Welcome, everyone, and Happy Mother's Day! Today, I want to share a personal journey of healing and redemption, and how God has worked through my life to bring me to where I am today. I started by giving out gum to everyone, a little trick I use with my first graders to keep them engaged. I also shared a bit about my background, my family, and my journey as a mother and a teacher. I honored my mother, who is currently battling dementia. Despite She has taught me invaluable lessons, such as the importance of being on time, being a giver, and appreciating the small moments we have with our loved ones. I also shared some humorous details about my husband, Chad, and our wedding day mishap with the marriage certificate. We celebrated our 24th anniversary recently, and I am grateful for the life we have built together. As I transitioned into the core of my message, I shared a deeply personal story of overcoming sexual abuse. This traumatic event happened when I was a child, and I repressed the memory for 25 years. I shared this story to emphasize the importance of not dragging our past dysfunctions into our current lives and families. Healing is a process, and for me, it involved a lot of talking with God, crying, and asking "Why me?" I found solace in Romans 8:28, which reassured me that God has a plan for us, even in our suffering. This scripture helped me see the good that came from my painful experience. I encouraged everyone to reflect on their own stories and seek healing from past hurts, whether they are from childhood or more recent experiences. Healing is essential to prevent dysfunction from affecting our current families. I concluded by inviting everyone to come forward for prayer and to seek healing through the blood of Jesus. The altar is a place of strength, not weakness, and it's important to bring our burdens to God. I emphasized the power of Jesus' blood to purify our thoughts and heal our wounds. I also shared some final thoughts on motherhood, the importance of appreciating the moments we have with our children, and the lessons we learn from our parents. To check out this message in it's entirety please click the link below.
