Our Story – Our Gift

I sat on the table in the examination room – legs dangling with that paper gown on – waiting to hear what I knew was true. The biggest goals I had ever dreamed were wrapped up in getting married and having children. As my doctor entered the room and did all of those things doctors do to confirm a diagnosis, my heart thrilled, “Carmen, you are pregnant.” Oh the joy of that moment. He began to discuss pregnancy and what to expect and I could hardly hear because I heard only a baby’s cry in my ears – my baby’s cry.

As the months passed, I began to ask more questions about labor and delivery. I wanted to be prepared. My mom (who had four children by the way) had instilled some fear and I wanted this experts opinion. I asked,” How bad is this going to hurt?” and Dr. H. responded, “It will be pretty uncomfortable. Like a really bad cramp.” When our girl’s birth day arrived, I realized that a man was describing something that he would never experience. 

Experience – that’s what makes our story, our gift. We can never really help someone move forward farther than we have already been. 

Our Story - Our Gift

God has trusted each of us with a journey – a unique journey. Mine has been fun and thrilling and sad and painful. All of those emotions and events make Carmen who she is today.

I wish that stinking stuff never happened to me. And, I wish it never happened to you. Because it has, we are now Jesus with skin on for others who are walking our path. I have needed some of those folks in my life. The question we need to ask ourselves is…do we run from the pain and hurt or do we own it, grieve over it, allow healing to come and then, throw the doors open of our hearts to carry someone else whose knees just got buckled with it?

Lord help us. We can’t do life without You and Your other kids. Amen

“All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, MSG

Linking up today with other great writers at… Five Minute Friday, Susan Mead’s #DanceWithJesus Friday and Barbie Swihart’s The Weekend Brew

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14 Comments

  1. Thanks so much for this reminder of using our story as a gift. A friend once said, “You never know how powerful your story is until you see it mirrored in someone else.”

  2. I am thankful that you write, and share your journey Carmen. I know that the more I am willing to write and share my life, the good and the struggles, the more encouragement I have to give. I love reading your faith journey and this post really encouraged me to keep writing.

  3. Lovely post and so true! So much this: “Experience – that’s what makes our story, our gift. We can never really help someone move forward farther than we have already been.”

  4. Oh, Carmen, this blog is so chock full of life truths! “We can never really help someone move forward farther than we have already been.” So so true! And pain is so tempting to hide under the covers from, but you are so right…we can only represent Jesus with skin on when we face it and walk boldly alongside another when they get the wind knocked out of them. The beauty of the Body of Christ in action. I just love your heart. LOVE it! Tweeting and pinning! Blessings from Espressos of Faith!

  5. Carmen, the verse from 2 Corinthians that you shared is one that has been on my heart lots in the past year. I wish the stinking stuff never happened too, yet I’m so grateful that we have a God who creates good out of it and uses those experiences to make us sensitive to the needs of others. Thanks for sharing your heart here – God is mending my heart too.

    I’ve enjoyed looking around your blog a little bit today!

  6. Hi, I’m visiting your blog from Five Minute Friday. I love your post- those verses from 2 Corinthians are some of my favourites and think it is amazing how God can work for good even in the worst of our stories and that he can use them to minister comfort and healing to others.

  7. Oh I so remember the first ‘days’ of pregnancy… the nausea, the growing of tummy.
    The changes within.
    I loved every moment of it except the extreme nausea and then the iron shots too.
    My son is now age 40 … that was so long ago when I held my sweet little ‘newborn’.
    Now we have six grand children and each one reminds me of those ‘new days’… as young parents.

  8. “We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.” Love that part of the verse – we forget that oh, so often. We get bogged down and smothered with our fears and problems. But we receive comfort so that we may comfort others.
    And your doctor was delusional. A really bad cramp?! Yeah, right!
    I had four kids myself. That was no cramp. ;)
    Thanks for sharing on Grace and Truth – enjoyed your post and the analogy!