Dear Lysa-not Dear Abby by Jennifer N

Thank you for openly sharing your life-your heart-your story. The enemy tends to make us feel alone-isolated-crazy...... But, by sharing your story-you have instilled new life into something that was beginning to fade for me-hope. Hope for change. Hope for a 'new beginning'. 

A soul searching question from page 24 caught my attention, and begged to be answered. "Could I trust God and believe that He is working out something good even from things that seem no good?" My oldest son has been through some major health issues the last 3 years. Did I trust God to work out something good from that? Yes. When our world was being turned upside down financially did I trust God to work out something good? Yes. So why is it that I believe He can work all those "major things" out for good--but not my 'ugliness'-the scars I hold inside-the stresses I face-the things that make me come unglued? That "Feeling unglued is really all I've ever known. And I'm starting to wonder if maybe it's all I'll ever be."? (p. 14)

The same shame you mention, slithering up close (DAILY for me)-"Look at you and all your Bible studying...what good is it all?" Your "what a lie" statements went right through me, pierced deep into my heart. Yes, I had been believing a lie for so long. Living a lie for so long. I am not a sum of past mistakes. I am not a sum of my short-comings. I am not a 'victim' of poor temperament. I am a beloved child of God-and He has supplied me with all I need to live a life pleasing to Him. The Holy Spirit-my Comforter, Counselor, Advocate, and Teacher.

Thank you for being so real-for allowing us to see that-to give us hope.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. (NIV 84)

Rev. 12:11: They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony....(NIV 84)

Thank you for sharing your testimony. Please keep sharing your testimony. May God bless you abundantly for it.

With Love,

Jennifer Newsom

OBS group leader (Melissa Taylor's OBS)