Depending on God

by Terri Webster

When I was a single mom, depending on God became tangible.

Meaning, I depended on Him for the basics of necessities; food, shelter, water.

My dependence grew exponentially, as I also relied on Him for justice, healing of my broken heart and sanity for each day.

Those were tough years, putting it mildly.  

Today, while I know all my provision flows from and through Him, I no longer am in the posture of daily exercising that faith muscle. I take care, though, not to let it become flabby because I hope to never need to work it out like I did in my younger days.

However, if not for those years, I’m convinced there is no other way for me to know the intimate, compassionate, care and unfailing love of the Father’s heart, the way I came to know Father God’s.

Experiencing all I did during those years, also led me to the heart of Jesus in a fresh way, as I said yes to His proposal to be my Husband.

I was already saved, born again, but those dark days caused me to know Him in ways I wouldn’t know Him otherwise.

I stumbled and fumbled through. Made my share of mistakes. Struggled with doubt, unbelief, fits of rage and distancing myself from God.

Thankfully, He never budged. His love never changed in my ever-changing world.

Are you walking through dark times today, through a whirlwind of changes?

Dealing with a broken heart, injustice, loss, sorrow?

I write to you from the other side of a life forever changed by pain and hardship with nothing but encouragement and hope to offer you.

First, there’s no way you can muster up enough strength, self-will or spiritual ability to endure. Maybe for a day or two. But that isn’t lasting endurance. That may sound like bad news to you.

I have far better news!

Dear friend, you were never meant to dig deep within yourself to find all of that, as the world will tell you. Eventually you’ll come to the bottom of yourself. Then what?

Your shoulders weren’t designed to carry the weight of others AND your own burdens.

In a world completely void of stability, God’s unfailing love is unchanging. The shifting ground under your feet and unpredictable circumstances you’re in, are no match for His power to settle and sturdy you, as He walks alongside you.

How does this become your reality?

In His Word, the Bible; that book the world tells you is not worth your time, you can take hold of and apply His truths to the depths of your need, permeating, going where only He can go.

There was a time when I wasn’t sure I would ever say this, but joyfully, the time has come. God’s Word, the Bible, full of His rich promises and truth, has been tried and proven, over and over again in my life. His promises can be trusted. (Psalm 12:6)

I’ll share just a few with you today (there are too many for one little blog post).

• Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Placing our burdens on Jesus, results in rest, even while in the storm.

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

The darker the path, the brighter His truth shines.

• But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Waiting isn’t easy, but the promised rewards are priceless.

• Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

Today, whatever state you’re in, dark, light, good, bad, come to Him, just as you are. Pick up Your Bible, and allow Him to tell you deeper things you otherwise wouldn’t know.  

Dependently staying the course,

Terri

Supernatural Reality

About 18 years ago, God promised me something very personal. It was one of those moments with Him when I knew that I knew that I JUST knew. His words drifted off the page of my Bible and

penetrated my heart to the core.

If God said it, then it is so. That settles it.

During my years as a single parent, God provided a lot of opportunities where I had to hold to His promises, only to experience His faithfulness time and again. He worked supernaturally to bring many promises into my physical reality.

Merriam-Webster defines supernatural as unable to be explained by science or the laws of nature. 

I could not explain how God fulfilled His promise, only that He did.  

Perhaps a better word than promise would be assurance. It’s His assurance that He’s going to bring about something that only He can do; something in the supernatural realm that will become my physical reality.

The specific “assurance” I’m writing about today, for which I’m still trusting God, concerns someone I love deeply. He’s an extension of me. Of my flesh and blood. My firstborn, 36 years ago.

The current reality is heartrending. He’s alive, but gone. Mental illness carried him into another reality away from me, and others who love him.

Circumstances beyond my control…so many unanswered questions. Guilt. Anger. Is he safe? Hungry? Warm?

Do you have a heartrending situation too? Some days you’re ok; coping. Other days your faith is shaken and the reality feels unbearable.

Maybe God has given you a promise or an assurance specifically for your situation. Just like me, you need a supernatural work of God to bear down on the situation, right? 

So we're trusting yet another promise of truth from Him to fit all the puzzle pieces together. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Recently I’ve been strongly encouraged that God is working to fulfill His promise from 18 years ago. So much so that I’m banking ALL my hope in Him. 

You’ve heard the phrase “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Well, I’m doing just that with my Heavenly Father, by putting ALL my hope in one God. To the rest of the world, this seems foolish.

I had no idea when God planted Jeremiah 31:15-17 deep in my heart, that I'd be here today, trusting Him for such a big thing, to work all this out into a physical reality.

As Believers, our position is seated with Him in the heavenly realms according to Ephesians 2:6…and God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. That’s our reality.

If we’re seated there with Him, when we pray for our situation or loved one, something powerful happens. How? I can’t explain how. It’s God’s supernatural work.

He's given a new resolve to take back what the enemy wrongfully stole. I'm accepting God’s restoring, healing and redeeming realities. I have no clue what it will look like. I just know that He's set things in motion.

Whatever your situation is, however painful or heartbreaking, I want to encourage you to not give up. We can’t give up!

One of my newest, most favorite quotes is by Tony Evans, a well-known pastor, speaker and author. He says, “Faith is acting like something is so, even when it is not so, simply because God said so, in order that it might be so.”

Will you join me with your situation too, and act like something is so, even when it is not so, (YET), but simply because God said so?

Then let’s trust and wait, wait and trust, pray and pray until it is so.

This is the only way to stay the course.

Terri

Life on the Other Side of Divorce

Good Monday morning everyone!

Last week I shared some tips about what NOT to do and what you CAN do when facing an unwanted divorce.

Today I have some encouragement for you about life after divorce. As you surrender your brokenness to Jesus Christ, you will come to the place where you can enjoy life again and walk in newness and healing.  

It’s been 27 years since my divorce. God carried me through the hard realities of double betrayal and into the scary world of single-parenthood. While my husband and best friend carried on as if nothing was wrong with what they were doing, my children and I bore the brunt of most of it, or so it seemed at the time.

We didn’t come out unscathed. But through it all, we saw God’s hand in miraculous ways and enjoyed His blessings of peace and comfort in the midst of difficulties.

During the beginning of my separation and divorce, I can remember thinking to myself…three years…in three years I’ll be past all of this.

I don’t know why three years was stuck in my head, but it seemed within reach. I knew the dark clouds would part, the sun would shine again and the pain wouldn’t be felt as much.  

In the meantime, I curled up in God’s lap and drew every ounce of strength I had from Him. His word, my Bible, was my lifeline as I placed my hope and trust in His promises.

With each loss that we endured, God provided something new. When I stood on God’s promises during a crisis He came through. Usually it was never in a way I would have thought.

I discovered early on that He wanted to use what the devil thought would destroy me, for His glory. God wanted to turn every defeat into a victory and He’s still doing it to this day!

When bad things happened, God aligned incredible people, opportunities and sweet memories to outshine the bad. I learned to

enjoy simple pleasures. For 19 years while being a single mom, God opened doors when others would close and provided comfort and healing through it all.

Something I never thought would happen is I learned to enjoy my own company and being alone. I discovered who I am in Him in ways I couldn’t have if not for my brokenness.

He took all the pain and heartache and turned it into a writing ministry and opened doors to a non-profit ministry to single parents.  

You intended to harm me, but God 

intended it for good…Genesis 50:20

I’m still curled up in His lap, but now it’s to learn from Him, gain wisdom and direction as He continues repurposing my life, which now includes a sweet new husband of eight years.

Whatever stage you may be in of a separation or divorce, I want to encourage you, and comfort you with these words:

Praise be to the God and Father of 

our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of 

compassion and the God of all comfort, 

who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble 

with the comfort we ourselves 

receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Now, put me in place of us and my in place of our and I in the place of we. And re-read the above verse.

And also these promises:

But now, this is what the Lord says, he who created 

you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, 

for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by 

name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, 

I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, 

they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the 

fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set 

you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the 

Holy One of Israel, your Savior…Isaiah 43:1-3a

Now, insert your name in the place of Jacob and Israel and re-read the above verse.

Wherever you may be in a separation and/or divorce process, God is a redeeming God. He is the Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26).

God is close and ready to heal your broken heart when you’re ready.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and 

saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

He heals the brokenhearted and binds 

up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

Are you facing a separation or divorce?

I invite you to share below your thoughts if you’ve experienced an unwanted divorce or are facing one now. If you’d like to email me privately, simply fill out the contact form on the right.

Until next Monday, stay the course,

Terri