Answered Prayer!

Stepping Out in RED shoes!

- Day 123 -

A Broken Heart is Healed!

Years ago, I dated a wonderful man for several years.  He wanted to get married, but I was a mess.  At the time, I was on a lot of medication and healing from a broken marriage of twenty years.  I knew it wasn’t wise to make any major decisions.

In The Yellow Brick Road:  A Woman’s Journey to the Edge and Back, I talk about that time of my life in great detail, and how God was faithful to bring me through it.  I can’t help but recount how that man, with kindness and love, traveled life with me, protected me and encouraged me to get off all the pills doctors had prescribed me, and write my first book.  He was a hero.

As I healed, however, and came off all the medication, the real Gail began to surface again.  I was no longer broken.  I was no longer sedated.  My dreams came back in full force, and I felt the need to run after them.  God was calling!

Then, the thing that we both always knew was a possibility, happened.  I realized my future wasn’t with this man, so I chose to move on with God alone.  That said, I broke his heart. I’ve got to be honest with you,  I didn’t handle things very diplomatically.  I’ve never been very good at saying goodbye, so I just cut everything off one day and said I was leaving.  It wasn't right, but that’s how it all went down.  I was so afraid that if I talked things out with him, I’d stay for all the wrong reasons. 

I’m not exaggerating when I say he was a wonderful man.  He really was.  He just wasn’t the one God had for me.  I remember telling my best friend at the time,  “I hope I don’t regret this.  I may never find someone like this ever again.”  

Even still, I knew God’s voice, 

so I shut that door and followed 

after 

the Lord, whole-heartedly.

Going through a divorce, I can tell you firsthand, that having your heart broken totally sucks!  But I found out real fast that being the breaker of someone else’s heart is even worse!  Truth be told, I didn’t belong in any relationship.  God wanted my heart for Himself.  He wanted to heal me completely,  restore to me the joy of my salvation, and usher me back into the call of God on my life.  That's part of the reason why I've never dated again.  

Today I found out that man just got married.

It is an answer to my prayers!

I have prayed diligently, for several years now, that God would heal this man’s heart and bring someone into his life that would love him completely, and he her.

Of course you know the devil had a hay day with that!  You better believe he was right there saying… 

“See, that door is closed now.  You’ll never meet someone as good as that!  You blew it!  You gave up everything to follow God and what’s in it for you?  Nothing!”

I was expecting the devil to say that.  But here’s the interesting twist on all this.  While here in Colorado, our family was sitting around sharing stories and someone mentioned a time in which my son was about to leave everything behind to follow the call of God on his life – that included his girlfriend.  At the last moment, he called his dad, fearful that he couldn’t do it!  His dad encouraged him to follow God’s voice knowing that in the end, God’s plan would be best!  The result of his obedience, amongst other things, was that he met the woman he is about to marry.

How weird to share such a story on the night before the wedding!   Everyone knows that you don’t mention the old girlfriend.  Perhaps the person was nervous and didn’t realize what he was saying?   The conversation moved right along, and no one really took much notice, so no worries.  The next day, however, I couldn't help but mention the whole thing to God in prayer. 

“That was for you!”  God said.  

“I was speaking that to you!

 Your story is the same.  You 

left someone dear to your heart

to follow My call, and I’m going 

to do the same for you!”

Well if that didn’t shut the door right in the devil’s face!   Bravo, LORD!  How funny that I was so oblivious to what was happening.  God certainly got my attention.  What do I always say?  "God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform." 

 He confirmed He has a very specific

 plan, purpose and person for me.

Stepping out in RED shoes, isn’t always easy.  When God beckons you to leave people, places and dreams  you love behind, and move in a different direction with Him,  you’ve got to trust that His plan is better than yours.  The devil will try to get you to focus on what you’ll lose.  You’ve got to believe that God’s got a bigger win in store for you.  You won’t be disappointed!

In RED shoes,

Gail