Joy

Last Fourth of July I saw some people who I used to consider family and they considered me family - we spent holidays together, birthdays, hung out just for fun, the kids called me "Aunt Sherri"... it was the closest thing to a healthy family I had ever experienced and I considered it a true blessing that they treated me just as if I was an actual blood family member. However, after almost 10 years, these same people hurt me in ways that words can't even begin to express. When I saw them, my heart felt like it sank to my big toe, there was a pit in the middle of my stomach and my heart hurt. I was with some friends, one of them the youth pastor at our church (who although he is younger than me, I consider him my big brother) When I told him who I had seen he said, "Stupid people have no right to steal your joy!" It made me smile and I clung to that truth through the heartache I was experiencing. It helped me to remember where my joy lies. 

These verses, and many others like them, remind me that GOD is the source of my joy. No one can take that away from me. God is the one constant in my life... nothing anyone says or does can take the Lord and the joy he brings me away.

This morning, I saw some other people from this family as they were coming in to a store just as I was leaving (I hadn't seen them in over 2 1/2 years). We exchanged awkward hellos and I kept walking. As I walked outside I noticed the sky that had been so beautiful when I entered the store had filled with clouds and rain was pouring upon me... in a way I felt as if God was crying with me as my heart was racing and the hurt and pain suddenly became fresh as if it had all just happened. I called a friend and we talked a bit, I then proceeded toward home, made a pit stop at a book store (a little shop therapy never hurt anyone, right?) and as I was walking out of the store I remembered what Gabe had told me almost exactly one year ago.

Suddenly I felt a lot better, remembering where the source of my joy lies and that no one can steal that from me. I am so thankful tonight that I can rest in the arms of my Heavenly Father... I am Daddy's girl and because of that I am part of the best family EVER!

With a Grateful Heart,

Sherri

"Do The Work"

I am battered
I am bruised
I am needy

I suffer
I hurt
I cry

I get depressed
I get angry
I get sad

I've been struggling
I've been damaged
I've been wounded

Some days I barely make it out the door
Some days are harder than others
Some days the smile isn't real

But I keep pushing forward
One foot in front of the other
Walking the path to healing is hard

Some days I don't know if I can do it
Some days I want to give up
But I keep pressing on

I hold on to faith
I lean on my friends
I depend wholly on my God

I will be strong
I will be courageous
I will do the work

God is with me
He won't forsake me
He will never leave me

                                           Sherri R. Adelman
                                           June 28, 2013

Pressing On,

Sherri

Sticks and Stones...

According to a recent book I read (If God Had a Fridge, Your Picture Would Be On It by Glyn Norman) "Estimates state that it takes somewhere between 10 and 37 positive comments to offset the damage that one negative one can cause."  I don't know where these statistics come from but from my own personal experience I could safely say that I definitely can see how it would be true. I spent years hearing how worthless I was, how I couldn't do anything right, being called names and criticized for most of my childhood and into my adulthood. The old phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me." is one of the most false sayings ever.

• Words can sting.
• Words can hurt.
• Words can wound a heart.
• Words can kill a spirit.

Even knowing all this, I know that sometimes, all too often, I let negative, destructive words come out of my mouth and this makes me sad and angry.  This morning I was praying about this very thing and as I was praying I heard a new song on the radio. (This is the 2nd day in a row that God has used music to very directly speak to my heart as I've been praying - I LOVE MUSIC!) The song I heard was Words, by Hawk Nelson

These are the lyrics:

Words

They've made me feel like a prisoner
They've made me feel set free
They've made me feel like a criminal
Made me feel like a king

They've lifted my heart
To places I'd never been
And they've dragged me down
Back to where I began

Words can build you up

Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

You can heal the heartache
Speak over the fear
(Speak over the fear)
God, Your voice is the only thing
We need to hear
(We need to hear)

Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

I wanna speak Your love
Not just another noise
Oh, I wanna be Your light
I wanna be Your voice

Let my words be life
Let my words be truthI don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts
Or put it out

I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

This is the prayer of my heart tonight... "Lord, I pray that the words I speak would lift others up, would build others up, would encourage others, and most importantly, let my words point the world back to You."

Seeking to Honor Him in all I Say,

Sherri