What is YOUR story?

36 years ago – if you would have told me that I would survive a suicide attempt, I would have said, that’s not my story.

26 years ago – if you would have told me I’d be divorcing the man I dated for five years, after one year of marriage, I would say that’s not my story!

25 years ago – if you would have told me I would have married Mr. Nice guy, that the younger me avoided, I would say that’s not my story!   

19 years ago – if you would have told me that my husband and I would be blessed with three healthy, loving children, I would have said, God spared my life, so that He could create three more.  

11 years ago – if you would have told me my best friend would die from cancer, I would say, that’s not her story! 

9 years ago – if you would have told me our family of five would grow overnight to seven, through an unexpected adoption, I would say that’s not our story!

7 years ago – if you would have told me how hard it was to parent traumatized children, I would have believed you!

5 years ago – if you would have told me our first born son would be hit by a car and die at age 19, I would have said, Dear God, PLEASE tell me this isn’t my story!  

3 years ago – if you would have told me I would need to leave my 30 year career to homeschool our youngest two children, I would have said that isn’t my story.

2 years ago – if you would have told me our youngest daughter would be diagnosed with autism, I would have said, that’s not her story.

1 year ago – if you would have told me our non-profit mission team would have grown from 10 to 22, I would have said, this is what I prayed for!

We can let the darkness in life destroy us or we can look up and choose to shine, knowing our lives are not by chance, but by design.

We have a choice on how we move forward. 

We can stand in the darkness and tell others we can’t, because it IS hard!

OR we can step into the light, where God made clear the path for us to walk, in faith, with Him. 

This year, may you find yourself fully engaged in the light, shining through the cracks from dark places. 

Don’t believe in chance or luck or coincidence.

Believe that you are here today and have a purpose! 

Reflect, remember and respond, to make a difference. 

At the end of the day, know that you have an important, significant role in this world.  

Don’t let your history, steal tomorrow’s story. 

Everyone has obstacles in life. 

By the grace of God, you will walk through them. 

Your story will include mountains to climb and oceans to swim. 

Our life line is held firmly in God’s hand. 

If you would have told me that someday, I would lose all of me, so that God could make me new…

I would have said that’s not my story! 

But it is.  

Peace & Blessings in this new year! MamaC

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5