At the beginning of this year, I was invited to a new meeting, new for me anyway.
The name of the group is “Raw and Real”.
(That should tell you something!)
My husband asked me before I went what it was all about.
I seriously did not know, and I told him so.
“So why did I agree to go?” was his next query; because I 100% trust the friend who invited me.
Turns out, it is a growing group of woman from many different walks of life, just sitting for a couple of hours and sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I was dubious, because I dislike the small talk involved with meeting new people.
I love the DEEP talk – just not always the small talk of getting there.
But did I mention I trust my friend?
This group was all women with a similar world view, even though their life histories were very different.
It was actually quite a joy to hear some of their stories, and heartbreaking to hear some others.
Let me tell you folks, no matter how bad you had it – someone always had it worse.
You can never tell by looking at them, just how difficult their journey has been.
I won’t share their stories, but I can sure tell you what happened in my mind while I was there.
I did not share my story there, but as I listened I was reminded, and considered my own journey.
Sometimes when you have walked thru so much, over such a long period of time –
You know where you’ve walked, but some of the steps get forgotten.
What I’d like to do here, is share the BIG steps that I remembered during this meeting, and then in subsequent posts, share some of the little steps that were involved in becoming the free woman that I am today.
So here is the list I made while listening – many of their steps reminded me of my own!
1. Toxic turmoil
2. Lament
3. Quiet (pjs)
4. Introvert
5. Little girl – 6 weeks – 6 months
6. Identity
7. Process
8. Too much process
9. Write
10. Travel
11. Relate.
12. Freedom
During the process of writing this out, I am positive that even more will be revealed and remembered.
Over the years I have come to “Love the process”.
It always takes me to new places, with further vistas, and hopefully, you can realize some new freedoms too, just by following along.
For quite a while, from 2008 to about 2012, I studied and studied a manuscript from a conference I had gone to in Washington D.C.
This study was about our true identity.
It was written and taught by Graham
Cooke .
Graham maintains that our identity is
made up of two things; Who we are on earth, and how we are know in heaven.
Our PERSONALITY – made up of who we are on earth;
and our PERSONA – made up of how we are known in heaven.
When
you understand who God made you to be, or how you are known in heaven, it
changes your perception of your circumstances.
When you understand who God made you to be; you can look at things a different way during awful conditions.
“Why is this happening to me?” and “Why this? Why now? Why me?” are questions we would ask from our personality.
They cause us to be victims.
“What does this mean?”
and
“What shall I do?”
These are questions we would ask from our persona.
They help us to be victorious!
Those have
been the two most helpful questions to me in times of trouble.
These
questions have changed me from a victim, to a victor!
I
get to CHOOSE! I can ask myself these two questions and then take action.
These questions may seem over simplified, but knowing what the words say, and actually putting them to work in your life are two different issues.
The level of difficulty is often disproportionately boosted.
I worked on installing those thoughts
and ideas into my heart and mind for more than four years.
I still have to break out the lesson
once in a while for a re-cap.
How in the world can you change the way
you think?
I did it by reading scripture over and over about just who God says I am and what He thinks of me.
Here
are some important things that God wants us to know. I hope you find them
helpful.
The most important thing that God says about me (and He says it about you to by the way) is this;
Psalm 139:13-16 (ESV)
13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance: in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
We are not mistakes. We are not accidents. No matter what we’ve been told.
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
10 For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
He made us just how we are, and He gave us purpose. All different, and gloriously unique!
2 Samuel 22:20 (ESV)
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because He
delights in me.
He delights in us and wants to rescue us from the chaos of this world!
Deuteronomy 32:10 “He
found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he
encircled him, he cared for him, he kept
him as the apple of his eye.
He loves us so much. He rescues us from our wasteland. We are the apple of His eye!
John 3:16-17 (ESV)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life; For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
He loves us ALL the same.
If we are born again in Him, then we can always know and remember that He is there for us; even if we are not in Him, we can know that He wants us to be.
I know I’m going long here, but I’d like to share just one more thing with you today.
The words from this song by Morgan Harper Nichols, states my position on what He thinks of me (and you) very well.
It reminds me of how He cared for me, even when I was unaware of Him.
The Storyteller
On a Sunday evening I’m
looking back over all the years
and where I’ve been
Looking at old photographs
I’m remembering
you were right there
and you have been ever since
With every page that
turns
I see your faithfulness
Oh the mountain where I
climbed
The valley where I fell
You were there all along
That’s the story I’ll tell
You brought the pieces together
Made me this storyteller
Now I know it is well, it is well
That’s the story I’ll tell
There were some nights
that felt like
They would last forever
But you kept me breathing
You were with me right then
And all that you have done for me
I could never hold it in
So here’s to me telling this story
Over and over again
Oh the mountain where I
climbed
The valley where I fell
You were there all along
That’s the…
I actually use the camera on my phone. It’s a Galaxy S9.
I’m mobile!
My phone takes quality photos, is very portable, and always ready for a shot, without doing much with the settings.
Do you use any filters on your photos?
I use no filters.
I have tried recently to do a couple of black and white photos, but then went back to regular photos with my phone.
What is your motivation for the photos you take?
Worship. It’s definitely a part of my worship.
I find it very healing.
I’ve dealt with depression.
Depression makes you pull inside yourself, and away from people.
Now that I enjoy photography, I get out of my house. I go places.
I can go with someone, or even go by myself.
This makes me happy because I can do things however I like. Take a picture or not, stay or go, I can decide.
I tend to take pictures dealing with light and creation, and the CREATION always makes me feel connected to the CREATOR.
The amount and diversity of creation is amazing and awe inspiring.
I no longer take for granted the state and town I live in.
Embracing and sharing my hometown, causes me to want to do it more.
There is beauty in every state, but coming home to Iowa is always best.
How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?
Trial and error
Practice
Viewing others photos on photography websites
My husband is being educated on my photo taking needs as well!
Among your works, which one is your favorite? Why?
“Favorite picture of the summer so far. Taken from the bike trail during the flooding. I always enjoy capturing reflections and cool shadows. So beautiful with the white puffy clouds.”
What mood or message do you try to portray in your photos?
Natural beauty.
Positive. Always positive.
Encouraging.
I want my photos to point people to God.
She also likes to show off her town! (Added by me)
“Driving back from Kalona, with the sun behind us, I had a realization. For some people, looking back is painful emotionally. However, when it comes to photography, you need to be willing to examine your subject from every angle. Otherwise, you might miss the best picture ever!”
Significant Encounters 
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