Directionally challenged, that is how I have been feeling lately.  Questions plague me about writing, about continuing the blog.  Questions about whether I have anything to really say, and wondering if my words are even relevant. Wondering where the Lord wants me to focus can make me feel OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).

 

Jumping from one project to another, trying to see if this or that “feels right”, leaves me with the feeling of failure and a little bit of depression.  If I were encouraging another woman in this same issue I would tell her that, in confusion, be still and allow God to speak.

 

So, for the last two and a half weeks I have been silent on this blog.  I have not gone to my stats page to see if anyone has come by, or to see if any comments have been left.

 

I have been to the beach for my stepdaughter’s college graduation and the packing of boxes to move her to her new home up north during this time.  I am already missing her, just knowing that there will not be any quick runs home on the weekends or passing through on the way to an Alabama football game.

 

The past week was a gift that she requested.  She wanted her mother and her mother’s family, us, her dad’s family, my son and daughter with all of my daughter’s family and her brother, to all be at the beach together as one family with her, before she moved away. Though not everyone could come, most of us were there.

 

In the heart of every child is  desire to have a family that is whole.

_MG_4751_MG_4780_MG_4846

As you can only imagine, I was ready for Armageddon.  I expected there to be chaos of major proportion.  So, I got two of my friends to intercede for Doc and me for the entire week.  We were at the beach for a week with her, but only for the weekend did we all gather under one roof and take a meal together.  Then only a few extended family stay with us.

 

God was amazing! No surprise there, and yet it was a surprise the way God worked it all out. I called Susan, who was one of my intercessors, and told her, that I was able to see the Word of God literally manifesting. I saw His promises about how, if I were staying close to him, He would go before me and clear the path; and, promises about how He would bring peace in difficult times if I would lean on Him.

 

Though there were some issues in individual cells, God gave Doc and me the ability to extend God’s Grace, and kindness to those around us.  There were times, to keep each other going, we would text each other with jokes or happy faces.  It was Grace, all Grace.

 

At the end of the week, I finally went to my blog and discovered two comments.  They were from women seeking encouragement for stepfamilies.  The comments they came within days of each other, and they had read 30 Days to a Better Stepfamily – ALL 30 DAYS.  This was confirmation on what God had placed on my heart, through the voice of my friend Susan, and through prayer during the time I have been silent from the blog.

 

So this is my announcement.  Each Tuesday, I will be posting something about stepfamily (knees knocking and hands trembling).  If you know of anyone who is in a stepfamily would you send her a link, or give her a call and encourage her to meet here each Tuesday?  We will have coffee, pound cake toasted with butter, and bare feet propped up on the coffee table for honest talk about stepfamily.

 

 

The following two tabs change content below.
Diane W. Bailey is the founder of The Consilium – an online community of wisdom and purpose for women over 45 years of age. She is a published author. Her books include String of Pearls – From Tears to Treasure, and 30 Days To A Better Stepfamily. She creates her own line of precious metals bracelets. Diane lives in the Deep South with her husband Doc. Together they have created a stepfamily, each having two stepchildren and two birth children, and share three grandchildren, one black lab named Charlie and one long haired tabby cat named Lil Girl. Diane’s passion is to encourage women to be all God has created them to be by pressing past fear and daring to live life as an adventure. Some of her life adventures include traveling to Israel, speaking, entrepreneurship and backyard farming with Doc. She loves Gumbo, fried shrimp and seeing all sunsets across water.

Latest posts by Diane W. Bailey (see all)

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This