writing – My Tapestry Blog

Finding Hope and Healing: 4 Steps to Overcome Darkness

There are many situations that can cause darkness in our lives — depression, a sudden life change (death of a loved on, divorce, miscarriage, broken trust, health issues), situations beyond our understanding were we can only say “God is God and I am not”…..

When I was doing research for my book, I found four steps for “coming out of the dark”, and then, in two different articles, found supporting scripture texts for those steps. I found that those steps fit perfectly into my personal experience. Finding my “way out” after my divorce was a journey with God. God, meeting me at the point of my need every step of the way. And so… I will share.

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Wait- I will give you treasure of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:3. It was during those dark days of tears, brokenness and despair that God began to pour His love over me by reminding me of times and situations that had been stored inside of me. He also blessed me when I listened to CDs that I had had for a long time, but now the words were just what I needed to hear. Time and again, God reminded me that my situation was no secret to Him. He had put events, people and things into my life for my time of need. God knew my name– He knew my need.

Cry out for help- I waited patiently for the Lord, He turned to me and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1. Soon, I wanted to “feel better”. My head was telling me to “get over it”, but my heart wasn’t ready. Fortunately, I was able to listen to my heart and wait on God. It was almost six months before I read the words of Isaiah 43: 18: Forget the former things.. and I knew that God was prodding me to start moving forward. During the next season, God placed people and situations in my life that gave me the courage to look at the possibility of a better tomorrow. Instead of being carried by God, I was trusting that I could walk where He led me.

Count on the Lord to come through- Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and He saved them from distress and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. Psalm 107:13-14. As I walked with Him, God led me into places and situations that were new and challenging. There were tough conversations with loved ones. I learned to let go of someone I had hoped was part of the long-term plan. I had to re-evaluate my strengths and priorities. I began to see who I was apart from everyone else. Memories of “distress and gloom” slowly became more distant. Life became richer and fuller and others began noticing the changes.

Be patient – Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6. As I became more aware of coming out of the darkness, I became more aware of the need to take care of “me”, especially physically. God had blessed me with His presence, comfort and care which helped me grow in my spiritual life. Then He had helped me break the chains of distress and deepest gloom, freeing me emotionally. But God’s “good work” in me also included my physical being. Awesome God to care for me in ways I had ignored for a long time. When He plans a “good work”, He knows all the ingredients that are needed to make it possible

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There were many factors that contributed to the situation I found myself in at the end of my marriage. God worked in powerful ways as I came out of the darkness. I learned lessons that will bless me for a lifetime. I’ve needed to apply them again and again as I walk towards that day of completion in Christ Jesus. With God’s help, it gets easier to focus on the destination as I enjoy the steps of the journey. Maybe God is whispering: Go forth and have FUN!!

About Me: Embracing God’s Tapestry of Life

The threads of the tapestry of my life start long before I was born and go on into eternity. Through brilliant colour and dark hues, knots and zigzag lines, God is creating a picture that only He could design. Parts of the tapestry seem complete and parts are still being woven into surprising patterns.

There are threads that remind me that God was preparing me for the tough times before they even happened; threads filled with pain that still bring tears to my eyes; threads that bring back memories that make me smile and bring joy to my day. In the Weaver’s design, there are no mistakes. The Weaver loves me and I trust Him more and more.

I am a single-again mother of two; a son and a daughter. I was a registered nurse for many years, a career that I (mostly) enjoyed. I enjoy walks in nature, connecting with people and doing my best to be a light in the world God has places me in.

God is still teaching me lessons that help me “function better” in His world. I appreciate His tenderness and care as He reveals new truths to me.

Sharing my writing more widely is one of the surprising patterns of my life. First I wrote a book and now I am starting a blog. Only God knows what this part of my tapestry will look like — an adventure with Him.

I thank God for blessing me and for joy in the journey.

Why I wrote a book

My Tapestry – Experiencing the Love of the Designer

My father wrote an autobiography about the first seventy years of his life. It was a wonderful gift to his children and grandchildren. I thought about writing my life story “someday” for a long time. More than two years before the day, I noticed a 60^th Birthday card. The message was “In 60 years you can touch a lot of lives, you can share a lot of wisdom and you can bring a lot of joy — if you’re someone as special as you that is.” I knew then that it was time to start writing my story. I would use my 60^th birthday as the ending point.

For most of my life, I saved articles, report cards, greeting cards etc. They filled two medium sized storage crates. That first summer, I started my going though the items I had saved. It was fun and interesting until I got to the journals I had written during the nine years from the end of my marriage onward. I decided that I would start by writing the story of those years. I realized that part of me had become “stuck” in the past, waiting for the day when I would start writing.

Initially, I thought that my story would be for family like Dad’s had been — and maybe some friends, too. But as I was writing, I realized that others might benefit from reading parts of my story, too. I am a single-again mother of two adult children, a nurse and a recovering codependent. Many people’s lives have been affected directly or indirectly by one or more of those situations. My challenge was to include enough stories that I wanted to share with my family and still not bore others who might read my story. I hope I’ve accomplished some of that.

As I was writing, God helped me see wonders in the threads from my past that could only be by His design. He truly does know the end from the beginning. These are my experiences and I’ve related them honestly to the best of my ability. For various reasons, I’ve made attempts to protect the identity of some people.