Robin Gilbert Luftig's Blog, page 9
March 12, 2024
Sometimes It Isn’t Easy
Thankfulness. Sometimes it isn’t easy. It doesn’t automatically roll out of our hearts. There are times when words and actions cut us deep. Ugly words and actions can cut deep. Especially those from friends or family members.
God gives me reason upon reason to be thankful. Here are a few:
I woke up and greeted a new day–I am thankful.His air fills my lungs–thankful.Rain falls on the rich and poor alike–thankful.Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.Take a moment
1 Thessalonians 5:18
It may take some time to practice gratitude. Honestly, it isn’t always easy to find reasons to be thankful. But when we press through and embrace gratitude, the world looks different.
We live in challenging times. But I promise you–God promises you–if you press through, gratitude (the art of thankfulness) is an incredible gift waiting for you. It can come with tears, but a seeking heart will be blessed.
Don’t shy away from gratitude. If you let it, it can touch your heart like nothing other.
Sometimes it isn't easy to find reasons to be grateful. But when we press through there's a blessing waiting for us.
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What do you wonder about? Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.
Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.
The post Sometimes It Isn’t Easy appeared first on Robin Luftig.
March 5, 2024
The Many Hats of Tez Brooks
Tez Brooks is quite a guy. What will impress you when you meet him is his keen sense of priority. He’s not flashy or forceful, but always willing to share what he finds most important. His sharing comes in different forms–he’s a master at authoring books, speaking, or coaching–but it all points to the awesome power found in a relationship with Christ. It’s hard to know the many hats of Tez Brooks.
Here are just a few:
Coming April 2024
Adult-O-Nomics: 500 Tips & Truths for Nailing It On Your Own (April 2024)
The book is a short gift book for graduates. Think of it as a survival guide for young adult Christians who are moving out of their parent’s for the first time. It contains 500 modern proverbs, suggestions, and tips for adulting in today’s world.
From the Vault
A collaboration of 51 authors who shared some of their memories of Christmases Past. Their recollections range from family traditions to singular occasions — through happy times and trying times. In its own way each story illustrates how, no matter what our circumstances, at Christmastime we find happiness and joy when we decide not to focus on ourselves or the decorations and the gifts, but choose to celebrate Christ’s birth. If you love stories that express the wonder of Christmas, touch the heart, and stir the emotions, you will love Merry Christmas Moments.
The Single Dad Detour: Directions for Fathering After Divorce
The single father is often considered a mythical creature, found only in sitcoms as an object of humor or pity. Where does that leave real single dads? Too often, it makes them susceptible to overcompensation or apathy. Tez Brooks knows those feelings all too well. He’s traveled that road with his own children after an unexpected divorce. The Single Dad Detour is the result of his journey and the lessons he’s learned along the way. It’s a guidebook for the rocky road of single fatherhood, extending encouragement, confidence, and challenges, using specific examples from dads who’ve survived parenting and have hope to offer.
Tez helps aspiring writers to the next level with his editing services or one-on-one writer’s coaching. With over 20 years of experience, Tez (named one of the Top Writing Coaches by the Coach Foundation) has offered a variety of editing services and faith-based writer’s coaching to help shorten the learning curve for publishing your articles and manuscripts.
Who is Tez Brooks?To learn more about Tez Brooks, visit his website https://tezbrooks.com/
Author. Coach. Speaker. Whether he’s traveling the world sharing Christ with people as a full-time missionary, coaching aspiring writers, working on his next book, or just writing on his blog, ask him what he wants. I know he hopes most that you’ll discover a deeper passion and love for the Lord.
Check out the many hats of Tez Brooks (@tezd63) and you will find a man who serves God through writing, coaching, and speaking.
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What do you wonder about? Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.
Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.
The post The Many Hats of Tez Brooks appeared first on Robin Luftig.
February 27, 2024
Is the Struggle Worth It
Struggles. Everyone has them. Some struggles are smallish while others are ginormous! Whether it’s studying for a final … losing those last five pounds to reach a desired weight … or deciding to end a toxic friendship … it’s often hard to know which way to turn. How do we know to push through or cut our losses and walk away from our struggle? Is the struggle worth it … is the battle worth the aggravation we may need to exert for the desired outcome?
I’d like to say my faith is strong enough that I don’t struggle, but that’s not true. Struggles come daily, but so does grace.
Sometimes just the process of trying to find the answers to the questions of how to continue forward seems as difficult as that struggle itself.
That’s when I do my best to return to Grace and remember what is always best to do first.
First Things FirstFirst, we need to see our struggles for exactly what they are. Comparing our struggle to someone else only adds to the problem. All struggles are personal. And we need to respect them and not talk them away. But we need to know what we’re facing.
Comparing our struggle to someone else only adds to the problem.
The Bible is filled with stories of struggle. One of my favorites can be found in the Old Testament book of Joshua, instructing him to take the city of Jericho. These instructions seemed a bit unorthodox. But we know God knew exactly what Joshua was facing. The city of Jericho was surrounded by a protective wall that nothing had proved to penetrate. But God was clear. Take the city of Jericho.
Do you remember the children’s nursery rhyme?
Joshua fought the Battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho
Joshua fought the Battle of Jericho
and the walls came a-tumbling down
God didn’t say the walls would fall immediately. He didn’t say it would be easy. He said, “I have delivered Jericho into your hands.” To claim the victory that was already theirs, Joshua and his army had to trust God and his promises.
How many times do you think they considered stopping because what they were doing didn’t seem to make a difference? Do you think Joshua’s army felt a bit foolish marching around the gated city while soldiers looked on? Yet Joshua stayed focused on the task at hand. He didn’t stop. Even after six days of doing what he needed to do, he kept going.
Are you Dealing with a Day Six?How close have you come to stopping when something seemed too difficult or impossible to achieve? How many times have you come to your Day Six, but decided to quit because it was too hard or you didn’t see any reason to continue? Ask God for His direction regarding your struggle. If you seek wisdom from God, he will tell you to whether keep pushing through or cut your losses.
Sometimes the pain of pushing on is so deep it may seem easier to just quit. How can I figure out if the struggle is worth it?
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Hang in there with whatever you’re dealing with! You may be at Day Six and not even know it.
What say you?What do you wonder about? Are you happy … or are you doing what you never thought you’d do? Do you see consistencies … or are you all over the place? Drop me a line. I’d love to chat.
Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, or check out any of my other books on my Book page.
The post Is the Struggle Worth It appeared first on Robin Luftig.
February 20, 2024
Lessons Learned in Aisle 9
When I was a young mother of two toddlers, I remember getting annoyed with older ladies who would try to talk with my children and me while we shopped for groceries. Little did I realize the awesome opportunities that I could have grasped in these encounters. I had no idea those moments were packed with wisdom and that there were lessons to learn in aisle 9.
Back then, when I entered the store I was on a mission–to grab what I needed and get out of the store before missing naptime. But these ladies seldom seemed to sense my urgency. Often I’d feel a soft touch on my arm, followed by kind words.
“Is she always this adorable?”
“What a little man he is!”
These ladies, sometimes dressed to the nines, would get down to the tot’s eye level and tell them how wonderful they were. Then they would smile at me as if we shared a secret. More times than not, my youngsters would look to me for support–and protection.
Oh, boy …Not only did these ladies miss my urgency they also missed my level of anxiety. Didn’t they see how rushed I was? Didn’t they see that by entering my children’s space they terrified them? More times than not, my littles were often startled … confused … sleepy, or hungry. I didn’t understand these women. Didn’t they recognize that I was focused on my mission?
It's surprising what can be found in a grocery store. If you're open to it, there may be lessons to be learned in Aisle 9.
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As a self-described oldster, these days I enjoy shopping for groceries. While meandering the aisles, I look for hidden deals. I check out the produce for the perfect vegetables. The sweetest fruits.
I also watch other shoppers. When I come across shoppers who need help reaching a higher shelf, it makes me happy to offer assistance. When I see someone figuring out which toothpaste is the best deal, I offer my input. And when I see young tots, I often see a resemblance to my sweet babies of years gone by. A girl with blonde pigtails. A boy with skinned knees. Another boy singing “Jesus Loves Me” at the top of his lungs.
It’s all part of the adventure
When I left the store today, I realized I had become “that lady“. While times are different now, I know not to talk to children before clearing it with the parent. I had forgotten the look of frustration on a mother’s face when she has chores, shopping, and naps on her mind.
I challenged myself to keep my opinions to myself unless asked. that I could still enjoy the promise of challenging unknowns when I see struggling mommies with their precious young ones. But I need to enjoy it in silence.
There are, indeed, lessons to learn in aisle 9. Let’s offer a big serving of grace while we’re shopping. To the mothers as well as the well-meaning older ladies.
While You’re Here …My Christian brothers, you know everyone should listen much and speak little …
James 1:19 NLV
Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, now in audible! And don’t forget the other finds on my Book page. There’s something for everyone. Fiction and Non-fiction. Testimonial and devotional.
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February 13, 2024
Amends Are Always Heard
My palms were clammy as I knocked on her door. She and I had been friends years ago, but bad life choices I had made years earlier had separated us. Would she entertain rekindling a relationship with me again? Would my amendment be heard?
I wanted to tell her I was sorry for doing the things I had done—that I hoped she could forgive me for all my foolishness and sinful behavior. I wanted to tell her I realized that I hadn’t taken into consideration how others would be affected by my actions. That I now know I had made a real mess of things—my life. Bottom line, I wanted to tell her that I was sorry.
Beyond that, I also wanted to tell her there was good news to my story. That I had learned from my mistakes. Turned a corner. I was now on the way to becoming the person God intended me to be. My hope was she’d be happy for me and hopefully celebrate a Prodigal Daughter finding her way back home. That’s what I wanted. But that’s not what I got.
…But What I Got
When she opened the door, her eyes gave her away–first of unrecognition, then of remembrance. I saw it flash across her face as she remembered me. Then came the frozen smile. The smile one reserves for those we have to be kind to but would prefer not to know. Her lips smiled while her eyes shot daggers. She stepped outside, not letting me into her house.
The Conversation“Hi, it’s been a long time. How are you?” I asked, trying to warm the coolness between us.
“Good. Good.” Then with a polite, hushed voice, “You look good.”
I asked about her family. Her brothers and sisters. Her children and husband. I knew them all and had laughed over dinner with all of them. I had tucked her children to bed at night. She and I had been like sisters. Once.
“Good, good. We’re all good here.”
I took a deep breath. “I’m here to tell you I’m sorry about making a mess of things years ago. I did things that set into motion consequences I didn’t understand. And, well, I hurt you.” I reached for her hand. “Can you forgive me? I’d like to make things right between us again. Could you see your way to giving me a second chance?”
There it wasThere it was. I had exposed my emotional underbelly. I felt my chest tightening, waiting for her response. Every fiber in me wanted to hear that she’d allow me to earn her trust back. That’s when it happened: she pulled back, blinked, and looked down. “Don’t be silly, we’re good. I’m sorry, but I have … something to do. I have to go.”
“Maybe we can have coffee sometime?” I needed time to follow up and tell her about how I had changed. I had given my life to Christ and was a new creature. I wanted to see her authentic smile again.
But her painted smile remained. “Oh, I don’t know,” she purred.” My days are pretty full. But it was good to see you. Yeah, it was … good. Take care of yourself. I’ll give you a call sometime.”
With that, she backed into her house, closed and locked the door behind her.
Has This Ever Happened to You?Sometimes situations don’t go as planned. You follow your script, offer repentance—true repentance—and even ask for suggestions on how to rebuild trust.
You open up to being become vulnerable and transparent. And the door still closes in your face. You experience Christian invisibility—when you’re told things are good, but clearly they aren’t.
Forgiveness is for the person forgiving as much as the person who is forgiven
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Painful—yes. Not what you expect—yes. But all lost? Absolutely not!
Forgiveness is for the person forgiving as much as the person who is forgiven, and so are the effects of making amends. You may walk up to a door as I did and suffer the same shame and heartbreak but know–without a doubt–that the amendment did not go unnoticed. Apostle Paul tells us how to live as Christ designed in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” As far as it depends on you. Those words carry power and freedom.
Don’t Lose FocusIf it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:18
If past friends shut you out of their lives because of the choices you made in the past, please never ever forget that those sins were covered by Jesus’ blood when he died for our sins.
If you need to walk up to a door like I did, know your audience includes Christ Jesus himself! He sees you and feels your conviction and broken spirit when you offer to make a relationship right. Know that even if your amends to your past friend isn’t enough for them—it was enough for Him. While He doesn’t take away consequences, He does take away shame.
When making amends doesn’t seem to be enough, focus on whose opinion counts the most. Focus on Christ. And if you do not know Christ, oh, friend, please ask to know him right now. Your heart will forever be changed.
repost from 06/13/2016While You’re Here …
Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, now in audible! And don’t forget the other finds on my Book page. There’s something for everyone. Fiction and Non-fiction. Testimonial and devotional.
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February 6, 2024
Prepare to Hear Whispers
The Fresco of the Prophet Elijah by Josef Kastner the Younger from the end of 19 century
Elijah—a powerhouse for God—experienced one of the greatest adventures of the Old Testament. He was invited to approach God. But that invitation didn’t prepare him to hear His whispers.
Scripture tells us throughout the Old Testament that to see the face of God was to die. But God had a plan for Elijah as told in 1 Kings 19.
Elijah Prepared for GodThe Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
1 Kings 19:11–12
Elijah experienced a great disaster. After a wind crumbled the mountains, there was an earthquake and fire. But God was not in the disaster. When Elijah left the cleft in the mountain, he covered his face and stepped out. He was in the gentle whisper after.
What Does This Mean to Us?When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
1 Kings 19:13
I read social media post after post of winds, storms, and fires that are sweeping over our country. While we look for answers to end the chaos, maybe we need to anticipate the whispers that come after.
Wars are abounding. Lawlessness is rampant. Floods are overtaking our coasts. Today’s storms are getting bigger.
Just as God loved Elijah and He loves us, too. Just as God came to Elijah in a gentle whisper, we need to be alert to God’s whisper to us as well.
Storms are powerful, but they are not bigger than the One who created them. Fires and floods can take away a life-long accumulation of possessions but they do not dominate the Author of Life. Mourn with those who fear storms and suffer loss, but let’s listen for that still voice that calls to us.
When chaos and destruction fill you with fear, don't forget to prepare your heart to hear the whispers of God.
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Let’s seek the Creator of the storm. Let’s prepare to see Him. We can start by preparing to hear the whispers.
While You’re Here …
Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, now in audible! And don’t forget the other finds on my Book page. There’s something for everyone. Fiction and Non-fiction. Testimonial and devotional.
The post Prepare to Hear Whispers appeared first on Robin Luftig.
January 30, 2024
Consider it Pure Joy
If you are a women’s ministry director, pastor, or event planner, prayerfully consider booking me for Consider it Pure Joy.
In Consider it Pure Joy, I use God’s promises and my own experiences–sprinkled with a dash of humor–to show that joy can be experienced during some of life’s most tragic circumstances. Dates are available during the spring and through to the fall. Several positive reviews can be found on the speaker’s page scroll. Topics can also be customized to meet an event’s specific need or theme.
If you're a women’s ministry director, pastor, or event planner, prayerfully ponder booking me for Consider it Pure Joy.
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I look forward to hearing from you! Just email me at robin@robinluftig.com if you have any questions.
While You’re Here …
Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, now in audible! And don’t forget the other finds on my Book page. There’s something for everyone. Fiction and Non-fiction. Testimonial and devotional.
The post Consider it Pure Joy appeared first on Robin Luftig.
January 23, 2024
What to Do with Dreams
Dreams–those unjointed, sometimes whacky thoughts that dance through our brains while we sleep–can plague many a night. Or other times they bring comfort. Reassurance or premonitions of things to come. Seriously, what are we to do with dreams?
Being chased as your legs are stuck is a prevalent bad dream (nightmare). Other examples of nighttime terrors are: being late, not being prepared for an exam, or missing an important event. ACK! These make me break out in a sweat just thinking about them. Yet God, in his complete love, directs us how to deal with unsettling dreams.
Psalm 91:3-6 tells us:
Surely he will save youfrom the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
… Or are they good?
Scripture offers samples of God speaking to prophets in dreams. Jacob’s dream of a stairway for angels to and travel to/from heaven made perfect sense. Or how about when an angel spoke to Joseph and Mary found favor with God and was with child, or to flee to Egypt because of Herod’s desire to kill him? Don’t overlook the comfort given in Acts 2:17.
Are Dreams Just Strange?In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams …
Whether dreams are random thoughts our brain is trying to clean out or they’re premonitions of things to come, consider seeing your dreams with a new perspective. Instead of trying to understand them, pray for what you see.
After waking, my morning prayer starts with, “Father, thank you for the opportunity to wake up to see this new day. Bless those who were in my thoughts while sleeping, even if I don’t know them or even remember the dream. And Lord, if the dreams were wrapped in evil, please protect me and banish that ugliness from me.”
Was it the late-night pizza or a true premonition? How do you deal with dreams?
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After I began praying over my dreams … those people I never knew, places I never traveled to, and the situations I never experienced … the strangest thing began to happen. I found myself waking with a new energy. A positivity I didn’t know I lacked until I saw the hole in its deficiencies. And my nightmares stopped.
Now, I look forward to dreaming again. Will it be a speckled horse I ride in on or will I be in a house with a circular excellator? I never know. But what I do know is that God is standing guard over my dreams.
And that, dear friend, is a great feeling to take with me when I sleep.
What say you?
Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, now in audible! And don’t forget to check out any of my other books on my Book page.
The post What to Do with Dreams appeared first on Robin Luftig.
January 16, 2024
News on Ladies Uncover a Secret
I’m super excited to share that Ladies Uncover a Secret is now available in audible format. Christy Lou, the narrator, captured the essence of the story.
Want a reminder?
Here’s a brief recount of Ladies Uncover a Secret.
She’d known her family hid secrets. Will she ever learn the truth?
It’s 1972 and Fiona Kasey-Boyd is living her dream life in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She’s married to a wonderful, successful man and eight months pregnant with his child. So, why is she wracked with sadness? Is she suffering from the baby blues or from deep-seated resentments from her childhood?
Fiona decides to visit her childhood home in Applegate—a quick trip before the baby arrives. Surely reconnecting with her friends Lily-Rose Prembrick and Sugar Bowersox will brighten Fiona’s mood. But their time in Applegate is cloaked in mystery. Fiona’s childhood guardian-like figure, Miss Fergie, refuses to answer Fiona’s questions. Her mother is secretive. Her brothers, hostile.
Only the power of friendship can help Fiona face the darkness found in family secrets.
Leaning on her Ladies of the Fire friends for strength and clarity, Fiona seeks to unravel the secrets of the past. Will learning the truth heal Fiona’s heart or break it?
Reviews of Ladies Uncover the Secret“Compelling is the word for Ladies Uncover a Secret. The further you get into it, the less you want to put it down. You find yourself caring deeply about these characters and wanting to know more about how they handle what life throws at them. The first book of the trilogy is Ladies of the Fire, and though it’s not necessary to read it first, I recommend it (it’s also terrific!). It lays a great foundation for some of the characters and how they care about and relate to each other.”
There's News on Ladies Uncover a Secret. The second book in the Ladies series has gone audible! Great for a road trip listen.
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Want to see how it all began?
Can a woman on the run find herself again?
Ladies of the Fire brought us to the late 1960s as we met the newly-widowed Lily-Rose Pembrick reeling as she fled Lincoln, Nebraska, with her children. Only taking the cash from the house safe and what she could get her hands on at the family bank, she left the recently-inherited and successful Pembrick Transportation company behind. Exhausted from driving all night, she stopped in Applegate, Ohio, and decided to start a new life on Norwood Street. There, she met Fiona Kasey, an African-American no-nonsense housekeeper/companion to an elderly white woman, and Sugar Bowersox, a Southern spitfire who has lost herself in motherhood.
Together, they enjoyed Lily-Rose’s backyard fire pit, where dreams were spoken and secrets revealed. As they embraced a kinship they never would have sought, Lily-Rose began thinking her past could finally be laid to rest—until someone ended up dead.
Check out the other Robin Luftig books at https://robinluftig.com/books/
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January 9, 2024
Closer Than Family, Then We Weren’t
Bonnie (not her real name) was my best friend from days long gone by. We were incredibly close; our lives were so in sync. We were pregnant at the same times, liked the same herbal teas, and even went back to college as non-traditional students during the same season in our lives. We were connected at the hip. When one came up with a thought, the other finished it. We had a wonderful friendship–closer than family.
Unfortunately, Bonnie and I also dealt with similar compulsions in our lives at the same time. When I filed for divorce to start a new life, she did the same. I began steeping in my dysfunction, not realizing the harm I was causing myself. And as a good (and compulsive) friend, Bonnie came right along.
As we entered another season, she and I were still inseparable. We scheduled our children’s visitation evenings on the same nights so we could go out and enjoy ourselves, painting the town red. Life was our oyster. We were two young-ish women looking for attention and enjoying all that we received. There was no limit to what was before us.
When Closeness EndsBut, as scripture warns, we enjoyed the “pleasures of sin for a season”. Slowly our lives began to fall
apart as sin filled our lives. Bonnie and I began spending time with people we never should have met, doing things we never should have done … going to places we never should have visited. This, in turn, led to making choices—different choices—we never should made. In the middle of our wallowing in muck and mire that was due to these choices, Bonnie and I severed our friendship. Of course, we remained civil with each other. But the bonds we now shared were our hidden secrets. And these secrets had the potential to be weapons that could do great harm if shared indiscriminately.
I moved from the area where Bonnie and I lived and as it always does, life moved on. Years later I found myself on my knees, asking God to take over my mismanaged life, and was thrilled that his grace was waiting for me. My walk with Christ began filling me with wonder and awe of how he loved me completely … watched me walk away … then forgave me totally when I changed my course in life and asked for forgiveness.
A few years later I had the opportunity to return to the town where Bonnie and I had lived. While there, happened to I walk into a fast-food restaurant. There. I saw a young man who I knew immediately to be Bonnie’s son; his features reflected his mother’s so strikingly that I had to ask and confirm if Bonnie was his mother. Yes, he said, shyly … how did I know her?
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Galatians 6:7
I briefly shared how she and I had spent some time together years ago. I gave him my cell phone number and asked him to have his mom call me. I was so excited about having the opportunity to chat with Bonnie. I had been spending lots of healing time in scripture and embracing God’s Word. The thought of offering an amend to my friend thrilled my heart. I wanted so desperately to share my new life with her. We had always been like two peas from the same pod and I knew when she heard me share Christ’s love to her, she’d get it, too.
But her call never came.
How Can This Be?I thought maybe Bonnie’s son misplaced my note, so I called her number … the same phone number from all those years earlier. No one answered, so I left a message on the voicemail I recognized from years earlier, asking her to give me a call. I had lots to share with her. Wonderful, glorious news of how Christ healed my life.
But again, the call never came. Then I realized it would probably never come. She wanted nothing to do with me.
Those secrets from years ago … the ones Christ freed me from … could they still be controlling her? Just because I found peace in truth didn’t necessarily mean that she found it, too. I had faced demons and shared all my ugly past with the people who mattered—my new husband as well as trusted friends—and experienced a peace that can only come from trusting a God bigger than me.
What happens when you're closer than family, then you aren't? What kills friendship faster than anything?
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I then realized that Bonnie had the right to not want to hear my amend; that she had the right to not accept the new forgiven me. If she wanted to hang onto her memories of me … that was her right.
To this day, it saddens me to think that “sin for a season” had the power to destroy the great friendship that Bonnie and I shared. But it did. Was it my sin, her sin, our sin … who can say? But the truth is, it was sin.
Consequences of SinI have few regrets in my life. I have offered everything to God and it has been important that every part of my life be directed to glorify him. Even the ugliest parts. But if I had the chance to take anything back … if I could have a do-over … I would fix my relationship with Bonnie. I miss her and I can only hope that she renewed her relationship with Christ as I have.
Seasons come and go. I was reminded this morning that as one season closes another season begins. It is January, and although it is still cold in Central Pennsylvania, the days are getting longer. This reminds us that another Winter season will soon come to an end and a fresh Spring season will greet us soon.
Just as it should be.
(originally shared 2/21/2012)What say you?
A Note from Robin
Being transparent isn’t always easy. But it’s necessary to heal. If you need to share the weight of past seasons in your life with someone, please write me.
robin@robinluftig.com
Struggling to find good in your life? Check out my award-winning book, God’s Best During Your Worst, now in audible! And don’t forget to check out any of my other books on my Book page.
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