10-20-30

Robyn, from Overflowing Grace (blog) gave me this idea. If you haven't done so already blog about what you were doing 10-20-30 years ago and leave me a comment and I will read yours too.

10 Years Ago: I was single but talking with this "guy" online and the phone and becoming friends. Little did I know he was the man God intended for my life. I was 29 and thinking I will NEVER get married. I was a foster care counselor and learning the system does not truly work to protect children enough. That the limits to what the government can do to help,protect, and heal children in catstrophic situations are endless. I learned that often the system hurts more than it helps. I was very depressed and in Christian counseling. But unkwown to me God was doing somethign HUGE in my life and bringing me to a place of healing and restoration by forgiving those who had hurt me deeply as a child.

20 Years ago: I was a freshman in Junior College. My parents had just gotten divorced a few months before and my sister, my mom and I were struggling just to survive on the little income we had. But God was ever faithful. I was anorexic but was in denial. I weighed 75 lbs, thought I was fat and ugly. Thanks to an observant, caring pastor's wife I began my road to recovery because she held me accountable. She helped build me up in places that were torn down. She helped to save my life.

30 years ago: I was a 9 year old. Busy with dolls and school and life in a home that was less than stable. However, because of a prayerful mother I was a stong Christian and life was okay despite the chaos. I was a peacemaker and took on worries and jobs that were not mine to take. My beloved grandmother, the prayer warrior of our family was weeks away from her death of cancer. She was my rock, my everything. She was my sunrise. I loved her so much. I could tell her things I could not tell my mother. She loved me so much. She prayed with me and adored me. OH my, how I miss her. She would be so proud of me now. She would love and adore my children. She sewed seeds of love and faith into my life that undoubtedly helped me face some things that were horrific. My mother was doing the best she could in an abusive marriage. We were poor, very poor. I knew what it was like to go to bed hungry. But God was ever faithful even in the storm.

My life has been made richer because of some of the things I survived. The storms I came through because of my Lord made me stronger. I learned to be a survivor. I learned to depend on God in the lean times. I learned that just because you don't have the latest gadgets, gizmos and fashions, you can find joy in the journey. I may not have known that per se then, but somewhere in my heart and soul I knew.