One step at a time

Before I went to bed last night, at 430 AM, I read my devotional for yesterday. The verse was Genesis 12:1 which is God telling Abram to leave his family and "go to the land that I will show you." I mentioned in my blog last night that I was to take this journey one day, one hour, one minute, one second. In the devotional, Joyce Meyer goes on to talk about how many people refuse to take the first step until they understand and know steps 2-5. God doesn't usually give us all the steps at one time, as we see in Abrams case and so many others in the Bible. We have to be willing to take that first step with faith and trust in His promises that 1. He won't leave us and 2. His plan is best.  Man! talk about speaking directly to my situation! I LOVE it when God confirms what your heart is feeling. I definitely was one of those people and I still struggle with taking those first steps, but I know that God has a plan to bless me and all I have to do is obey Him one step at a time. 

pity party....no thanks but encouragement welcomed

So, my analytical, phelgmatic self, realizes that this blog could be seen as a ploy to get people's attention and cause them to have "pity" on me because of the subject of some of my posts. I realize that some people think that showing emotion, specifically sadness and hurt, to the world is a sign of weakness and insecruity.  To that, I say, "For when I am weak, HE is strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

I've been a fairly private person about my situation and, although I know I shouldn't have to justify my actions, I believe that it's time for me to be open and real.  My goal is to let my thoughts, good, bad, happy or sad, be known to whoever clicks on the link. I will always end with something postive because I'm not looking for a pity party but I will gladly accept encouragment. "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."  1 Thessalonians 5:11

God has brought me through so much of my hurt and I just want to continuing healing and in turn, give some light and hope. and honestly, if you have a problem with it, then don't read it. :)

PS: this was seriously in response to none other than my Type-A, phelgmatic personality. I can already see another blog topic! lol

Single mom...Huh??

Tonight, I was driving home from seeing my friend Carrie Bowen: http://www.carriebowen.com/ sing some of her beautiful music and ended up catching a Focus on the Family radio show that was on single moms. Everytime they said the words "single mom" my heart just sank and tears welled-up in my eyes and I thought, "That's me." I've been living this single mom life for almost a year now but it's still hard to wrap my mind around it. Or maybe it's wrapping my heart around it. My heart wanted my children to grow up in a household where the mother and father were together and loved each other. I wanted to give them what I did not have. Simple enough, right? Not so much. My heart hurts from this dream that has been severed by something I feel was and is out of my control. (Not that I was perfect in my marriage, but that's another thought for another blog.) So, now, it's Patty, single mom. How do I do this? One day at time. One hour at a time. One minute at a time. As I heal from the many dreams that are now broken, I smile that I have a heavenly Father that says "I'm not finished with you yet." So, when my heart cringes and tears well-up from hearing those "dreaded" words "single mom", I'm going to remember Psalms 126:5 "Those who sow in tears will reap in JOY."