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Overcoming Evil with Good…..

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I think because of written books like: Grace to The Rescue (a story of deliverance from a bad and not “God ordained marraige) and also Dysfunctional People, I’ve been pegged to a certain degree as “One who has not ever taken abuse,” and therefore, not an overcomer or a lover of my enemies……..

That’s not true. 

I have not written a book (yet) about the thousands of times I’ve lived this passage: 

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
 
I’ve been hurt, mistreated, spoken evil of, slandered, stolen from, mocked, scourged with words, misunderstood, and the list goes on. I’ve forgiven it all, and I’ve done good to those who’ve hurt me, WITH a cheerful heart! 

 I spent 16 years of my life forgiving the same offenses over and over, and praying to have fruit and be fruitful, and using the opportunity to be strengthened in my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ I have no “regret” about the things I suffered in a very bad and abusive marriage..
Why? Because God turned it out for my good! I want you to remember however, even Jesus dodged the Pharisees because “His time had not come.” Likewise, Joseph was warned in a dream how to keep Jesus safe from harm. God is not expecting anyone to take abuse, to the point they die before their time. ECC 7:17  

-Laura Grace, author, Grace to the Rescue (available on Amazon) or http://www.lauragracebooks.com  
am I really required to love my abuser? · being battered emotionally · co-dependent · cure or healing for emotional pain · Help I'm a christian trying to love, what do I do? · Help, I"m trying to love an abuser · is there such a thing as loving too much? · Marital abuse · spousal abuse and emotional healing · the love, love love doctrine · Uncategorized · when being a christian is hard · why does love always have to hurt so much?

Mirror Mirror, on the wall, who’s the most loving, of them all?

 
There’s a subject that doesn’t get talked about much, in Christian Circles. It’s called “Pride’ Over how much we love others. If we stay on auto-pilot, only feed on what our church tells us, (unless we have a super healthy church) and do not read the bible for ourselves; chances are we are going to get the Love-Love-Love version of how everything should be.
 
This is fine, (in most cases), unless you happen to be dealing with, or living with a person who is programmed to deceive you, lie to you, con you, and drain the very life out of you, 24-hours a day. Unless you’ve been married to, or with a person who uses the bible against you (as in, every time you confront their lie they say, 
“You are not walking in Love” And, they act as the accuser, if you give them consquences for their actions, and say, “I don’t think you’re being very merciful honey, you may want to check yourself.”MIRROR MIRRORChances are, you may not understand just how treacherous this can be. I”m convinced the love love love doctrine when dealing with Abuse, is much like theories people have when they’ve never had children (yet).
Until you are abused like this, you probably have no reason to press in with God for what he meant by “Love you Enemies.” Loving your enemies may mean leaving them, sending the to Jail, or whatever else God thinks should happen. 
The Fruit of the Spirit (of Love) also contains much truth. God is not co-dependent. He is not into just showing love and mercy to those who chew him up, and spit him out (so to speak.). You would think we would know this, but, it’s not always the case. 
 
Christians are often held to the standard of love, the way WE understand it, not the way God spells it out. I wanted to walk in love so bad (and be one of God’s favorites) that I said long ago “I will always err on the side of loving.” it’s a brave stance, but people who don’t love God, who think you are a fool OR who think it’s your job to pick up the pieces after all their bad choices (time and time again) will not stop being this way, no matter how loving you are.
 
A picture God gave me is this: You would not let a person go into your church building, tear it all up, break the pews, destroy the Altar, and throw mud on the pulpit, time and time again. If you saw someone destroying your church building, you might forgive and forget ONCE if they repented, and promised not to do it again. If they wouldn’t listen to you the first time and were “bent’ On destroying your church building, you would likely call the police, wouldn’t you?
 
Why is it then, that US (the actual temple of the living God) would be considered less important- than a building made of stone or wood? Why do we believe it’s okay to “tear down” A person over and over again, and why would we ever council someone to just “Keep on Loving” in the sense of “Let them do it again?”
Beware of pride over “How well you Love!” I know it’s hard to believe, but it can become something we are “Proud of” (How Much abuse we take).
I hope you ponder my words, because often, “taking abuse’ becomes the only thing abused people feel they are good at. Once Pride sets in, (over how much we love our abuser), we have little hope of listening to someone who says we can be set free. 
 
Ecclesiastes 7:16 Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself?
 
“but deliver us from evil……” Luke 11:4 (NKJV) 
Laura Grace, Author,
Grace to the Rescue, Grace to Grow, Grace to Soar, Dsyfunctional People. 
becoming a leader · becoming Christ-like · becoming whole · being at peace · christian lives matter · courage · crying to Jesus · cure or healing for emotional pain · dealing with divorce as a christian · death · deliver me from evil · deliverance · despair · emotional healing · emotional healing and grace · emotional storms · encouragement · grief · grief and grieving · humble · humility · hurt and pain · hurting · Hurting christians · hurting in church · Hurting men · Kingdavid · Kingdom living · kingdomofgod · KingdomofGodwithinyou · pain · Pain and suffering · pain is pain · starting over again · Uncategorized

Grief and Pain (no, you are not stupid).

tears and sorrow

Having Grief and Pain (You’re not stupid!) 
One thing I’ve not been known to ever do, is to call people’s 
feelings stupid (or dumb, or even wrong). I’ve learned some 
times the hard way our feelings should not dominate us, but 
at the same time, I know we have them. Grief comes in many 
forms, and sometimes people who can’t cry get very angry 
instead. Maybe they won’t cry because someone said it’s 
stupid, or maybe because it embarrasses them. 
You won’t catch me telling you there are right or wrong things 
to grieve about either. These ideas such as “There are starving
children somewhere” so be grateful for your plate of liver” or 
platitudes such as: “Well at least you are alive, or if one of your
children died, you still have the other” do not really help people 
feel better. Do they? Not very often. I would say mostly, not. 
People hire therapists in part, because they fear telling friends, 
family, and yes even pastors at times, their deepest thoughts 
and fears. They have grief and want to get over it. Sometimes 
the grief “seems to be” over something stupid. The fear that 
someone will call them stupid, makes them want to hide. 
“I AM SO STUPID!” (I have said that myself) When I am very 
frustrated for giving that person another chance (and they did 
that to me again!) Or I dared to dream, and now I’m disappointed
(again for the 14th time, or even the 100th time). 
I should never say that but, I have. Why? Why do we chastize our
selves like that? 
#1 We see others getting over it, so we think we are failures
#2 We think our grief is “stupid” to begin with. (not important). 
#3 We don’t understand where this grief is coming from or even how to stop it. 
Therapy sometimes goes too far in perpetuating our grief, (getting 
us to feel sorry for ourselves, which can lead to depression) 
God tells us to “be of good cheer” but sometimes, we can’t. We 
are sad. We need to cry. It’s called grieving. 
King David danced, but he also wept about sin and disappointment. 
Jeremiah wept over the sins of God’s people. 
Jonah got depressed because God did not destroy Ninevah after he 
delivered a word that it would be destroyed. Job got depressed too. 
I believe part of soul-healing is talking about it. Whether you talk to 
God about it, or someone else. Ministers like TD Jakes talk about their
soul being torn, ripped apart, dreams going out the window, and feeling
like God didn’t care (for awhile) about their pain. This is why people love
to read their stories. They can relate. 
We need teachers and we need prophets, but we need pastors too. 
Pastors tend to be nurturing people. They love and tend to the sheep. 
If they are not this way, perhaps they should not have been pastors. 
But in the world of men, There are not any paying postions for a lot 
of the other ministries (which is sad). They are forced to ask for money
continually, because nobody offers them a home, or a paycheck. 
Those people have dreams too (you see) And it’s a heart to reach the
lost, the hurting, the broken, and the dying. They can’t get there without
someone’s help. I just put one of my dreams on the Altar, because unless
God sends a way to provide for it, I just can’t do it anymore. 
It’s called “Authoring books” to reach the hurting. I can’t afford what it costs anymore, so I have to stop. My paychecks are like .01 (last quarter) for this endeavor. I’ve been doing it for 7 years now, and it pays nothing. And it’s okay but it still hurts to have dreams come to an end. I have to stop now. Until God provides for it. If he doesn’t, oh well! I will still love him just the same. 
And no I don’t want sympathy- but I have some grief right now. God will 
surely bring me out of it too. He always does! He is faithful! I have faced many disappointments in my life. And I will live through this one, too. 
As a minister and a child of God I find that “letting go” is one of the most 
painful things I have ever experienced. Letting go of what you know is bad
is hard, but letting go of something you thought was good is even harder. 
I am reminded of the following scripture in regardes to self-preservation. 
When you are done grieving, consider putting it all in God’s hands. 
We really are better off to put our lives in the Lord’s hands and say “Thy will 
be done, thy kingdom come, on earth, as it is in heaven.” Amen. 
Today is November 1. Happy Author’s day. I just layed my 7 year Journey 
of writing books at the Lord’s feet. 
Matthew 16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake, will find it.  Peace out (for now) Laura Grace 
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The silent cries of an anguished heart………

rescue meDid you know it’s super important to let God have your tears? Your Pain? Your disappointment? oh you don’t have to. You can drink, do some drugs, go on a wild rampage, if you choose to do so you could even kill someone (go to prison) Whatever you like! Shocking, isn’t it? YOU CAN do whatever you wish! Who’s going to stop you? 

That’s the scary part. (Free will!) Free will scares me more than anything, especiallyl my own. You probably already figured out we live in a world where more and more people are saying “I can do what I want, be what I want” get out of my my way!” People hurt us, let us down, reject us, ignore us, take things out on us, 

And- all kinds of things happen (every day) There is no cut and dried solution. Yes I know what the bible says “Love suffers long” (How long?) Love is patient and kind (but I don’t feel like loving today!) I am tired (the heart screams) I need a harvest! I can’t take anymore! The demands are constant! It never ends! We wear masks because nobody wants to hear it. SO we put on a brave face and march forward, doing the best we can (with a brave face, and the heart screaming!) 

Finally by the grace of God we find a friend, a true friend we can confide in. They understand. Our hearts cry with relief. Finally, someone understands me! Maybe it’s because they have walked that path we are walking right now, or maybe it’s because they prepared their heart to minister in THAT particular area…..

But later on……(much later) we find out they can’t handle this other thing we are going through, so they lash out at us, and don’t know what to say…….and the magic is gone, so to speak. It happens to all of us (if we are honest) 

Sometimes Life on planet earth throws so much at us (one thing after another) It staggers the mind, rips at the heart, and leaves us all in pieces. We don’t understand what people are going through all the time no matter how much we THINK we know the answers. We don’t know if that one more thing was almost the end of them. They don’t always know one more thing was almost the end of us…….

There is only one person I know I can always depend on. God. Father God. Abba Father. I know those who think I’m some headhunter for Jesus do not understand this either. All I can hope is after he’s picked me up for the 1000th’ time and breathed his life into me once again, that I will someday run into to someone, somewhere I can share how he helped me…….and in turn, they too can be helped. 

For me, this is life worth living. Receiving from him and breathing his life onto others ……Life is short “I want to live it well” as the song says…….

SONG HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ_UZMYp3mI

Which means I don’t have time to stay angry, or mourn too long, or wallow around in my troubles. I don’t have time to hold grudges, or wonder why that person did what they did. I just have to move on, and follow jesus …..

And here is what I have to say to you now. HE WILL HEAL YOU SO YOU CAN GO FORWARD WITH HIM! He WILL DELIVER YOU FROM ANYTHING THAT KEEPS YOU FROM HIM! Trust me when I say he didn’t die a bloody death to see you LEFT OUT of his Kingdom! He will break you out, break you free and make a way for you TO FOLLOW HIM! To the ends of the earth and wherever he takes you. 

I can say this because I’ve lived it. And yes I know about all those silent screams that say WHY WHY WHY WHY God WHY did this or that have to happen? Well somtimes it’s just free will. God cries over those who run away from him too. God hates it when they hurt you too.  Yes he wants to fix the misunderstandings but sometimes there is not time for it, or someone isn’t ready to hear what they need to hear (Yet) So ….Let it go, let him Heal (your heart) give him all the pieces…

and march on. “Father if you help one person go foward today because of this message I praise you” I really praise you” to the one reading this heal their heart bind up their wounds and let them go free today Father” IN Jesus’ name I pray. amen Laura Grace Author, grace to the rescue and others available on Amazon 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.”
bathesda · cure or healing for emotional pain · emotional healing · healing · jesus healing · Soul healing · take up your mat and walk · Uncategorized

When God spoke to Laura (today)

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I had this experience….a little while ago. I was driving to the post office. 

Within a block and a half I got so much information, I can hardly say God

spoke to me, but then again, I would say he did. A voice like many waters. 

Tim has been struggling with an issue with his health. God downloaded 

to me in seconds, and I mean seconds:

Look up the scripture on the pool of Bathesda, and about take up your mat and walk.” Ask me why I had him pick up his mat. Ask me why it says in James “the prayer of faith will make the sick man well, and if they have any sins they’ll be forgiven” I will tell you unbelief, and putting me to the test. People put me to the test if they do deliberate things to themsleves with an attitude “if God is healer it doesn’t matter what I do to myself.” An example would be jumping off a building, breaking your leg, with the expectation I will heal them later. 

They have a heart to test me. I look on the heart, not the outside appearance. 

They see James says if they have sins they will be forgiven (referring to the prayer of faith) and assume that means any sin, such as not honoring parents. I was talking about the sin of attitude against me, and unbelief. The same sins that kept my children out of the promised land. I wasn’t talking about just any sin. 

You receive healing, and forgivness for the sin of unbelief, at the same time. 

People assume what my word means all the time and run with it. Then they cause other people to run with it. Pretty soon you have a false doctrine, and nobody asked me what I meant. Search the scriptures, ask me what I mean. Seek my face.” 

James 5: 13  Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” NKJV 

……..(God, speaking to Laura, Apr 12-2017) 

So Laura and Tim looked up the scriptures, read them out loud, and prayed 

for understanding. We included Hebrews 3 in our study, which talks about not entering in, due to unbelief. To my amazement, I expected to find three scriptures to look up, the one about the mat, the one about Bathesda, and the one about the prayer of Faith in James 5. The Story of Bathesda in John 5 ALSO says Jesus told the guy to take up his mat and walk. Both referrences were in one story. 

Furthermore, it stood out to both off us, that there was this pool (for healing) an angel was posted there, who stirred the waters once a day. Before Jesus came, God had already made provisions for healing. The man was angry, upset, and focused on what was not being done for him by others. Jesus said, “Do you want to be made well?” Why did you ask him That? (we inquired of the Lord). 

And I’m expecting he will answer us. After all, he is God and he wants us to understand his Word. 🙂 Hint: the guy by the pool had a very bad attitude. Nobody was helping him get in the water. JESUS came and said (not, you are healed) He said: “Take up your mat, and walk.” PS: I anointed Tim with Oil. We prayed for Him. 

With love, still growing, Laura Grace 

AA · co dependent no · cure or healing for emotional pain · feeling broken · Jesus saves all the way · restoration of you · Soul healing · there is hope · Uncategorized

The Road to Emotional Healing, is often a long, and very lonely road……….

long-road

The road to emotional healing…..if often a very long, and lonely road. Ask me, I know! 

It’s nearly impossible to describe (the emotional pain) to someone, that hasn’t been broken. Furthermore, there are so many false cures out there, and what I call bandage fixes, to even convince someone they might need help- is a challenge all by itself. 

Broken and hurting people must shield themselves from more (further) pain, or they know it will be the end of them. So they put walls up. I know, because I did this too. 

There were times I knew, one more reckless comment, (about my pain) and I would be finished, forever. For a bruised and broken person, one reckless word, can be the final blow. 

Sorry, but your anti-bully programs aren’t going to work. People need to be taught how to heal, how to love themselves, and how to insulate themselves from the pain. You can have all the bully programs you want to, but they are everywhere. Bosses. Store clerks. Everywhere you least expect them to be. 

I’ve been on a quest for healing, (Of my soul) for as long as I can remember. Drinking didn’t do it. Shopping didn’t cure me. The right job was only a temporary fix for the pain. Jesus doesn’t do it over night. He will travel with you on this Journey but you have to finish the course, and even realize sometimes you will be re-injured. 

OUR HEART (Soul) within us) is THE biggest Treasure, which Jesus was dying for, on that cross. And he wanted us whole. He wasn’t after bodies to go out and do his work, He was after our Heart(s). If we don’t allow him to heal us, no matter how long it takes, We have (pretty much) taken his name in Vain. 

The Road is long. Some Healthy ways to heal are: 

  1. Use a Journal. Write your goals and how you are doing each day.
  2. Pray daily for Soul Healing. God is the restorer of your soul.
  3. Recognize that most will not understand your Journey
  4. Many will not support your Journey, because they have never taken this road
  5. Remember, in the end you will be healed. Quick fixes lead to more setbacks.

Most of all, no matter how long it takes, do not give up on being restored, fully, to the person God intended you to be. It’s a long journey, but you are worth it. 

Jesus thinks so, and who are we to disagree with him? With Love in my heart and big huge hugs to all the hurting people out there…….

I’m praying for you. -Laura Grace