fearless | Fearless Heart

“There is a powerful shifting that takes place as we abandon the right to understand and we yield to God’s working in our lives.” ~ Jo Ann Fore

Silence hung thick as I sat there trying in some way to understand the voice on the other end…”Victoria, it’s Dad. She’s gone. She’s gone.” As his voice cracked and words gave way to tears I remember thinking. “What do you mean she’s gone. Grandma is fine. No health concerns. No telltale sign it was time. How could she be gone?”

And the pain came…

A panicked voice sounded through the earpiece. “It’s your uncle. We have to go. ICU. There was this car.” We hurried that night to gather with family. “Nothing they could do” they said. “Only a matter of time” they said. One final moment, one last goodbye.

And the pain came….

He hugged me one last time. His duffel ready to load. He hugged Mom & Dad. Held his wife and girls extra tight, extra long. One last glance. The doors closed. His voice echoed in my ears “Don’t worry sis, I’ll see you in a year, ok? I’ll call when I can.” We stood there, waving as the bus descended the hill out of sight. Brother, Son, Husband, Daddy…Soldier.

And the pain came….

John 16:33 -“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

As I sit here the memories flood my mind. Tears threaten and hands hesitate above the keys as my heart tries to make sense of it all….again. What I wouldn’t give for less pain. To avoid it all together.

And yet in this fallen world we live in, pain is inevitable. Pain will happen..to all of us. If not now, later. And often more than once. Sometimes fresh pain stirs old pain. And we struggle. And we hurt.

“Sometimes a stronger, more realistic faith is birthed in the darkest of pits” ~Jo Ann Fore

So how do we press through the pain of this life? The difficulties, the sharp right turns, the “turn your world up-side-down” kind of pain? There are no easy answers, I’ll give you that…but may I share some ways I work through pain?

First…..It’s ok to admit it hurts.

Often when we experience a traumatic event or a painful situation we stuff the emotions, the feelings and the memories. We tell people we’re ok, when really….we’re dying on the inside. But stuffing the pain only serves to hurt ourselves, and often those around us. It’s ok to admit it hurts. To allow time to grieve and work through the pain.

Second….It’s ok to ask God why?

It doesn’t always mean we’ll get an answer. Often we don’t. There are many things we will not understand this side of heaven, but I do know that God cares, especially in our pain. I have had so many moments that I’ve screamed and yelled at God. Sometimes out loud, often in my head. I’m angry, hurt, mad and many times overwhelmed. But it is through this honest heart to heart that often my faith is strengthened and driven deeper.

Third….It’s ok to embrace the pain even when we don’t understand.

This is a hard one because we want to understand. To have a deep down knowing that all this pain is for a purpose. That somehow the anguish we experience is not in vain. But there comes a point where we either embrace the pain or become a slave to our pain. Becoming a slave to our pain threatens to shackle us for life. Embracing the pain allows us to move forward..if ever so slowly.

Pain is inevitable, that much we know to be true. It is our response that makes all the difference in the world.

So where are you today? Are you finding yourself shackled to your pain or embracing your pain? How has God shown himself to be faithful even through the pain? I would love to hear from you. You can leave a comment below or contact me @ victoria@2T17.com

~Victoria

________________________________________________

Today I will be linking up over at Jo Ann Fore’s site as we anticipate the release of her book “When A Woman Finds Her Voice.”

I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee or hot cup of tea and sit awhile, chat with me and other wonderful women as we share about finding, or even losing, our voices within community. It’s kind of like a little virtual coffee shop. Not all the stories are the same but our hearts beat about the same message…Finding our voices and using them to the glory of our God and King, Jesus Christ. If you’re a blogger come link up with us, and if not, stop on by and leave a comment about how you use your voice.

Also, check out the “When A Woman Finds Her Voice” Pledge. Newly released, this free pledge is for any woman who is working to find her own God given voice and willing to use it. Click on the Link to read and sign the pledge. When you do you will receive a beautiful free copy of the pledge that will serve to remind you how valuable your voice is. I signed it and commit to using my voice for His continued glory. I hope you will join me!

If you haven’t checked out the information on “When A Woman Finds Her Voice” be sure to check out the links here or click on the photo to see an introduction to the book and the latest Amazon reviews.

Ready to make your way to the Link-up and virtual “coffee shop” space to read more? Head over to JoAnn Fore.com where you will find this post and many more. Can’t wait to see you there!

Have you been encouraged or challenged by what you have read here? Would you be willing to pass it on to someone else who may need the same encouragement or challenge? It’s easy. Simply use any of the share buttons below to help get the message out. Thanks so much! ~Victoria

Linking up at these great blogs:

Rachel Wojo.com

My Daily Walk In His Grace.com

Proverbs 14 verse 1.blogspot.com

Today I am delighted to welcome Michelle Soto of “My Secret Place.” Michelle and I meet through Jo Ann Fore’s Launch Team for her new book “When A Woman Finds Her Voice.” As Co-Founder and Executive Director of Fierce Woman Found Ministries, Michelle has a heart to see healing come to women of abusive and violent situations. Today she is sharing a part of her own story and a season of life where she had to learn to trust beyond her fear.

Michelle Soto in her own words……

———————————————————————-

The room was silent. The only light coming in came from the flashes of lighting that showered the Florida night. A dazzling light display against the dark, furious storm clouds that were scattered all across the sky.

The storm outside was a perfect match for the storm raging within me. Fear and anxiety fed my despair turning my stomach into knots. After months of the most intense battle of our lives, my daughter and I would be given the court’s decision on custody of her daughter–my granddaughter.

All summer long, we went to court date after court date proving ourselves, disproving lies, scheduling hearing dates, rescheduling hearing dates. And with every new date, my fear grew and my anxiety peaked. Sleep no longer came easily, if at all. Fear will do that to you. It’ll build off the stress, trauma, crisis in your life until it overwhelms and overtakes every thought you have and determine every choice you make.

The fear and trauma of the situation were clouding my faith. The same faith that was being purged and deepened in order to produce Trust. That summer, God walked me through an extremely critical lesson. That was the summer that I learned how to truly trust Him. Belief I knew. Faith I knew too and I really thought I knew trust. But, not really, not to this degree.

You see, Trust is Rest. Trust is Peace. Trust is Release.

Trust is…Letting Go and Letting God. Even when that ‘letting go involves that which is most sacred and dear to us. Because sometimes. Not all the time, but—sometimes, it takes more ‘heart’ to let go than it does to hold on. Fear can keep you hanging on, staying in control. Making sure of the outcome. I believe you God. I have faith that You are the God of the impossible. But what if we lose her? Our ability to let go is in direct proportion to our trust in Him.

I John 4:18 says: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear is by suspicion, but he who fears is not grown up in love.” (Aramaic Plain English Bible).

God was ‘growing me up’ in Love.

That night, as I looked out at the raging storm on the other side of the window, I realized that though I felt the rumbling of the thunder, I couldn’t actually hear it. Although I could clearly see the storm clouds racing and the lightning crackling and flashing, everything was all muffled. In all storms, the eye is the location of the storm’s minimum barometric pressure: the area where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is the lowest.” It is calmest in the eye of a storm.

As I stood there contemplating the contrast between ‘storm’ and ‘stillness’, I heard the whisper of God…“I have you in My eye”. Tears welled up and rolled down as His Peace filled me and I felt His immense love. In that moment, my heart-struggle finally ceased and came to ‘rest’ in that Love. It was then, that I was finally able to respond. “Lord, I trust You.”

Whatever the outcome, I know that You love her more than we ever could and whatever You decide is based on that Perfect Love.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed/fixed/steadfast on you, because he trusts in you.” ~ Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

If you are facing storms that bring you face to face with FEAR, I encourage you today to release ‘control’ of the situation to Him. Ask Him to mature (grow you up) in Love. You may need to ‘go through’ the storm, but your Father will keep you in His Eye as you trust in His Perfect Love.

~Michelle

—————————————————————————-

Michelle Soto

Michelle Soto~

Married, mother of three and grandmother of three, I am a Christ-lover, Daughter of the Most High and Creativity Diva. Co-Founder and Executive Director of Fierce Woman Found Ministries, a domestic violence and trauma healing community, I work with women of all ages and stages in their live to help heal and recover from traumatic and/or abusive events in their lives. As a Licensed Minister and Counselor, my passion is to encourage and empower women and awaken them to their God-given purpose and design.

Michelle Blogs over at My Secret Place ~ Where the Beautifully Broken Come to Land….. or Find her at the “Fierce Woman Found” Facebook Page.