Heartache No One Sees Faith Blog Hop

Welcome to the Heartache No One Sees Faith Blog Hop. If you are hopping with us you should have come from Natalie's blog. if you just happened to find this post, please go to www.mypapertreehouse.com so that you can start the hop from the very beginning. Now to the hop:



Women have a very unique way of being strong, yet gentle. through this process we find ourselves many times hiding heartaches that truly affect us, but somehow we cannot bring ourselves to talk about. Sometimes it is because of "what would people say" or because we want to keep a certain image, or even because we are trying to keep our loved ones from becoming worried: we hold on to the heartache and even come to believe that "this is as good as it will ever get". Today we are out in the internet laying our hearts bare before the world. We have come to understand that God IS who He says He is and indeed He will complete the work He has begun, and so we lay our heartache before Him in hopes that He will meet us here. As you go through this hop, take the time to think about your own hidden heartache, and if any of our blogs motivate you to speak about it, leave us a comment or even send us an email. As sisters we should remain together and encourage each other to continue the walk towards His arms: the only place we will find rest and comfort.
Here's how the hop works:
Like last time we have some GRAND Prizes to share with you, plus most of the blog owners are willing to share some RAK with you. In order to qualify for the GRAND Prizes you ought to leave a comment under this thread and become a follower of this blog (if you are not one yet). We are asking that you would also become a follower of paper Tree House Studio on Facebook so that you can stay updated with our challenges and contests. In order to qualify for the RAKS i ask that you would also become a follower of those blogs and leave them a comment with your thoughts about the project they might have created or the story they were willing to share (if any). It can be very humbling to share our hearts with the world, yet the Bible says that our troubles come so that we can console another going through the same thing. My prayer is that the Lord would use this for His Glory as He heals all of our hearts.

Now for the GRAND Prizes:
Paper Tree House Studio:
Scrapbook News and Review Magazine: One Year Subscription
Bella Blvd.: $45 retail value worth of their yummy product
Echo Park: Love Line
Scrapbooks & Stuff: Cricut Your Story
Punky Sprouts:
The Paper Blossom Shop: $25 gift certificate to their shop.






Remember that in order to be considered a winner, you should leave a comment here and become a follower (I don't require it but you should do it for the grand prizes. :) It is that simple.


As you hop through the blogs you will see some very open lives, and others that are not as much. We are all being molded everyday more into His liking. Know that I have been praying for each of the participants, and as you begin to open your heart, I will be praying for you as well. It is my desire that the Lord would begin to build a community of bold women that would be willing to show their weaknesses so that in turn He can be their strength. Maybe next month we can hop through your blog as well.. This will happen every month on the very last weekend of the month, so please plan to be here learning about Him and about His love for YOU and His commitment to make you His!


Here is the list of bold and beautiful women that were willing to lay it all out there:
My Paper Tree House: http://www.mypapertreehouse.com/
Nana Campana: http://www.youniquereflections.blogspot.com/
Rebecca: www.polkadotdoordesign.blogspot.com
Sueli Pinheiro: http://suelipinheiro.blogspot.com    
Kacee: http://www.youhadmeatscrap.blogspot.com
Jessie: http://scrapbookingmiami.blogspot.com   
Selina: http://www.mudpiereality.blogspot.com  
Arlene: http://teenyterrors.blogspot.com
Natalie: http://vegetablog.wordpress.com 
Christel: YOU ARE HERE
Bonnie: http://ascrapabove.blogspot.com/
Dolores: http://scrapperinnewyork.blogspot.com/
Monique: http://living-in-the-positive.blogspot.com/
Kari: http://purplefuntastickcreations.blogspot.com/
Tania: http://throughtrialsiambeingpurified.blogspot.com/

Here is my story:
As I was pondering the theme of this hop, I had an internal debate about what I would say.  Would I actually share my life or would I keep it hidden? How much or how little should I share?  Well, I'm going to share a bit of my life with you in hopes that it will inspire you to persevere. 

One thing, that I have to make sure you understand is that God is great.  I don't ever want to complain because the trials that I experience are to make me stronger. So...here goes.  As I have journeyed through life, each day has proven to be a learning experience which requires much prayer and faith.

As a young girl, my main struggle was with low self-esteem.  I always felt that I was inferior and definitely not as pretty as the other girls.  Thank the Lord for parents who spoke life over me.  They were constantly full of genuine reassurance that God don't make no junk.

A little later in life, my biggest struggle so far came during my senior year in college.  That was a time in life when I really thought I wouldn't make it.  I had just gone through a trying period of being sexually harassed and feared the worse. 

Then, my father came to visit me when he picked up his truck from a dealership near my college. He told me of that he had prostate cancer.  But there was a BUT!!!  He told me that if he didn't make it, he was alright.  He would be waiting for me in heaven.  I told him not to tell me that but inwardly, I knew the reality of the matter.  Well, for one solid month, my birthday month, my father bled to death in a hospital due to the negligence of a nurse.  In fact, someone told me that I was preparing for my father's death.  The gall! Despite all of that, I continued to feel the presence of God while I struggled to make sense of everything that was happening. I clearly remember praying Philippians 4:6-7 as I needed strength to make it through this rough time.  I felt the presence of God so strongly, that I was able to stand at the foot of my father's hospital bed and pray that the Father would take him on to his eternal rest.

Soon after my father's funeral and while I was pledging a sorority (not a story for now LOL!!!) I found out that the "deacon's" daughter whose dad had just died, was pregnant.  Oh no!  Not I!  There had to be some mistake.  Well, there wasn't.  And despite the encouragement of several friends and family, I kept my son who now brings us so much joy!  During this time and with the combination of grief, pledging, and pregnancy, I REALLY struggled.  My grades suffered and I was an emotional wreck.  BUT glory be to God who ALWAYS causes us to triumph!  I'm a walking testimony that God can use anyone and will honor his word. We have been promised that in this life we WILL have trouble BUT we are not to worry because He has overcome the world and we will have the victory through Christ Jesus!  Hallelujah!  That's some of the best news I've had all my life.

 

If you are in need of someone to talk to or someone to pray for you and your situation, please feel free to email me at askscrappinsista (at) hotmail (dot) com.  That goes directly to me and I'll be sure to include you in my talk time with God.

My project today centers not around the pain and hurt I've felt but on what I truly believe works.  FAITH! I encourage you to trust in the fact that the Word works! The card is a simple but I pray it speaks volumes to your situation even today.  The inside says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” -Isaiah 29:11

 

Thanks for participating with us... Now hop on over to Bonnie blog at http://ascrapabove.blogspot.com.

I don't have candy for this hop specifically but there is a little time to still enter my follower friend giveaway.  Click HERE to enter before March 28, 2011.