I read a book when I was in high school called Redeeming Love. It’s definitely a book that every woman should read- no joke. Without giving too much away it’s a fictional story that parallels to the Bible story of Hosea (a righteous man) and Gomer (a prostitute).

I was too immature in my faith at that time to appreciate the book’s connection of Gods love for us in spite of how often we turn away from Him.  All I remember is reading it (at 15) and thinking to myself, “I am going to marry a man like that!”

Little did I know just how much I would identify with the prostitute in the years to come.  It’s crazy to think that God could redeem me from such a filthy and degrading past. But what’s even more crazy is that not only did He redeem me, but He blessed me beyond measure!!

God gave me my own story of redeeming love. Not only did I get to “marry a man like that!” but I also got to experience first hand the book’s truth– God can redeem you from anything! You are NEVER so far gone that God won’t welcome you back.

Kevin and I recently got to share our testimony again at ReEngage & we decided to update the last 10 minutes to include Gideon’s Journey. I hope you’ll find time to watch Our Story. It began as a story of redeeming love and forgiveness…and now continues on as a daily commitment to choose happiness despite our circumstances.

Praise God for His Redeeming Love!

I hate detours. In my opinion they are one of the most frustrating things in the world.

Seriously, you have a destination in mind and you have already planned how you will get there. You’re going along and all of a sudden you find your chosen path is shut down & you must now find another way.

This happened to me yesterday… twice!! I was taking Gideon to therapy and had to turn around from my chosen path because of an unexpected detour. I made the decision to head down a different road only to find that my alternate route was also blocked with yet another detour.

Since I was already 30 minutes late, I made the decision that Gideon’s therapy was not where we were meant to go that day. So I turned my car in the opposite direction of therapy and we went somewhere else entirely.

I feel like detours have popped up many times in my life recently. Maybe you feel the same. Life doesn’t always go as planned and if we’re honest, we hate that- because ultimately that means we cannot not always be in control.

Ever since Gideon made his arrival 15 months ago, I feel like we’ve been forced down one big detour that has only led to several more detours. Just when we think we’ve found our way, we hit another road block.

Our most recent detour has to do with Gideon eating. He was eating 9 oz of food per day plus three 8 oz bottles. He is still taking his bottles but now eats 1-3 oz of food each day. Granted this isn’t terrible like it was in January (when he wasn’t eating or drinking) but it’s still a detour that causes frustration and concern.

But I think figured out the remedy for detours.

Yesterday as I turned around for the second time, I finally asked God, “What plans do you have for us today?” After all Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

While I didn’t get an audible answer from Him, I did get a phone call from my mom.

She asked if we could all go to Chuck-E-Cheese (something Laynie has been begging to do for sometime now). So that’s what we did. We threw out our daily routine and spent some much needed family time laughing and playing. Which as it turns out, was something I desperately needed.

Yesterday’s detour turned out better than the road I was on. Isn’t it interesting how even life’s biggest detours lead to some of the biggest blessings? Gideon’s life touching others is just one example.

I guess it’s my hope that whatever detours you’re facing you realize that there’s purpose and meaning for it. Maybe you’re being redirected because there’s nothing for you down the road that you’re on.

We are learning everyday to trust that the Lord’s plans are greater than anything we could come up with on our own. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Detours may cause frustration but every time they produce growth & an opportunity to seek His will… And ultimately His blessings.

Better learn to embrace the detours.

I cannot count the number of times I’ve had someone tell me, Don’t beat yourself up!

Apparently I’m not alone. There are many “people-pleasing” folk out there like me who are way too hard on themselves…and really for no good reason. I wish I could say I have a mild tendency to beat myself up, but I’d be lying. I am my own worst critic about everything- self-image, child raising, cooking, writing… I could go on.

I always knew this was an area of my life that needed to be addressed, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized how much damage was (and is) being done. And it took a photo of Gideon to finally get my attention.

I love photos of sleeping babies (especially my own), but the one above highlighted something about Gideon that breaks my heart as a parent- the physical damage he does when he hits himself. In fact, just a few hours before I took this photo, he was self-stemming (hitting himself), and I actually said to him “don’t beat yourself up!”

As I looked at that photo and reminisced my own statement, I felt as if God was saying, “I feel the same way every time you beat yourself up.” It became clear that Gideon’s bruises were an outward reflection of my own inward beatings. Meaning the damage my son does to himself is visible; but over the years, I’ve done so much more invisible, self-damage with every harsh word and criticism.

Just like I don’t want Gideon to hurt himself, God doesn’t want us to hurt ourselves either. He created us in His image! Psalm 139 says that we were “knit together in our mother’s womb” and therefore we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Zephaniah 3:17 says he “delights in us… and rejoices over us with singing.”

Honestly, I’m not sure how we can stop Gideon from hurting himself. I can’t hold his hands down 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But I do know that, for myself, I can stop any further damage. I can replace Satan’s lies with God’s truth (Zeph 3:17 and Psalm 139 are great places to start!) I can re-read great resources like Lies Women Believe. I can seek guidance and prayer from some great accountability partners.

It’s simple, really. For those of us who don’t have a genetic disorder, it comes down to a choice. We can choose to believe what Satan thinks about us or we can choose to believe what God and His Word SAYS about us.

I think it’s important to also mention that little eyes are watching and little ears are listening. Our children know how we feel about ourselves. And studies show that our self image can spill over onto them. That concerns me for my 4 year old daughter.

It’s for that reason that I hope and pray that no one will ever again have to tell me, don’t beat yourself up!