Between the Gardens

We all know the story of how Adam and Eve ate the apple and sin was introduced. God promised us that He was going to create a new place for us. But this place between the gardens can be hard. Life hasn't gone the way I thought it would. I've always been a woman of faith, so why has all this happened? The struggle we face from that apple is real! I was a child raised in faith who strayed and made bad decisions. I entered into a marriage with a man I loved so much that quickly turned into a very physically abusive relationship that spiraled into every mother's nightmare. I wish I could say that was it, but it's not. This man whom I loved so much and who turned into someone I couldn't recognize committed suicide, which left me full of guilt and fearful to raise our three children alone. The hits kept coming as I continued to get knocked down, now raising teenagers. I'm a single mother of three. I work like Martha and pray like Mary! Life knocks me down over and over. The Bible says that the righteous fall seven times, but I've been down more than that. Each time I fell, God has helped me back up, and when I couldn't get back up, He stood up for me. Why, why do I have to go through this? If I look at the plants in the gardens that have been grown and pruned, I see the Lord, too, has been planting, pruning, and harvesting my life to bloom me into purpose. So many times, I have felt alone and ashamed. If you feel that way or have been through heartbreaking moments and just wonder if you really are a child of God, I'm here to tell you that you are! You are not alone! You are saved! And even when bad things happen, God can turn them into good. This is my story, and it's raw and emotional. It's my story of storms, planting, pruning, droughts, and transplanting that is blooming us into a new creation for His glory. I pray that sharing my tragedy and how God grew me and helped me bloom and heal will bring you comfort in your space between the gardens.