Desires

Recently I was speaking at a women’s retreat in Paris. That may sound impressive until I add “Texas,” not “France.”

As ladies from all walks of life worshiped together in Paris, Texas, the lyrics of a particular song struck a slight chord of regret in my heart. As we sang about longing to sit at the feet of Jesus and share intimate moments with Him, guilt from my past reared its ugly head as if it still had a place in my life. (It doesn’t have a place since Jesus removed that guilt on the cross long ago, but it still likes to pretend on occasion.)

I whispered to God, “I’m so sorry for the way I’ve run to other men in the past, seeking to share intimate moments with them for satisfaction rather than running to you, Lord!”

A mental vision came to me of a lost little girl in a grocery store, searching for the security of her mom or dad . . . mistaking a stranger’s leg as that of her parent’s . . . wrapping her arms around tightly . . . looking up and realizing her error in judgment . . . feeling mortified, scared, and more lost than ever . . . then recognizing her real parent down the aisle and running at break-neck speed into their welcoming arms!

I sensed God asking, “Remember when your daughter made that very mistake?” Indeed, I remembered it happening with both of my children on more than one occasion.

“And what did you feel toward your child in that moment, Shannon? Anger? Betrayal? Disgust?” God asked. “Of course not. Neither do I feel angry or betrayed or disgusted by your mistakes. You recognize and run to me now, and that’s all that matters to me,” our Heavenly Father lovingly explained.

We often run toward and grab hold of many other things — excess food, shopping, alcohol, drugs, sex, money, success — for the comfort and solace that only God can give. And when we do, we end up still lost and longing for more . . . more than is possible on this side of Heaven.

But isn’t it wonderful to know that regardless of what we’ve wrapped our arms around in the past, God presently and will forevermore welcome us with open arms!

Indeed, He alone can fully satisfy the desperate desires of the human heart. Even mine. And yes, even yours.

What or who do you run to when the going is tough? @MargaretMcSweeney @ShannonEthridge
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Shannon Ethridge is a best-selling author, speaker, and certified life coach with a master’s degree in counseling/human relations from Liberty University. She has spoken to college students and adults since 1989 and is the author of 21 books, including the million-copy best-selling Every Woman’s Battle series. She is a frequent guest on TV and radio programs and mentors aspiring writers and speakers through her BLAST Program (Building Leaders, Authors, Speakers & Teachers.) Her most recent release is her debut novel, To Know You.

New from Shannon Ethridge!

Julia Whittaker’s rocky past yielded two daughters, both given up for adoption as infants. Now she must find them to try to save her son.

Julia and Matt Whittaker’s son has beaten the odds for thirteen years only to have the odds—and his liver—crash precipitously. The only hope for his survival is a “living liver” transplant, but the transplant list is long and Dillon’s time is short. His two older half-sisters, born eighteen months apart to two different fathers, offer his only hope for survival.

But can Julia ask a young woman—someone she surrendered to strangers long ago and has never spoken with—to make such a sacrifice to save a brother she’s never known? Can she muster the courage to journey back into a shame-filled season of her life, face her choices and their consequences, and find any hope of healing?

And what if she discovers in her own daughters’ lives that a history of foolish choices threatens to repeat itself? Julia knows she’s probably embarking on a fool’s errand—searching for the daughters she abandoned only now that she needs something from them. But love compels Julia to take this journey. Can grace and forgiveness compel her daughters to join her?

In To Know You, Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel explore how the past creates the present . . . and how even the most shattered lives can be redeemed.

Purchase a copy here.

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