Sunday, October 12, 2008

Abandonment

I posted this in Fall 2008. This particular post is linked to the Women of Faith blog and has been from last fall. It has only been in the last few weeks that I discovered so many were finding this post from the Women of Faith sight. I have received countless emails of the beginning of forgiveness and healing in the lives of many women who have read this. For that reason I am posting this again.



I was four years old when he left our home with a lot of boxes. Loaded his truck and drove away. I sat on the edge of the windowsill crying. I don’t really know why, but there was something different on that day. My younger sister and I also got the chicken pox on that day. The day my dad walked out the door forever. Abandonment.

Along with my sisters we stood before the judge. I was eleven years old. A decision was made that day. My mother handed us over to the state’s care. She had a choice to stay with the abusive step father or put her children into the states care. That day the judge read the report and all of our girls walked single file into a small room. Never again would I go home with my mom.
Abandonment.

My life was in shambles. I did not know from one day to the next how I could get up in the morning, be a good mother, make business decisions and have it all together. I just could do no more. I drove into my driveway. A strange car parked out front. A man met me at the walk and asked if I was Elizabeth. I asked who he was. He served me papers, divorce papers.
Abandonment.

I sat in a restaurant with my second set of parents. At this time my life was still spinning out of control, and bad decisions being made by me. And then I hear these words. “If you don’t give this baby up for adoption, you are no longer part of the fellowship of this family”.
Abandonment.

This past weekend I heard a speaker at a women’s conference talk about being abandoned. She spoke about the emotions behind being abandoned. She spoke about the shame, the guilt, and the feeling of never being wanted. I know how I felt in each of those situations. She captured every emotion I have ever felt. I look at this list of people leaving my life and try to understand why so many people have left me.

I know the feeling of shame and never speaking to anyone about the reasons. Embarrassed at the blame I placed and owned on myself. The feeling of me having no value to the important people in my life, thus them always leaving me.

It has been through many years of truly trusting in God. I know that He will never leave nor forsake me. I have rested on Lamentations 3 for many years.

Lamentations 3: 22-26
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassion's fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion, says my soul”, Therefore I have hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him. To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

I have rested my heart on these verses for so many years. I have faltered on many levels and believed I was so worthless for many years of my life. I could smile, and cover the pain, often with a cute handbag matching shoes, a little charm, and some wit, but at the end of the day, alone with my thoughts the pain of being abandoned over and over haunted me. I faced shame, guilt and a true sense of nothingness. I only really prayed that God would protect my children and their hearts from having such a worthless mother.

I was reminded of all those emotions that once strangled my heart this past weekend. Thinking that if all these people have left me, then how could God possibly want or ever stay with me. And then, those many years ago, His beautiful words came across my vision. Untangled those ropes that tried to strangle my hope and set me free to live my life of complete acceptance of Him. My heart was no longer bitter, ashamed, and guilt ridden. I could rest my soul in His loving care, His commitment to never leave me.

I wanted to share this for those who may read this and be bound by the loss of those who have left you. There is an amazing God who is going to carry you. I have a Father who carries my heart in the palm of His hand. He is there always when others walk away. Blessings!!!

16 comments:

  1. What an incredible unfailing God we know Who has taught you all of this Elizabeth. I am happy to read of your trust in Him and how now you can share this trust and pass it on to others who may be walking in the same path you had to walk. A path not of your own choosing, for sure. It is sad that so many have to walk a road with so much heartache, but what a blessing to hear you speak lovingly of our Father in Heaven. May the blessings we recieve through His Son Jesus Christ be yours everyday, and especially your children's and their children's, and may Our Father protect you from the evil ones attempts to discourage you with thoughts of past failures. We are MORE than conquerors, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

    Thanks for your post today, I was encouraged.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful, Elizabeth.

    I so wish I could just give a big hug right now and hear your story from beginning to end.

    Please keep writing and sharing your story. I know there are many, many women, and young ladies who would be encouraged and grasp hope from what you share.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bless you for being so transparent & Glorifying God through it all.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow! Thank you for an amazing story and testimony. I've struggled with abandonment issues (though not as extreme) but the Lord has healed me, also. He is good!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was also struck by that speaker, that word, this weekend. Thank you for your beautiful, heart-rending post.

    You are beautiful -- on the outside, yes. But it clearly bubbles out from within you as well. You are so worthy of love and of faithfulness.

    Plus you are fun;)I look forward to more fun and goofy times with you. T~

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thinking of you as I read Psalm
    71. Take a look and let your heart heal and never feel abandonment again. Elizabeth, you are precious in HIS sight and very loved. I'll be praying for you dear one.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You know I think you are one pretty incredible woman! I thank God for who you are and how much He loves you.

    You have shared this with me before... and I am amazed as I see who you are... your wonderful children... and a smile that can warm any heart. Love you, sister!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Excellent commentary, Elizabeth! I feel so blessed in getting to know you a little bit, and so privileged in getting to spend some close time with you (riding to and from the conference) this past weekend. God has done marvelous things with your life!

    ReplyDelete
  9. How brave of you to put all this out there. How wonderful that God has shown His unfailing love and constant provision even when the humans in our lives fail us.

    This is an amazing post.

    Thank you for the peek into your life.

    KEEP BELIEVING

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh Elizabeth...thank you for your vulnerability in sharing your story. Truly, one of your best writings...so much truth and emotion and raw and real. And while I regret your abandonment and my own over the years, I celebrate the woman you are and how you have allowed God's grace to be your portion.

    You are an incredible, strong witness to the power of our Father's love.

    Thank you, thank you.

    peace~elaine

    ReplyDelete
  11. Elizabeth,

    This post brought me to tears, literally. What incredible testimony! How awful for you to have experienced such hurtful situations, but how wonderful that the Lord has untangled those ropes and shown you that He will never abandon you!

    I have experienced some abandonments in my life (not nearly as big as yours) and reading this I realized that they still linger with me.

    Thanks for the wakeup call.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I MISS you...
    and what I love most about your testimony
    is that I have seen you raise AMAZING children!!
    the absolute best
    You are a #1 mommy...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you dear sister! LOVE

    ReplyDelete
  14. Good day! Do you uѕe Twitter? I'd like to follow you if that would be ok. I'm undoubtedly еnjoyіng your blog
    anԁ look forwaгd tο new updates.

    Here is my web ѕitе car insurance
    Look at my blog post : dallas auto insurance 1

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yesterdаy, while I ωas at ωοгk, my ѕiѕter stolе my іPaԁ and testеd to see if it can ѕurvive a 40 fоot dгop, just ѕo she cаn be а youtube sensatiоn.
    My iPad iѕ nοw ԁestrοyeԁ anԁ she
    has 83 νіeωs. I know thiѕ is entiгеly off
    topic but I hаd to ѕhare іt
    with somеοne!

    my web page www.insurancedallascar.com
    Also see my web site :: dallas auto insurance

    ReplyDelete
  16. Tremenԁous thingѕ here. I am ѵerу haрpy tο loоκ your
    pοst. Thank you а lot and I'm looking ahead to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?

    my web page; auto insurance dallas tx
    my website: car insurance dallas

    ReplyDelete

I would love to hear your thoughts on this post, so please take a moment to comment.