This made me cry. I know this is how my Sweet Morgan felt when she was struggling with Addiction. I know I loved her all I could, but people are cruel. I pray she knew in her heart God had not forsaken her. She is healed now and in the arms of God. I just wish people could understand the cruelty and power of their words. It’s breaks my heart for all those that struggle with substance misuse.
Thank you for loving on these women , Nadia. I remember Morgan telling me about a women that used to visit when she was in jail. You are making a mark on their hearts - more than you can imagine.
"And ultimately, when the pain of trying to lead the same life when I was not the same person was acute enough, I became willing to re-think old ideas about myself."
This really hits home today. In July, my husband of 18 years moved out (a good and peaceful thing), and a couple weeks later, my roommate and best friend went to visit friends and for the first time in my adult life, I was alone in my my home for 3 months. I had to set the whole tone, and it felt so wonderful. Once the best friend returned, I've caught all sorts of little things that I never even realized I was giving up. And this isn't bad; I think I'm just relieved to decided for myself and my own reasons how I want my Self and my life to be. And you're the lucky duck who gave me the right words for it.
Thank you Pastor Nadia, for your faithful ministry. Your words and love have touched my heart, soul, and spirit AGAIN. At 85 I still have much to learn and experience in this very full and challenging life of BECOMING WELL. Yes it hurts to let go. I am blessed to be one of your subscribers. A favorite verse- BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD ❤️🙏🏻
“ sometimes it’s actually more comfortable to allow parts of ourselves to die than to feel them have new life, because then we have to face the pain of the whole truth.” It’s not fair that the path to wholeness and freedom is agonizingly painful. Only God could give me the courage to walk it, when I’d rather do anything else. Nadia, thank you for affirming that it’s worth walking.
This made me to cry, how very often do we see those who are hurting, cast away, forgotten, and we forget these precious ones need love, compassion, grace just as we do, every day. Please pass onto these ladies I commit to pray over and for them every day.
"Because whatever it is that we don’t want to let go of: status, fear, bad relationships, victimhood, political correctness, moral superiority, resentment…name your poison – whatever identities we think will keep us safe – aren’t safe at all they are just familiar and that’s not the same thing." Thank you for the encouragement, the hope that letting go is the path to becoming whole.
I’m in my 5th year of sobriety, and at times, coming to faith has felt like a betrayal of my old self. Thank you for reminding me that I was loved then as I am now. It’s just that now, I can feel that love.
Nadia, please pass onto these precious ladies, that their lives matter, that their lives count, their past is just that to me, past. I pray Father will bless these ladies in their here and now moments, that He will surround them with His loving presence. For what it’s worth, their lives matter to me.
Nadia, I love that you call what she did a heroic act of self respect. So many times when I've heard sermons about this woman, she is portrayed as losing self respect, not caring about her dignity, and just willing to do any embarrassing thing in order to get close to Christ.
I don't know what it's like to bleed for over 4000 days, the physical, mental, and emotional pain that must have come from that, but during 2020 and perhaps into part of 2021, I experienced non-stop bleeding. I went through many days where I was so angry and depressed that I couldn't function. I was just in this mode of blank stillness. I felt so unbalanced because I didn't know day to day how I was going to feel and if I would be able to function. I didn't feel like myself.
Over the past year or so, I've gone through a healing process that has been very much about self respect. I came to the realization that I had been punishing my own body for not conforming to society's expectations. As I allowed myself to dwell with confidence in my current size, to rest when I needed to, and to do more of what I wanted, I found my body slowly healing. Finally getting access to birth control is what really spurred the healing process forward, but through choosing to respect myself and to tend to my body with a spirit of love, gentleness, and even pride, I gave my body space to heal.
I read this twice. Once for me. The second time I tried to feel what it would be like to hear this sermon as a prisoner. I imagine it would be a powerful message to hear. What a gift you are giving these women!
I too had a similar experience when I stopped drinking so many years ago and tried very hard to not take that the first drink. However, after many years of not taking that first drink I was in Hawaii on business trip waiting to board a plane from a small island and had about two hours to burn. I decided to wait in that small bar and was eating some local delicacy and thought it would be great to have a beer. Well, I had three and then boarded the plane with a slight buzz. I felt so much shame and reasoned that no one would know I tripped up because I was so far from home. The trip up comes to mind a lot and has kept me from taking that first drink since then - one day at a time. Thank you Lord!
So beautiful. I volunteer in a young offenders for 18-27 men (babies and boys to me). So thrilled that you are reaching out into more corners. God shines on x
"Because whatever it is that we don’t want to let go of...... whatever identities we think will keep us safe – aren’t safe at all they are just familiar and that’s not the same thing."
Yep. Despite years in recovery, I still have one area of my life that I have only half-assed submitted, but never asked God's help to surrender. Time to come all the way into the room and sit all the way down into the chair.
I started doing two way prayer a few months ago, after I separated from my husband of 12 years in an attempt to find myself. The voice that comes to me calls me “daughter.” The feelings that come over me when I hear it are both comforting and exquisitely painful. Now I think I understand why. Thank you, Nadia. ♥️
Being told that we are God's daughters, that we are loved is, like you said, both comforting and painful, and I've felt that sense of love and pain when I hear verses talking about God as a provider and healer. There are times when I can remember and sense his provision and healing and times when I feel alone. It's somehow comforting to know I'm not alone in feeling extravagant love and deep pain interwoven.
Who is the artist who did that amazing painting? Her face. . . . And well, the sermon makes so much sense to me. Healing is just the beginning, isn't it?
This made me cry. I know this is how my Sweet Morgan felt when she was struggling with Addiction. I know I loved her all I could, but people are cruel. I pray she knew in her heart God had not forsaken her. She is healed now and in the arms of God. I just wish people could understand the cruelty and power of their words. It’s breaks my heart for all those that struggle with substance misuse.
Thank you for loving on these women , Nadia. I remember Morgan telling me about a women that used to visit when she was in jail. You are making a mark on their hearts - more than you can imagine.
So much love here. Just amazing.
Sending my love, Deanna. xx
"And ultimately, when the pain of trying to lead the same life when I was not the same person was acute enough, I became willing to re-think old ideas about myself."
This really hits home today. In July, my husband of 18 years moved out (a good and peaceful thing), and a couple weeks later, my roommate and best friend went to visit friends and for the first time in my adult life, I was alone in my my home for 3 months. I had to set the whole tone, and it felt so wonderful. Once the best friend returned, I've caught all sorts of little things that I never even realized I was giving up. And this isn't bad; I think I'm just relieved to decided for myself and my own reasons how I want my Self and my life to be. And you're the lucky duck who gave me the right words for it.
Thank you Pastor Nadia, for your faithful ministry. Your words and love have touched my heart, soul, and spirit AGAIN. At 85 I still have much to learn and experience in this very full and challenging life of BECOMING WELL. Yes it hurts to let go. I am blessed to be one of your subscribers. A favorite verse- BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD ❤️🙏🏻
I've always loved that verse, and I love how it continues "I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the Earth."
We don't have to worry about doing enough, being enough. It's like God is saying, "Rest. I've got this. Just trust me."
“ sometimes it’s actually more comfortable to allow parts of ourselves to die than to feel them have new life, because then we have to face the pain of the whole truth.” It’s not fair that the path to wholeness and freedom is agonizingly painful. Only God could give me the courage to walk it, when I’d rather do anything else. Nadia, thank you for affirming that it’s worth walking.
This made me to cry, how very often do we see those who are hurting, cast away, forgotten, and we forget these precious ones need love, compassion, grace just as we do, every day. Please pass onto these ladies I commit to pray over and for them every day.
Much love in Christ.
"Because whatever it is that we don’t want to let go of: status, fear, bad relationships, victimhood, political correctness, moral superiority, resentment…name your poison – whatever identities we think will keep us safe – aren’t safe at all they are just familiar and that’s not the same thing." Thank you for the encouragement, the hope that letting go is the path to becoming whole.
I’m in my 5th year of sobriety, and at times, coming to faith has felt like a betrayal of my old self. Thank you for reminding me that I was loved then as I am now. It’s just that now, I can feel that love.
Nadia, please pass onto these precious ladies, that their lives matter, that their lives count, their past is just that to me, past. I pray Father will bless these ladies in their here and now moments, that He will surround them with His loving presence. For what it’s worth, their lives matter to me.
In Christ.
Nadia, I love that you call what she did a heroic act of self respect. So many times when I've heard sermons about this woman, she is portrayed as losing self respect, not caring about her dignity, and just willing to do any embarrassing thing in order to get close to Christ.
I don't know what it's like to bleed for over 4000 days, the physical, mental, and emotional pain that must have come from that, but during 2020 and perhaps into part of 2021, I experienced non-stop bleeding. I went through many days where I was so angry and depressed that I couldn't function. I was just in this mode of blank stillness. I felt so unbalanced because I didn't know day to day how I was going to feel and if I would be able to function. I didn't feel like myself.
Over the past year or so, I've gone through a healing process that has been very much about self respect. I came to the realization that I had been punishing my own body for not conforming to society's expectations. As I allowed myself to dwell with confidence in my current size, to rest when I needed to, and to do more of what I wanted, I found my body slowly healing. Finally getting access to birth control is what really spurred the healing process forward, but through choosing to respect myself and to tend to my body with a spirit of love, gentleness, and even pride, I gave my body space to heal.
I read this twice. Once for me. The second time I tried to feel what it would be like to hear this sermon as a prisoner. I imagine it would be a powerful message to hear. What a gift you are giving these women!
I too had a similar experience when I stopped drinking so many years ago and tried very hard to not take that the first drink. However, after many years of not taking that first drink I was in Hawaii on business trip waiting to board a plane from a small island and had about two hours to burn. I decided to wait in that small bar and was eating some local delicacy and thought it would be great to have a beer. Well, I had three and then boarded the plane with a slight buzz. I felt so much shame and reasoned that no one would know I tripped up because I was so far from home. The trip up comes to mind a lot and has kept me from taking that first drink since then - one day at a time. Thank you Lord!
So beautiful. I volunteer in a young offenders for 18-27 men (babies and boys to me). So thrilled that you are reaching out into more corners. God shines on x
"Because whatever it is that we don’t want to let go of...... whatever identities we think will keep us safe – aren’t safe at all they are just familiar and that’s not the same thing."
Yep. Despite years in recovery, I still have one area of my life that I have only half-assed submitted, but never asked God's help to surrender. Time to come all the way into the room and sit all the way down into the chair.
I started doing two way prayer a few months ago, after I separated from my husband of 12 years in an attempt to find myself. The voice that comes to me calls me “daughter.” The feelings that come over me when I hear it are both comforting and exquisitely painful. Now I think I understand why. Thank you, Nadia. ♥️
Being told that we are God's daughters, that we are loved is, like you said, both comforting and painful, and I've felt that sense of love and pain when I hear verses talking about God as a provider and healer. There are times when I can remember and sense his provision and healing and times when I feel alone. It's somehow comforting to know I'm not alone in feeling extravagant love and deep pain interwoven.
Who is the artist who did that amazing painting? Her face. . . . And well, the sermon makes so much sense to me. Healing is just the beginning, isn't it?
I think it is by Stephen Gjertson. https://stephengjertsongalleries.com/history-and-literature/
Thanks!
Nadia, your words always reach a place in me where healing is needed or is happening - thank you!