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10/14/2020 3 Comments

Waiting With Open Arms

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By: Gina Barton Sewell
There was a time in my life that my relationship with Jesus wasn’t quite what it is now. I was raised in the church. I was saved and baptized as a young teenager. I had a clear plan for my life, which entirely centered around Jesus. But then, somewhere down the line, I got a little off track. Rebellious teenager, you might say.
 
Years later, just as I’m getting back on track, there was a tragedy in my family that just brought me so much anger toward God. My mother, who was the staple of our family, the whole reason I knew who Jesus was and loved Him so much was involved in a terrible accident. A drunk driver hit her on her way home from my house. The ambulance arrived within one minute, and they were able to bring her back. But, unfortunately, her head injury was so severe that she never really came back. She spent months in the hospital, where I stayed with her, and when she came home, I tried so hard to take care of her, with no help, and the belief that she would make a complete recovery. I mean, after all, she did it right. She spent her life serving the Lord.
 
But she did not recover...
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It took months for me to come to terms with the fact that she was never going
to be the same, that she was never going to remember my children or me, that,
my mom, as I knew her, was gone.
“In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” Ephesians 4:26 (NIV)

​So, I got angry. Really angry, and the sun went down many days while I stayed angry, and that began a pattern in my life that I never thought would happen. I turned to drugs and alcohol. While there were many other factors, my anger with God was the beginning of the end for me.
 
I, very effectively, destroyed my life, as well as my children’s lives. It wasn’t long before I knew the error of my ways and wanted to run as fast as I could back into the arms of Christ. But, I didn’t because I felt His arms would not be open for me any longer. I felt my wrongs had been far too great.
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​But God felt differently, and suddenly, I began to see blessings in my life. I began to see that, maybe, there was a way to find God again, which was through His grace. I surrendered it all to Him, and I was happy to know that His arms were still open for me and for all who love Him. Carrying me out of that pit, he gave me a whole new life. God changed my life just in time to spend my mom’s last couple of years with her. Sitting there at her bedside, I held her hand as she passed.
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Gina is a mom and grandma from Dallas, Texas. She loves encourage others through writing. She writes about Jesus and her personal journey on her blog, Greatly Emboldened. Gina also finds joy in cooking and spending time with her family. You can connect with Gina further on her Website, or Instagram.


3 Comments
Ava James link
10/16/2020 08:59:13 am

Thanks for sharing your story, what a story of Grace one we often take a while to realise. But God's plan is great and so glad you had time to enjoy with your mother!

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Felicia
10/16/2020 12:04:32 pm

Loved this. I had the same experience when I was 14 years old. My little sister passed away when she was 9. At that moment I believed there couldn’t be a God. How could he let that happened. But in His mercy He kept reaching out to me until finally at 30 years old I accepted Him back in my life.

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Darla Sue White
2/11/2025 02:53:15 pm

It is such a blessing to find yourself in the embrace of our loving Heavenky FATHER GOD. To finally come to the realization that our life is for HIS purpose not ours. HIS plan for our lives were formed prior to our first birth.
I was born morphine addicted 3 almost 4 months premature to a schizophrenic mother, who took all her anger out on me. satan took great lengths to kill me in my mother's womb, GOD had another plan. satan tried to end my life at birth to 4 months of age, but GOD had another plan. Sent home to die in a shoebox, but GOD had another plan. The abuse I endured all my childhood tried to break me but GOD had another plan. I praise CHRIST JESUS for my salvation and being a part of GOD's glorious plan for my life. I am absolutely nothing without HIM. The abuse endured only made me tough as an old boot and I now know that GOD used divine intervention that is ongoing still to this day. HE really is with us and never leaves us. HIS love held me through it all and my faith is great not because of anything I did or could do. It is only because of all my redeeming SAVIOUR did, does and will do. GOD bless you and your ministry may HE guide all your hand puts to pen.

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