Mother-Daughter...Part 1

In the Fall of 2009, I was invited to speak at a youth group in Newton. My "uncle" had recently taken a youth pastor job at this particular church and asked me to come speak to his junior high and high school students about what God had been doing in my life the last few years/recent months. To explain to them the "what not to do" or what path "not to take" when figuring out your life.

Side note: I had just moved back to Iowa from Michigan where I had lived with him and his wife, and my three cousins. They took me in during a really trying time of my life where it was imperative that I was surrounded by truth and unconditional love. During this time they helped rebuild my confidence and knowledge of the love of Christ and get me back on my feet-- in order to walk the straight and narrow path that the Lord created me to walk. I am so thankful for them.

Back to that night at their youth group. Jarrod had asked me to give my God story and how He rocked my world during my latter high school years into my first few years of college away from home. (long story short, I was the life of the party, drinker, and desired fulfillment from an ungodly and destructive relationship with an unbeliever. Not that I was living for the Lord to care at that time.)

Throughout me sharing that story, I had also given a little background on my childhood and relationship with my mom. I don't even remember what spurred on me sharing that- if Jarrod had asked me to share, or what? But after sitting in front of all those students, when it had wrapped up Jarrod had told the students that I would be up on stage for anyone to come and ask questions or talk to me more afterwards. Not only was I shocked there was a long line of young girls, but the majority of them standing in line was to ask me more about the lack of relationship with my mom and relating it to their lives. They asked how I coped with that, how I feel about it, and wisdom of what they should do....

I remember thinking, "You're kidding right? I just told you this whole entire story about what had really and truly torn my life apart and helped me turn back to the Lord (drinking, a relationship with a boy, and the death of a best friend), and none of that had to do with my mom......and THIS is what you have questions about or want more info about? This is what you got out it? That I don't have a relationship with my mom?"

First of all, how selfish was I? Secondly, in my defense, I think I was just so unprepared. Thirdly, I don't think I realized the magnitude of a mother and her child, or even daughter and the relationship that God so desires them to have.

So there I stood at the front of that stage...discussing and praying with teenage girls, one at a time in the same predicament I was in...or always have been.

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Part 2 - next time.