When Shawn asked me to write for Giving Thanks Daily, I felt so honored and then I thought, “what on earth could I share?”
As I thought and prayed, so many things came to mind. I am grateful, thankful for so much. I’m thankful for what God has given me, things I could have never earned on my own.
- I’m thankful for all the delightful miracles I’ve experienced.
- I’m thankful for the blessings in my life that only He could give.
- I’m thankful even for the air I breathe and the sunshine on my face.
- I'm thankful for God's adoption through my family's abandonment.
Orphan to Adopted
God adopted me on Easter of 1992. Through the years, I’ve been through a lot and He has been ever-faithful even when I haven't been.
In 2000, I faced the hardest decision of my life - it was to omit my mother from my life. I believe she has NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) and her life-long abuse toward me got too hard to endure. At this low point in my life, God intervened in a big way.
God shared two visions with me. One was when my heart was utterly broken with the thought of being without a mother, yet I felt like an empty shell because of her abuse; deep in prayer and days of sobbing. He looked at me and said, “I love you with a depth of love you cannot begin to imagine. I will never, ever, ever, ever leave you or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) There is nothing you could ever do that will ever change the way I feel about you.” (John 10:28-29) The words spoken hit me to the core of my being. I knew He could be trusted, I will never forget that.
In the other vision, He said, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.” ~Psalm 27:10; it wasn’t until years later that I found this verse in scripture! Even now when I read this verse, it chokes me up knowing that I would one day face this! ...
All my life my mother rejected me, failed desperately to love me as scripture describes love. She failed at affection and empathy – and recently I told my family about the pain and rejection I felt, and then I endured even more rejection, and more hurt from my earthly family.
To anyone, this would be excruciatingly painful. And it was at first, but it was as though God prepared me and strengthened me for what I call, ‘my being orphaned day.’ But truly, my heart rejoices. It really hit me recently that when God spoke those words that ‘when my father and mother forsake me’ ...He knew what was coming before I ever did – and He made sure I never forgot His Words, or His presence.
I am reassured even when rejected by everyone in my family, that I am accepted by the most adoring and wonderful Father of all! What benefit it is to me and my children when these chains of abuse break with me!
My life could have gone a whole other direction – a real ugly direction. He changed my life dramatically and He is still changing me into someone who is discovering her value after years of abuse..
So even when the people who should love you and support you reject you, it is not so hard to endure with God who is our Advocate (1 John 2:1), our Comforter (I Cor. 1:3-4), our Helper (Hebrews 13:6.) God makes up for what was lost ... He loves deeper and wider than you could have ever thought possible and nothing can sever us from that love. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:39.)
I don’t think anyone can say they are thankful for being orphaned by their family, or look at it as a good thing ... but it goes to show how God can take the bad and crappy things in our life and turn it into beauty, good and wonderful ... all for His beautiful glory! And if He be glorified, I am thankful, grateful, and forever His. For all He has done for me, my life is His!
"He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." ~Psalm 40:2
About Paulette
I am a content woman of forty-something, married with three children. In His mercy and grace, God extended His hand to me, which I gladly embraced on Easter Sunday of 1992, He gave me a whole new & wonderful life, its been the greatest romance of my life and I've never looked back. Since 2002, I lived with Multiple Sclerosis, which I refer to as "my little lovely" which is anything but lovely. I love summer and sunshine - its makes me feel alive. My fellow believers have tagged me, 'the Joy Lady. Past circumstances do not define me, only God does ... and ... 'no one can snatch me from His hand!' (John 10:28-29)
No comments:
Post a Comment