Grace | Blessed to be Broken

Back to the Beginning

by Trish Cordell

I began filling out my passport application. I’m going along quite nicely until I get to the part where it asks the date I got divorced or widowed. I had to think really hard on the date I got divorced, and I can’t quite pinpoint the exact date.

Earlier in the application process they asked if I had ever been married. Piece of wedding cake!! (finger snap for emphasis) I knew right off the bat the date my last marriage occurred. OK, if I’m going to be really honest, I can remember the dates of 2 out of the 3 times I’ve been married but I can’t remember the dates I got divorced.

So I go to my “divorce” file. I hate this file. It reminds me I failed. Not gonna lie, it’s a file that still makes me cry. I’m not entirely healed of that mess just yet. I realize I still carry some shame from that and I have to place that mess at the foot of the cross and let my Savior step in and heal the wounds. I have…no…scratch that…I need to let His love and truth cover the stain of my humanness. Jesus, I need You!!

When I was in the Air Force, we had to wear name tags on our uniforms that displayed just the last name. For the most part of my career, non-flyers wore a sewn-on name tag on their utility uniform or what is now called Airman Battle Uniform. However, the flyers wore a Velcroed name tag, one that could easily be taken on or off.

After my third wedding, my spouse and I attended my squadron’s Christmas party. I don’t remember a whole lot about that party, but I do remember during that party when everyone in the squadron was receiving gifts. I remember when they called my name and made a small speech about my “gift.” They made fun of the fact I had been married a third time and said that I should go to a more temporary means of putting my name tag on and proceeded to hand me an empty Velcro flyers version of a name tag. They all laughed and I died a little on the inside from being mortified.

Forgiveness….I need to forgive them. In my mind, they don’t deserve my forgiveness. They were cruel and they laughed at my expense because they thought it was funny. They put a nail in my flesh and I had covered up the nail with hurt, humiliation, and hate. It was buried.

To be honest, I’d forgotten about this event. As I started writing this story, I really didn’t know where I was going with it. In fact, I had started taking a different road and got stuck. I sat back and asked Him to show me, and the memory plopped in my head. I was stunned. I started crying…a lot. I didn’t even remember their names, but I do now. I remember the room, I remember the feeling, I remember their faces, and I remember the name tag. I remember throwing it in the trash.

Sometimes, in order to move forward, you have to go back to the beginning. It’s a necessary part of healing. Yup, not gonna lie, it hurts. My eyes are puffy, my face is red, and countless Kleenex lay on the floor.

So I say their names out loud, one by one, I say “I forgive you,” and then send a blessing their way. I don’t want anything standing in the way of His redeeming grace. I want to know the fullness of my Savior’s love, so I remember His words “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,”~~ Luke 23-34 (ESV) and I step into His grace. And you know what? I may look a little worse for the wear at the moment, but I sure do feel better. Trust Him when He wants to do a work in you…He loves you so much and He knows what He’s doing.

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His Grace Covers

by Trish Cordell

I love my mother, but I can’t say I always like my mother. Now I could go into the thousand little things that rub me the wrong way about her, but we’re taught as Christians for our words to uplift not tear down. On the flip side, I”m sure I have the propensity to rub her the wrong way as well. Although, I can’t imagine that (total sarcasm). Maybe that’s part of the reason when it was time to leave home, I went sprinting for the nearest way outta dodge, so to speak. For 20 of those years I was fortunate enough to live just about as far away from NY as I could get while still being in the US. Key words being “just about.”

Living in AK. I learned a thing or two about moose. I was intrigued by these lovable monstrosities. I loved the way they sauntered from yard to yard, neighborhood to neighborhood, and right out into traffic without a care in the world. The only time I ever really heard of a moose getting all riled up was if you got too close to the baby moose. Thankfully, I was never witness to such a scene. I knew if I saw a young ‘un, I’d better high tail it in another direction. I would cross the street, go through ditches, scale fences if need be and stay inside the safety of whatever building or vehicle I was in until the “danger” was over.

It was something I could see, something I knew I could avoid. It’s easy to avoid the danger when it’s out in plain view. But what about the times when the danger isn’t obvious and you don’t see the “attack” coming, or as you see the “attack” coming, instead of running in the other direction, you run head on, full steam ahead?

Before Christ, I always chose to head into the fray with my mom in full steam ahead mode. Oh, how that woman could push every single one of my “how dare she…who does she think she is” buttons. I’m a grown woman after all and I don’t have to live the life she thinks I need to live and then…… ”who is she….like she didn’t make a mess of her life,” and seriously, “what did she have to offer me?”

Sometimes I felt quite victorious when we both hung up in fits of anger. Better yet, now I wouldn’t have to speak with her for weeks, cause I sure wasn’t going to apologize for the argument she started. How awesome was I that I just put the smack down on my mom and used all the big words I know to put her in her place? Can anyone relate? If you can, then you know, the weeks afterward that you didn’t speak, weren’t peaceful, because the argument was replayed over and over inside your head. It was then that I would think of things I could’ve said to prove my points even better. In fact, I would think to myself, “when I speak to my mom again, I’m so working those points into the conversation.” Harrumph…I’ll show her!!

How unhealthy is that? Can you just feel the burden I placed on my “victorious” self? There’s a reason God says, “In your anger do not sin:” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,” Ephesians 4:26 (NIV) Anger is not from God, He is a God of peace. The enemy will have you replaying the hurtful event over and over. Why? It’s simple really…because your focus is now where the enemy wants it. Is it on the goodness of God? No!! You’re now playing all over the devil’s playground, and I don’t know about you, but my experiences there have taught me that playground straight up sucks!

Therein lies God’s amazing grace. Christ came in, plucked me out of the pit, I dug over the years and rescued me. Every day He lovingly shows/guides me with His Word on how to be the person He created me to be. Now, that’s a realm where I can flourish and grow and play to my heart’s content. By being obedient and submissive to His teachings, I can go to Him any time of the day or night and cry out to my Daddy for assurance of who I am in Him and receive all the love He has to give. In case you haven’t heard, God’s love doesn’t run out. Can I get an Amen!!

I would like to say I have it all figured out, that I know exactly how to deal with my mom and she can’t phase me at all with her words. But, that’s not true. To be honest, I sometimes feel even more vulnerable when an “attack” happens. She still has the “power” to make my heart hurt, and tears fall down my face. But, there’s a huge difference now. While I may want to feed into the unhealthy frenzy, I know I don’t have to defend myself and who I am to her. I am accepted and loved just how I am by the King and Creator of the Universe!!

When I feel offended or hurt by what my mom says, I have a solid Rock to stand on. I can go to the Word of my Father and receive what He tells me about who I am in Him. And if I “blow it,” I can go to my Father with a repentive heart and His Grace Covers me. Doesn’t give me the license to sin freely, just lets me know, when I make a mess, I don’t have to wallow in it. And neither do you!! Let the Grace of God cover you, then take that godly grace and share it abundantly. Oh, and don’t be surprised if you have to be the one to apologize first, the results may just surprise you!! And as I make my trek with God, I can see how He’s working in her life, and the small changes being made in her, but I more notice the changes He is doing in me. And while I still stumble, I’ve never been more at peace with my life. Thank you Lord, for calling my name!!

Have you made peace with our Savior? Do you feel that something is just not right, that there must be something more? That’s not a worldly “thing” calling out to you…that’s your Heavenly Father. No earthly “treasure” can fill that void. I know, I tried for far too many years to fill it with all the wrong things. Will you answer His call? I guarantee He won’t hang up and His treasure won’t fail and can’t be taken from you!!

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