m not hiding. There is enough hiding in the world and in the body of Christ.

No more hiding for me because, after having lived in that state of deep pain so long I loathe hiding. It is awful for so many reasons. But one in particular is it keeps you from being you and reaching others like you to help them.

Am I in pain everyday? No.

Grace has sustained me and will keep on sustaining me but there is still pain. I know, I know all you deep thoughtful people say that can’t be. Again, you are not in my shoes, life or situation. If you got divorced and you are happy with that, more power to you. Then this article is not for you. But if you are in pain, emotional pain, for any reason–keep reading. 

If you haven’t already, you will discover that you are going to need grace or empowerment to just get up, function and exist in the day. That is why I am here. I want to help you discover that grace or empowerment and live in the best possible plan God has for your life.

You do not have to stay stuck just as I am not stuck. God can use you, where you are, how you are and in the place you are. 

My Gift to You

I have created a tool that will help. My new book Grace to Live Coaching Workbook will be out for purchase in January 2019. I am working through the holidays to make it happen. This is going to be a great book for women that need or desire life coaching and want to move forward in different areas of their lives and dreams in the areas I spoke of above. The book is for you that want to break free from the cycle of pain. 

The workbook will contain lessons on helping you discover and heal in your identity as a woman, your roles, finding your purpose, living a life of self-care, balance and discipline, boundaries, time management, living a life of faith, a life of integrity, discipline of your words and thought life, healing from orphan thinking, living a life of intentionality, a life of accountability and more.

It will be an  impactive teaching and coaching workbook that I have created for women taken directly from my coaching program Grace to Live. But there is more!!!! !

I will be launching a Grace to Live membership site in the new year.

I am hoping to launch it sometime in the first 3 months of the 2019. This will be an incredible life changing opportunity for you and all women who desire life coaching and ministry with more targeted help.

I will be putting the entire coaching program on the membership site along with  TONS of content  relating to women’s issues,  leadership and character teachings, bible studies, teachings on Holy Spirit and other bible topics and more just for members only.

You will also have opportunities to participate in live coaching with me and have access to me twice a month on live webinars in a private group. You will know first when I am releasing a new book or private teaching that I create just for the members.

I am in the process right now of choosing different topics of interest for women to put on the site but, I would like your input.

Women have a lot of cares and concerns. We ebb and flow through life with a lot of weighty issues that need to be addressed and that go unaddressed because we don’t talk about them.  

How can you help me? What do you want to talk about? What do you want to heal from? I am asking that you please respond to this blog with any ideas of courses, topics or general interests you would like to learn more about as a woman. Things you want to heal from. Things you want to grow in. 

I am looking for areas that you feel you would like to get help or life coaching in. I am looking for any areas that we as women struggle with. I would like for you to be a voice to me. Please respond to this blog with your thoughts and let’s discuss what you need. 

I have gotten some good feedback from others I have talked to and wanted to open it up to you. Life is short my friend. You have many talents and ministry gifts that are needed in the earth. It is time my dear friend to being to live right now, right where you are.

Nothing is wasted. Let me hear from you.  Grace and peace to you.

Selah.