Thoughts for Life: Releasing Secrets, Restoring Hope

Gwen Smith shares with us, "For years my abortion story went untold.

It was a secret held tightly by a locked heart - my worst nightmare and darkest memory. Not something I wanted to talk about.

Certainly not a story that I thought could be used for good.

Conversationally, it was unapproachable… simply impossible to discuss.

On the rare occasion when I allowed my mind to go there, I wished I had a different story: one of life, not death – of joy, not pain. A story of a time when I’d made the best choice, not the worst choice.

But that’s not my story.

And because it’s not, for years I was convinced that my mistakes demanded silence. That because of what I’d done and where I’d been, I was bound to be quiet whenever the sacred topic of life arose.

Certainly, I had no right to speak… or so I believed. Shame buttoned my lips.

Then I came to know a deeper grace. A grace found in the testimony of redemption. God’s grace. A grace that testifies of hope, healing and restoration.

A grace found in the sharing and releasing of my broken heart-places. Amazing grace that boasts in the truth that all things can work together for good to those who love God and who are bound to His will and purpose (Romans 8:28).

By the grace of Jesus Christ, I now understand that – knowing what I know and having been where I’ve been – I am actually uniquely qualified to speak and encourage others toward life… forgiveness… and hope.

A few years ago, the Lord led me to participate in a post-abortive Bible study and a weekend retreat that allowed my heart to experience healing in places that I didn’t even know were wounded.

I was given the opportunity to sift through my grief, to name my child, and to honor her tragic, unlived life in a beautiful memorial service. My story is now one of healing – and I will tell it until I take my last breath and meet my precious baby in heaven.

HEALING

For those of you who share my broken story, I encourage you toward this sacred healing – toward deeper grace. Death’s grip is suffocating and scary… but it’s not more powerful than the forgiveness and love found in Jesus.

Don’t allow fear and shame to keep you from the restoration that God longs for you to experience. Call your local pregnancy care center and ask about their post-abortive Bible studies and retreats.

COURAGE

For those of you who are pregnant and afraid, I encourage you to choose life.

I know the fears you are facing and the doubts that are screaming relentlessly to your heart. Silence them with the hope found in the center of grace.

Whatever this looks like for you – whether it’s parenting or adoption – I implore you, from the deepest recesses of my heart, to allow your baby a chance to breathe, love, laugh and live. It will be one of the best choices you will ever make.

SUPPORT

For those of you who don’t share my story, but who support the efforts of life-affirming ministries on the front lines of this battle, I encourage you toward generous giving. I applaud you for your participation.

Because of you, lives are being saved… and diapers are being changed… and dreams are being dreamed… and God is being honored. Because of your support, sacred hearts are beating. Thank you.

A thousand times: thank you.

"But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:20b-21)

Let’s Pray

Dear God, with a trembling heart, I approach Your throne of grace today in reverence and humility, fully aware that You are holy and I am not. Speak, Lord. Show me the plans You have for me.

Bind me to Your Word and to Your strength so I will have the courage to obey, to forgive and to accept forgiveness. May my brokenness be restored for the beauty of Your glory. Please help me to trust your plan and grace. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen."

Today’s Truth

"Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame."(Psalm 34:5, NIV)

January 24, 2014
Releasing Secrets, Restoring Hope (Used by permission)
Gwen Smith

(Google images added)

Speaker / Author / Worship Leader / Songwriter

Inspiring Women To Live Fully in Grace and Truth

Co-founder of Girlfriends in God

EMAIL: Gwen@GwenSmith.net

MY WEBSITE: www.GwenSmith.net

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/GwenSmithMusic

YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/GwenSmithMusic

GIG: www.GirlfriendsinGod.com

Do you have a comment about today's message? Please email either Gwen Gwen@GwenSmith.net or me at jowildflowers@gmail.com

Today’s quotes: Mary Southerland – “One of Satan’s favorite tactics is to resurrect buried sin. Wrapping that confessed transgression in his vain taunts and useless accusations, the enemy hauls it back into focus, hoping that guilt will paralyze and imprison a soul set free. Satan can hold us prisoner if we let him.

But how often do we believe his empty lies – and by doing so, grant him access to that which he has no right? To break the hold of sin, we can and must stand against the enemy. We cannot trust our feelings, but we can trust God’s Word, which is unchanging and crystal clear – when we confess sin, God forgives it.”

Beth Moore - "We certainly don't want to march into our futures carrying the baggage of our pasts, but God forbid we'd walk away from our mistakes empty -handed. What we need is a baggage exchange. We need to drop off our destructive, heavy baggage at the foot of the cross then tarry there for healing until God loads us with treasures to carry into our futures."

(Taken from THE PATRIARCHS Encountering the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, pg 197, in the ninth lesson, A Fragile Band of brothers.)

Some thoughts today: We are motivated by desires and giftings which God has given us. Our heart tends to take over and offer alternatives to God's plan for using these desires and giftings in everyday life.

- As Christians, we must read His Word daily to keep aware of His plan for us, to be pleasing to Him, and to be effective in the Kingdom's work.

30th- Sunday’s post: The Little Tent Dave McCasland

4/1st Tuesday's post: #71 Results of a Poor Choice C. Peter Wagner

3rd- Thursday's post: #72 Replacing the False Intercessors C. Peter Wagner

5th- Saturday's post: Looking...Fixing...Focusing Morna Gilbert