As I struggled to find my own identity after years of trauma and abuse I found strength in the secret place of prayer. I found significance as I pursued a deeper faith in the One who loves me most. God became my safe place where I was loved unconditionally because of God sending Jesus, His beloved son, to lay down His life for me so that I could come close to God the Father. No longer a separation of my sin preventing relationship with my Creator.

Growing up without a father caused deep voids in my life, I seemed lost and searching for significance even as a little child. Unfortunately my wounds caused an unhealthy search for someone to love me. It sounds so sad but is so common these days for unhealthy patterns to become the norm. These unhealthy patterns can lead to toxic relationships that can become dangerous to people’s lives and their children as well. Depression and anxiety is at an all time high these days. How can we change this?

I believe the answer is in people who know God becoming a light in the darkness and intentionally seek ways to help the next generations find faith and learn about the secret place of prayer. It is truly life changing to have the light within our spirits turned on to the truth that is in the gospel of Jesus Christ! The good news that Jesus came to rescue us from this darkness that separated us from God…SIN.

Colossians 1:13-15 “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves (Jesus), in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him will not die but will have everlasting life.”

First step, Come to Jesus and believe that He died for your personal sins and believe that God raised Him from the dead. Fall in love with the One who loves you most!

Step 2, Seek to know Him more, open your heart to learn of His love for you, read the New Testament of the Bible, find a Bible teaching church to help you grow. Pray by just talking to God.

Step 3, Help others find faith in Jesus too. Tell your story how you came to believe.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

When I began my walk with God, as I fell passionately in love with Jesus Christ for dying for me, it was as if I was on a treasure hunt every time I opened my Bible. I continually found assurance of God’s love for me as I read it. These became landmarks of faith to me. As I read Psalm 91, “Whoever dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty God. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust…” I knew I had found my secret place through prayer and communication with God.

I pray for you dear one, that you will know you are loved by God in such a way that earthly relationships do not define you. Although human relationships can be a beautiful part of life and build you up, they can also leave you broken and hurting when they are unhealthy or abusive, Life has ups and downs, especially when we lose a loved one to death, grief and sorrow breaks our hearts. Broken relationships break our spirits, sometimes losing hope that we are worthy of love.

God’s love is pure and He will never leave or forsake you. He can restore what has been broken. If you haven’t asked Him to come into your life and you want to do that now just say this little prayer and believe it in your heart.

Father God I need You to come into my life, I believe Jesus died for my sins and that you raised Him from the dead so that I can be in relationship with you, lead and guide me into a deeper faith to trust you with my life. Amen

Romans 10:9-10 “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

You might say, “Saved from what?” Well, we were all born into this world with sin and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) physically and spiritually, which means when we die we will be eternally separated from God into eternal darkness without accepting the free gift of salvation that God gives us through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life for us to come into the presence of God. (John 14:6)

If you prayed that prayer, let me be the first to say, “Welcome into the family of God! Your spirit has become alive from death to new life in Christ Jesus!” (II Corinthians 5:17)

In His Love, Sharon Kay