Hello, my friend! 

What do you see when you look back over your life?
Do you see a mess or do you see redemption?
Or perhaps a mix of both?

Zephaniah 3:17 tells us that the Lord our God is with us. He is the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in us; in his love he will no longer rebuke us but will rejoice over us with singing.

How beautiful is that? This verse overflows with hope, promise and redemption.

While reading Lysa Terkeurst’s book You’re Going to Make it, the following quote drew me in, and I began to reflect on my life:

“Redemption can still be your story even if it doesn’t look the way you thought it would” – Lysa TerKeurst

Dictionary.com tells us that Redemption is the act of redeeming or atoning for a fault or mistake, or the state of being redeemed. deliverance; rescue.

As I sat there pondering my life, I kept thinking, what does redemption look like for me? As I looked back, I saw considerable mess and different versions of myself along the way.

I see a young child who was afraid of everything, especially males and authority figures. She gradually became a rebellious, hurting, confused teenager, then the wife of an alcoholic, abusive, cheating husband which eventually led to becoming a single mother. She was a single mom of four children that she cherished, adored and loved even more than she loved God. (A story all its own)

I see a woman who has caused pain to others and been hurt by others as well; a woman who let people use her as a doormat; a woman whose heart grew hard and eventually she withdrew.

Thankfully her story doesn’t end here!

Fear is a cruel beast that was instilled in me as a very young child.

My dad was a mean and angry man; as a child, I was afraid of him. As a teenager, I avoided him.

Physical abuse was not something he struggled with unless of course repeated blows on the behind with a stick, paddle or his hand until pain could no longer be felt is a type of physical abuse.

My sister recalls feeling great anger towards him as she watched and cried whenever this happened. She’s not sure why she watched but thought maybe it was her way of protecting me.

Although I don’t remember, I’m sure she was right there hugging me as soon as the episodes were over. As the youngest child, my sister never directly experienced dad’s anger.

But either way, my dad never lashed out and struck any of us. No. Verbal abuse was his nemesis, and he wore it well. He didn’t respect women and a word that repeatedly escaped his mouth was “FEMALES!” in a very derogatory way. At the time I did not understand how much influence his attitude had and would continue to have over my life. I grew up believing that a woman’s only worthwhile roll in life was being a mother and homemaker (always to be seen, but never to be heard). And that’s it!!

Because of this, I never bought books written by women and if a woman was teaching or preaching, I’d shut off the television or radio. Afterall, I believed that she didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.

All the negativity about females also sent me looking for love in all the wrong places like so many of us have. We think that a man will fill that empty hurting void. But it never satisfies because, well, quite frankly, he wasn’t created for that purpose. I constantly questioned my worth to the point of believing every negative word anyone spoke against me.

I watched as this young girl grew into a teenager, then went from a younger to an older woman, and has now become someone who knows she is greatly loved by God!

Elohim, the God who created everything good, including her!

There are times when I still fight feelings of disappointment because my story doesn’t look like I think it should. So when I read Lysa Terkeurst’s quote, “Redemption can still be your story even if it doesn’t look the way you thought it would,” I knew God was speaking directly to my heart.

I was raised in church and have always believed in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, but it’s just been these past eight years that God has redeemed my life so tremendously. Although I still don’t understand everything, I do know without a shadow of doubt that he loves me; I find my ultimate strength in this truth.

My redemption story is filled with more truth now than it is with lies. I no longer view myself or other women in my dad’s negative light. I love listening to and learning from other women. But most importantly, I love being a woman and God is restoring my feminine heart. 💗

Have you seen the movie, Jesus Revolution? I just finished watching it for the second time and just like the first time, I sat there and cried afterwards. My tears were filled with joy and relief as I watched God take Greg Laurie’s broken life and redeem it to the fullest.

So many of us have broken lives, don’t we?

Lives that Jesus wants to redeem and He will if we will just surrender our hearts to Him. He longs to vindicate our stories, but there isn’t true redemption without Him. We can try many different avenues to be compensated for the faults and bad aspects of our lives, but it will never lead to a full redemption, not without Jesus.

Some might say Jesus is the best way. But the real truth is: Jesus is the only way which, of course, is the best way.

If all you see is mess when you look back on your life, I encourage you to look deeper because there is redemption as well. Why? Because God truly does love you and has all throughout your story; and His love is saturated with grace, mercy and redemption.

Do you remember what redemption means? It’s atoning for a fault or mistake, deliverance and rescue. We can find genuine relief in this truth.

I think it’s important to let you know that I have forgiven my dad. I was blessed to be released from my bitterness and frustrations toward him before he went to be with Jesus ten years ago. I learned things about his upbringing that helped with the healing process. He was just a little boy once too. 💗

Before we close today, please soak in the truth of these beautiful verses which God gave to each one of us … 💗

Romans 5:8 NIV
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:19 NIV
We love because he first loved us.

John 3:16 NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 14:6 NIV
Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 10:10 NIV
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

Ephesians 5:2 NIV
And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Romans 5:5 NIV
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

John 15:9 NIV
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.”

Along with God, sing this song over yourself
Jesus loves me this I know
For the bible tells me so
Little ones to him belong
They are weak
but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The bible tells me so.

God Can Transform our Messy Lives into Beautiful Stories of His Redemption @ freshgracefortoday.com 

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