a place for you, book, depression, God, grace, Healing, healing and deliverance, journey, land of Oz, life, live, love, purpose, the butterfly journey, women, worthlessness

A Place for You

There have been times in my life when I thought I wouldn’t make it to another day.  The feeling of endless sadness and pain.  So many disappointments, far too many to count.  And this feeling of pure worthlessness.  But I knew intellectually that people cared about me and loved me but this feeling grew larger than my common sense.  It drowned my rational thinking like it was nothing.  It had me teetering on the edge of life itself.

I know I have talked about my depression a lot because it was one of the most difficult times in my life.  I never had experienced something so strong that was not a tangible thing that it baffled my normal thought process.  The more I tried to figure it out the more elusive it became.  You can’t even articulate the feelings in real words.  The more you try the more frustrated you become and you just begin to give up.

I suffered in this place of depression for over 730 days and I know other people have dealt with this terrible sickness for years and never really have come full circle from it.  I pray for those people everyday, for the strength to battle this monster with no face.  This enemy of mind and emotion.  This life threatening fog of doubt, fear and loneliness.

Once I received my full healing and deliverance from God.  I was inspired to write about my journey to this place of darkness and back to a place far better than what I left.  A place of purpose and confidence.  A place of undying love and grace.  I am forever grateful to God for saving me from this place of torment.

You really don’t realize that people all around you suffer from some sort of pain that they don’t openly share with others.  We work beside people who have suffered emotional and physical abuse from their parents.  Others that may have been damaged by things that happened to them in relationships.  They hide these things that have shaped who they are today because it is not accepted.  But we all are in the same boat, yet none of us want to open up and cry for help.  We would rather suffer silently and die a slow death inside ourselves than look like a failure or  be judged by the very ones who say they care.

My story, coming soon in a book form is for those kindred spirits that are lost in the land of Oz (depression) or some other sort of terrible place with no avenue of escape; nowhere to run to; to find release.  The Butterfly Journey is a place where you can share and feel safe that no one will judge where you have been or what has happened to you.  You can come to us and get the encouragement and rest that for so long you have needed.  A place of peace!

We can’t walk this path of life alone.  God is always there and we are his vessels in which to show you that you can be free of all that “stuff” and walk down a new path with your head held up, shoulders back and with an assurance that you do matter and you have purpose in this life.

Won’t you join us?  www.thebutterflyjourney.com or www.facebook.com/thebutterflysjourney

We have a place reserved just for you!  The Butterfly Journey ~ Lisa

book, Faith, God, Harvest, Healing, hope, hurting women, life, love, motivated, purpose, reap, September, sow, the butterfly journey, women, worthy

September

I love September!  Not only is it my birth month, but it is the time of harvest.  For farmers and gardeners this is the time to reap what they have sown into the ground.  It is literally the fruit of their labor.

In the spirit we also sow and reap.  Whether it’s good or bad.  We will all reap what we have sown into our spirits.  As one of my good friends and I were talking the other day she reminded me that I have planted seeds of faith into the spirit  and one day I will reap a harvest!  I got excited about that!  What will my fruit look like?  Will it be desirable to the eye and satisfying or will it be rotten and of no use?

As I finish up my first book, I want the words to be seeds that are planted in the hearts of hurting women near and far.  I want it to reap a harvest of healing and purpose for each person that reads it.  I have to continue to remind myself that sharing my deepest pain is not about me, but it is all about God and His healing grace.  It is about the women who will read it and feel motivated to press on to see what the future holds.  It is for that person who feels unworthy and unloved to understand their true worth in Christ.  It is for the ones who desire to live out their purpose.

So I won’t make anymore excuses that I don’t have enough time to finish the book in 2011.  I will make every effort to finish this book of seeds so that they will be planted and grow and reap a harvest of righteousness for God’s sake, not mine.

What are you sowing into your life today?  Are they seeds of goodness and love or are they seeds of discord and unrighteousness?  What will your harvest look like come harvest time?

destiny, dreams, Jesus, life, live, love

Dreams

As a child I used to “daydream”  all the time.  Even as an adult I still find myself daydreaming when I have quiet time which isn’t often.  But I used to love to dream about who I would become, what my life would look like.

When I was young I always dreamt about being a famous interior designer, living in the hub of New York City.  With my fancy penthouse apartment.  I would be in high demand and would only take a select few to be my clients.  It was always a hub of excitement in my all-window corner office and my team and I were making things happen.  It was a vivid dream with all the details in focus.  I even studied interior design for a while.  But I realize that I am a more simple type of person and although New York is wonderful to visit; today my dream is a quiet house on a couple of acres surrounded by woods in the country.

Today my dreams are of a more humble scene.  I’m sitting in a room with a few women sharing about our life’s journey, hurts and disappointments.  I’m helping them move past their place of pain and experience the true love of God.  I see myself holding one woman in my arms and telling her “it’s going to be alright”; we’re going to work through this together.

I dream about my grandkids as teenagers fussing to me about their mother and father won’t let them do anything and I’m giving them sound advice that I can hear my grandmother telling me.

I see myself growing mature with the love of my life there beside me.  We are sharing the one true love with each other that neither of us thought would come our way.  We are blessed!

I see myself running a successful conglomeration of businesses; building a legacy for the generations to come.  I feel proud and satisfied with my life.  Those are part of the dreams that I dream.

And in the end I see me running up to and hugging Jesus around His waist, for all the love that He deposited in me my entire life.  I thank Him like never before for having my eternal home prepared just for me.  And I see on His face that He is well pleased with what I accomplished in His name, for His glory!

Dreams are meant to be realized!  Don’t just allow them to be real only in your mind.

Today I challenge you to dig up those dreams that you have.  The ones that never went away but matured as you grew up.  Go back and find them and take one step toward your destiny today!  Make your life a life worth living.  It is never too late.

Tell me your dreams.

The Butterfly Journey ~ Lisa

 

 

book, God, Healing, journey, Joy, let it go, life, love, move on, past hurt

Past Hurt? Let it Go!

I have had a lot of stuff going on in my life over the last several months.  Writing my first book, starting a ministry, developing a business and transforming to higher levels in my spiritual walk.  It all has been a marvelous journey and I am blessed beyond measure.  I have the love of my life there beside me to share it with.  My children and grandchildren are thriving and all is well.

Accept for today I woke up with a heaviness on my heart.  Not sure where it came from but it decided to visit me today.  There has been some past hurt in my heart because of a couple of people that were important to me, but I thought I had moved on from it.  But is seems that I have not completely healed from it.

Today I resolve to forgive the situation and the person(s) which the hurt has come from.  Even though I have never talked to them about the hurt that they caused and I feel that I may never get the opportunity, it is okay.  Today God gave me permission to let it go!

I am more than blessed to be surrounded by a group of people near and far that support me and love me for who I am.  Most importantly God loves me and that is all I need.

In life we will face these situations, but one thing I don’t want you to do is dwell on them and allow them time and space in your heart or spirit.  God will replace any hurt with joy and peace.  You can trust Him in that.

I have the spiritual covering from people that know me well and those whom I have just met.  And God has shown me unwavering favor in this journey!

So today if you have any unresolved hurt or unforgiveness, I want you to let it go now!  Open up your heart and spirit to the Lord and allow Him to fill you with His grace and mercy, love and joy.  Move on, it’s time!

The Butterfly Journey ~ Lisa