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On a recent evening my daughter and I met for a writing date. We spread our laptops out on a wood-topped table in a corner booth of our favorite place. We ate delicious soup and clicked on our keyboards.
In between paragraphs we’d talk and at some point our conversation drifted to an area in which I’ve personally struggled. I’d never shared this with her and I felt afraid about doing so.
I’m supposed to be her Mama after all. What if this made her feel unsure of me, unsafe in some way? But it seemed God kept nudging so I cleared my throat and said, “There have been times in my life when this thing we’re talking about has been a struggle for me.”
She looked at me and said, without hesitation, “It helps to know you have struggles too.” It felt like she handed me a piece of freedom my heart hungered for, like passing a bite of crusty bread across the table. Because don’t we all do this? We tell ourselves that to be a helpful example we must be a flawless one. But this has never been the way, what our people really need.
Then I said, “We don’t have secrets in our family. I want you to know that there is nothing you could ever tell me that would make me love you less. You can come to me with anything and there will never be any judgment. And if you feel like anything in your life is ever coming after you, I will stand with you and we will fight it together.”
As those words came out of my mouth it suddenly seemed that corner booth became holy ground. Because I understood in a way I never had before what this means: “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1) and “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).
What I said to my daughter our Heavenly Father says to us today, right here and now: “We don’t have secrets in our family. I want you to know that there is nothing you could ever tell Me that would make Me love you less. You can come to Me with anything and there will never be judgment. And if you feel like anything in your life is ever coming after you, I will stand with you and we will fight it together.”
This is what I know is true in a deeper way than ever before and I hope my daughter and my granddaughter and all my sisters like you know it too: Whatever we did yesterday, whatever we’re battling today, whatever we may face tomorrow, the love of God for us and the grace of God toward us will never, ever change.
XOXO
Holley Gerth
*****
Right now, we’re doing a special link-up series to celebrate Fiercehearted: Live Fully, Love Bravely. You’re a fiercehearted woman so I’m asking you to pour out a little love and courage with your words every Wednesday {the link-up goes live at 5:30am CST}. Simply write an encouraging blog post, especially if it’s about living fully and loving bravely, and then share it here. Don’t have a blog? You can still write an encouraging comment. If you’re reading this by email, go to holleygerth.com to see all the fun and join in too.
When you link up your post, take a moment to leave an encouraging comment on the one that’s linked up just before yours. Thanks, friends!
I’m having Coffee For Your Heart with my friend Holley Gerth!
{click to tweet that you’re joining me here today}
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