Repeat after me

Blessings, Encouragement, God's provision, Gratitude, Holy Spirit, Hope, Jesus, Restoration, Witnessing 2 Minutes

I’ve been thinking through some stuff the last couple of years. Some difficult stuff. My dad passed away over a decade ago, and this fall my mom passed.

My word of the year for 2024 is Restoration. I actually began unpacking it after my mom passed. Slowly, as the Holy Spirit brought things to remembrance, I sorted through the feelings and memories of my youth, and how they still affect me today.

And in the process I am being restored.

My parents divorced when I was in fourth grade. My dad moved out of the house, and my mom’s boyfriend moved in. They eventually married and remained married for 53 years. I know both of my parents were hurting people, and did their best to show me and my sister love.

My mom never tried to turn us against our dad, and I am forever grateful for that. My dad later accepted Jesus into his life, and began going to church. His new wife wanted to get married in church, and so when I was in my early 20’s, my mom agreed to have her marriage to my dad annulled.

When I moved to Colorado, I did my best to remain in contact with my mom and dad, but they both seemed to be moving on. I wrote weekly letters and called. (This was before email and texting.) I was always the one initiating the contact. Then at one point a letter to my mom was returned to me as undeliverable. I tried calling and the number was disconnected. I called my sister and was told my mom and step father had moved, and did not think to give me their new contact information.

I continued to love them both. I tried to have conversations with my mom about my love for Jesus, sent her links to my blog posts, etc, and she thought that was fine for me, but not something she was interested in. That was the saddest part for me when my sister called to tell me she passed, was knowing that I would not see her in heaven. In calling my step father, and mentioning this to him, he told has said he has no need for Jesus either. Beyond sad.

I even had my uncle, my mom’s brother, call me a couple of days after my mom passed, to let me know she did. He said he was not sure anyone had let me know. So he knew how I was treated too.

In looking back I can see how I needed restoration. There was a lot more I have been unpacking that I will not get into, but each piece I pull out, I carefully go over it with the Holy Spirit until He tells me it is okay now, and I can set it down and get rid of it once and for all.

I do not mean to downplay anyone’s hurt and what they’ve lived through. I just realize I have abandonment issues, for lack of a better way to phrase it.

So one morning about a week ago, during my morning quiet time this just rolled out and I had to quickly write it down. It is so good and that is why I am sharing it with you, and why you need to repeat after me!

I am included, invited

Welcomed, accepted

Embraced, held

Esteemed, worthy

Understood and involved

I belong.

Because of Jesus all of this is 100% certified truth!

If restoration is beginning this strong in 2024, I am so excited to see what the rest of the year brings!

© 2024 Fluffy Puppy Publishing All Rights Reserved

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Published by God Still Speaks

I am a follower of Jesus with an insatiable hunger for the Word of God! I am doing my best to be obedient in sharing what I learn with others, with my own unique spin, using the way God made me, linear with a twist!

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23 thoughts on “Repeat after me”

  5. I can definitely relate to your experience in my family; I have had an entire lifetime of rejection and even attacks. My later years have been a progressive work of restoration at the hands of Father God, and my family in Christ. Through Him we are accepted, which is the main source of hope in a believer’s life.

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  6. Abba Father, thank you, that You will restore me to what You made me to be. All i have to do is ask in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

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  7. Thanks for sharing this. I went through a similar experience after being a “pigpen prodigal”.

    The Holy Spirit wouldn’t let me just ask for blanket forgiveness, but rather showed me the course of my life and WHY I had chosen the sins that I had done.

    In that, He caused me to WANT to meet with Him in prayer to sort out the iniquity issues in my heart. Through Scripture, these issues were made clear. Through prayer and asking forgiveness, those sins were washed away.

    But that whole process caused my family to lift an eyebrow at what was taking place. I became “the religious guy” who made people uncomfortable…especially in matters relating to spiritual warfare.

    But that’s okay, God doesn’t waste a trial. Your struggles have been difficult and real, but have obviously forged you into a vessel capable of empathy, compassion, understanding, and grace.

    Thanks for the post!

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  8. Pingback: Repeat after me – QuietMomentsWithGod

  9. Prayers for your healing. We recently did a Lysa Terkeurst study, “Forgiving What You Can’t Forget.” I’ve never taught a study like it before, but I can highly recommend it. See last Sunday’s sermon for a glimpse. Blessings, friend.

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  10. So very sorry for the hurt that came from your parent’s lives. When I was an adult, I realized I suffered from abandonment because my mother passed when I was a toddler. No matter who came into my life, they could not fill that void. When it comes to knowing who will be in heaven, we never know what happens to people when they are nearing death. Who knows Who they may call out to in their final moments? God’s grace and His mercy are endless.

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