In my pursuit of seeking freedom, love, and acceptance it came to my attention that I had not spoken my deepest of desires into existence.
Six months ago I made it known to my God that I needed a mother and father figure who would take a presence in my life and the lives of my children that could provide some semblance of consistency. I knew it was possible for God to provide me with my deepest of needs, because, I had seen this kind of thing happen in my life many times. But, not recently in my years of rebellion I had chosen to shut out the unconditional reaping of love that can flow from a pure heart that is raw and unhidden. In my anger, I blocked out a possibility of change, for in the state of aggression I took a stand against forgiveness and eventual joy. I lived in that place for far too long, but not any longer my friends. Anger and denial is no longer a resting place for my heart.
This summer after my oldest son, Caleb came home from a mission trip he shared with my husband and I that our testimony is encouraging youth across the globe. He went on….”I fasted, prayed night and day that my parents would come back to God. I ached, cried, felt your distance, and now you’re running back into His loving arms, is a blessing to all the people I have the ability to speak to. I give them encouragement that their parents can find God in the black of this world. That anything is possible through Him.” My son never gave up on me, even when I was intense with the fire of distrust and furry, and neither did my God.
My family never forgot me. And my family is defined as who God has written it to be. My husband, children, my ex-husband, his wife and her children, and many friends who rally around me loving and offering encouragement at every avenue.
But the lacking of a mother and father figure can be detrimental. It leaves me feeling lost, stumbling through this bleak life at the precipice of fire without a shield. It was the last missing puzzle piece to complete me toward my greater purpose.
I approached one of our pastor’s wives at church one Sunday completely, broken. I told her that I’m completely aware I’m not as loved as much my half siblings are, and it is torture. A constant reminder that I’m not good enough. I mean really, if your mom and dad don’t love you, then who can? Because I’d sacrifice my life in front of the worst of the worst to save my children without a second thought. She encouraged me to pray for God to send me a mother who could nurture a child and a father to love me unconditionally who isn’t of my flesh and blood but sent from our Maker who transforms our deepest of pain into possibility. I took Mrs. Remus advise and I prayed for six months for a mom and a dad who needed me just as much as I need them.
I met her on the Sunday my husband accepted Jesus as his personal savior, hours before we were to be baptized in the warm waters of Lake Andrea. A place my church calls Launch Point, where new believers or visitors can get plugged into the many facets that’s Journey Church offers. Alan, proudly presented himself at the footsteps of a dark haired beautiful women, with blue eyes of compassion and acceptance. Her husband stood by her offering much of the same as i stood back more proud of my man that I had ever been. Her eyes met mine, asking me if I knew who she was. My face turned a bashful shade of red as I declared “no, I’m so sorry.” Taking the awkward out of the situation she let me know she read each and everyone of my blogs, deeply enjoying them all. I hugged her immediately allowing her to feel my grateful heart.
From that moment a deeply meaningful relationship took flight. One that was pre-destined for the both of us to propel our deepest needs toward our greater purpose that our God has yet to transpire. The bond had already formed, deeper than I could have dreamed, and further than I could have pleaded for being an adult orphan crying out for a parental figure.
She read my words that poured from my heart and bleed from my soul, and I accepted her kind encouraging words as truth and unconditional support. Something I have not had much of in this life from a parental figure.
One Sunday after Pastor Kevin Taylor spoke straight into my soul, past my flesh, and vastly into the fibers that make me, well me. And I like most Sunday’s,I was left a big hot gutted mess. There happened to be an alter call for prayer. I couldn’t deny the truth that I needed prayer, hands on me, and love abound. The first two people I saw were her and him. Not a coincidence indeed.
I broke.
They glued.
A storm gate of tears flowed from me.
They coupled them with love and mercy.
I opened up. Told them of my demons.
They still loved me.
Okay, let’s back up for a second.
The last part left me in awe
I gave them my truth.
And they loved me.
Do people like this actually exist?
They do, indeed. They knew my darkest of secrets and still loved me. Healing began to take place in the most remarkable was.
For I am not accustom to such unconditional love, especially when it comes from my father. That being one of my toughest battles. Having four of my own babies I cannot fathom not loving them through all of life’s crazy ups and downs. I laugh, bleed, cry, rejoice with them. Every step of the way. Yet sadly, I haven’t been gifted such grace from my earthly parents. God says in that moment of abandonment that I am loved.
I am His.
I will be fortified, lifted up, in ways I cannot imagine.
Because that is the very power of salvation. After being encouraged by a pastor’s wife to pray for someone to fill the deep void of a parent God surely met me where I was, I was gifted one of the greatest joys possible…
I long for a mom and a dad surrogate who I can lean on, love and laugh with.
And they possess a deep seated need for grandchildren.
A void filling a void.
God says, I’m closer than you could ever know, and I fill all of your emptiness with my grace and abundance.
I met June and Bill Pysto at Launch Point on a Sunday that forever changed my life, one that made my husband and I New.
And the replenishing of fulfillment has exceeded my every desire for what I’d love to call family.
In the spring, when the dawn of newness is upon us our great big blended budding family will join in joyous union on an adventure to Florida. They’ve bestowed on us a generosity I’ve not seen. A dream I’ve captivated in my wildest of closeted dreams. We will be their guests in a plush and stunning land and our children will experience for the first time magic, the joy of…a launch point of their very own…the possibility of grandparents. And I, one who feels like an adult orphan whose parents chose to not have me, may possibly have found what God intended. A mother and father figure that will not forsake me in the the times of Joy or sorrow.
My Launch Point is taking off in the most miraculous of ways, because of simply praying, asking, and having that one thing that we are required to have; Faith.
Overcoming odds, fulfilling destinies... 