I Am Loved

Parents who love me. Never abused in any way. No addictions (unless you count blogger and chocolate) to deal with and get over. Married and a mom, in the God-designed order. These are things I've sort of thought were the way of life for the average small-town woman. At 31 my eyes are beginning to be opened to the hurt others have experienced, and the frequency of its occurrence. In the past 4 months or so I've been to two different ladies' get-together, one church-related, the other Christian homeschooling moms. They each became sort of a vent/talk-it-out session for some of the ladies, and I just kept quiet and listened. In one group there were about 6 of us, and I was one of the only ones who had not been sexually, physically, or verbally abused as a child. These ladies are striving to give their kids a better life than they had by loving Jesus and leading their kids in Christ's ways, and I love them for it. They are changing history for their children. In the other get-together of 6 ladies, I was the only one who'd not been divorced and on my second marriage. I'm not blaming these ladies. Maybe their first husbands left them. I don't know,but I know they have painful histories, whether from their own bad choices or an unfaithful man. Again, I didn't say much, just listened and felt blessed to have a loving husband. But I left with the reminder that good marriages don't just happen and they don't just keep happening. They must be maintained and built. On a side note, there were plenty of laughs and jokes and light-hearted talk at each of these outings. But getting to hear these women briefly touch on how their lives were before Christ changed them, or the things He's brought them through, gives me a new respect and love for my sisters in Christ.I am no different from any of these women in my need for Jesus, but because my parents and family love and respect me, I've been spared so much pain. Thank you Jesus and thank you Mom and Guy (my step-dad). And it gives me the urgency to arm my children with the TRUTH for facing the deception and temptations coming up for them in their lives.