Still a Bit Complicated BUT...

'And We know that God will use ALL things for the good of those that love Him, who have been called according to His purpose' Romans 8:28 

38 years ago today, Sept. 16, 1975, I was born.  It was a complicated birth- not physically speaking but emotionally.  My mom and dad were struggling- my dad struggling with a choice he made to marry my mom- he had already been married, divorced, and had a child with the woman he considered his first love. My mom struggling to hold on to the man that was not only the father of her 2 girls- but the man who she thought of as her first love. 
Shortly after I was born my dad choose to trade the struggle of staying for the freedom of going....

'For we know that God will use all things for the good...'

My dad remarried and had 2 more children.
My mom remarried a man who had 2 children.
It became complicated once again- now 4 people who were broken with 7 children involved trying to navigate through the baggage of the past along with the weight of the present
2 divorces followed.

'For we know that God will use ALL things for the good...'

After my mom's second divorce she heard about a church in a town about a half hour away- just shy of my 8th birthday we, as a family of 3, walked through this Non-Denominational Christian Church's doors for the first time never dreaming that within a short time we would make a life altering decision, all 3 of us accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

'For we know THAT GOD WILL USE ALL THINGS for the good of those who love Him'....

Baggage, Broken, Bitter- how can that be used for the good?

My mom remarried for the 3rd time a Christian man who was marrying for his 3rd time, he having 2 grown kids
My dad remarried for the 4th time a Christian woman whom had been married only once before with 2 kids of her own.
7 marriages 9 children

This time it was complicated with a twist, Christ was involved in the complicated.

My mom and pops have been married for almost 30 years..both Love Jesus
My dad and step mom have been married for over 20...both Love Jesus
My oldest sister Anne has been married 10 years- her life has been complicated...5 or so years ago she gave her life to Jesus, she now has Christ involved in her complicated
My second oldest sister Jodi has been married for almost 15 years, she and her family love Jesus
I have been married to my Matt for 19 years, we love us some Jesus!!
My younger brother Chris has been married for over 10 years, he and his family love Jesus
My youngest brother Levi has been married for over 10 years, he and his family love them some Jesus too!!

Soak this in with me on this 38th Birthday of mine-
My mom and dad, having been married 7 times, produced 5 children with 3 different parents, these children from broken parents and broken homes all, during the course of their life, have accepted Jesus Christ, The parents accepted Christ, the new spouses of the parents accepted Christ.

Yes, we are all still a bit complicated, our story does not sound ideal...BUT

Our Heavenly father took this broken story- broken lives- and broken hearts and did exactly what He promised- through all of the broken He drew us gently to Him- each and every one of us.  Instead of seeing our story as overwhelming or dysfunctional beyond repair Christ took the broken pieces and restored us individually and as a family and most importantly let HIS glory shine through.  I love you Lord Jesus and thank you.

If this blog post finds you with a complicated life- seemingly beyond repair- Don't you dare give up hope- The Lord has a plan for you and will turn your bad, no matter how awful it is, into good- He will use every last ounce of that 'complicated' for His Glory and your good, He promises :)

'And We know that God will use ALL things for the good of those that love Him, who have been called according to His purpose' Romans 8:28 

left to right- my sister, Jodi & Anne Loree, my dad, me, My brothers Chris and Levi