A Special Message
to My Cindersisters
By Carol Hall
Are you BURNED OUT on all the so-called “happily ever after” stories? I’ve been there, too. When Darlene Ballard first asked me to review her manuscript—Love of a Different Kind—a Cinderella story with a twist, I must admit, I thought, “Oh great! Another too sweet Cinderella story.” You see, it was one of those days (you know what I’m talking about) when the enemy—Satan—was interjecting unhappy and sorrowful thoughts into my mind. I told Darlene that because of past failed relationships, I didn’t think I was the right person to read her manuscript, because I just wasn’t into all the sweetie-sweet love stories. In fact, there have been times when I actually wondered if there was such a thing as true love anymore.
After reading Love of a Different Kind—I must confess—it was not at all what I expected. It spoke to my aching heart on a day that I seemed to need a reminder of where God brought me from—the cinders and ash heaps of broken dreams. You see—like Cinderella—there have been times in my life when I, too, took comfort in sitting in the burned out cinders of yesterday—feeling sorry for myself, missing the closeness of a companion—especially during holidays—yet, too spooked by past experiences to let my guard down and take another chance at starting over. Each tear I cried for what should have been just added another brick to the wall I was building to protect myself from ever being hurt, cheated on, or abused again—or so I thought.
Finally, when nothing I did seemed to heal the pain—I cried out to God, asking Him to help me, and open my eyes to see clearly—to see ME! He did. But, what He showed me—I didn’t like! It was an ugly wall of anger, self-pity, insecurity, control, perfectionism, and more—all of which only mirrored a learned past I desperately wanted to forget. I stopped crying and allowed God to tear down the wall that had blinded me from seeing the truth! The healing process finally began in me. Praise God! I will NEVER be the person I once was.
It’s time to let go of yesterday, cindersisters, and forgive those who have hurt us! It’s even okay to forgive ourselves, because, no one—except God—is our judge or theirs. Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
Let’s face TODAY head on! Are you sagging, bagging, and dragging with dimples in unattractive places? Do you ever think that because you’re not the ideal weight anymore a worldly prince couldn’t even lift your left leg to carry you over the threshold?! SOOO WHAT!? Just put on your big girl panties and deal with it! Elizabeth Kubler-Ross said, “People are like stained glass windows; they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in—their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.”
Cindersisters, as we grow up and mature, we learn the one person who isn’t supposed to let us down—probably will. We will have our hearts broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. We'll break hearts, too … so remember how it felt when yours was broken. We'll fight with our best friend. We'll blame a new love for things an old one did. We'll cry because time is passing too fast, and we'll eventually lose someone we love.
So, go ahead and take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt, because every sixty seconds we spend upset is a minute of happiness we'll never get back. Don't be afraid to live your life to the fullest!
Truth is—if we’re never stretched—we’ll never grow. God wants the absolute best for us, and He allows us to be tested through every season of our lives so we can be purified and seasoned with age. However, aging doesn’t mean we’re used up—we’re just WISER! And, hey! As we begin our pre, peri-, or post-menopausal years, there will always be post-it notes for us to write everything on to help us remember who we are and where we’re going. So, go head, cindersisters. Sing along with the elevator music! We haven’t lost it—we’ve just ARRIVED!
To make a donation for one or more of Darlene Ballard’s book, Love of a Different Kind, go to www.godsrose.org, or they are also available at The Sanctuary Christian Bookstore at the Landings in Columbus, Georgia.
OTHER ARTICLES:
Judas By Another Name
Can You See The Big Blue Elephant
Bill's Song of Victory
Battered, Scarred and Shamed
HOLIDAY MEMORIES—A MISSION
ARE YOU HURTING?
Contact us if you would like more information on how to help or how to get your ministry listed on our local ministries page of the ChristianPlug.com website. |
GET PLUGGED IN
