Blog By Vanessa Clack
Have you ever felt that sometimes when walking through the valleys of life God has left the scene? This has happened to me on more than one occasion. It is only upon reflecting back I see how God’s hand was on the situation even when I thought He was not there. I can see now how He imparted wisdom and helped me navigate through that season whilst giving me the strength.
For six years I walked a journey of major depression and anxiety with my daughter, one of the hardest challenges I have ever had to face. There were days when I felt like I could not get out of bed or face another day. I would call out to God “Why God Why”, “I can’t do this, I am not equipped for this”. I felt absolutely no hope in the situation. BUT GOD, what would we do without the BUT GOD’s in our life, how would we get through to the other end? God knows the beginning from the end, yet sometimes we still doubt Him. I look back and see how God gave me wisdom and how He directed my paths in getting my daughter the help she needed to reach the victory that she walks in today.
It’s all about trusting Him, even when we feel we can’t anymore. It’s all about leaning on Him even when we don’t understand.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
Through this journey my daughter was looking through a mirror of no value, worthlessness, emptiness, rejection and hopelessness. This was not the mirror God had for her – His mirror reflects beauty, value, worth, strength, bravery, love. Seeing how this storm-season affected her gave me a longing in my heart to help God’s daughters see themselves through His mirror:-
I am Beautiful – “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you” Solomon 4:7 (NIV)
I am Valuable – “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26 (NIV)
I am One of a Kind – “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14 (NIV)
I am Strong – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Psalm 28:7 (NIV)
I am Loved – “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1 (NIV)
Recently I was honored to be invited to lead our Shine Woman Community Group at Sisters (Wave’s women’s ministry), and guess what! This Community Group is all about placing value and worth on woman! Isn’t God amazing – He sees the desires of our hearts (Psalms 37:4) and opens doors in His perfect timing!
I had no idea the importance of community until I started coming to Wave Church. What I would have done to have had a community of woman walk side by side with me when I was going through my struggles – it would have saved me many dark days.
PRAYER
My dear Lord God – thank You for loving us so much, thank You for reminding us through Your word how valuable and loved we are. Thank You for Wave Sisters and what it has done and is doing in each one of our lives. For the awesome privilege we get to do community side by side helping, uplifting and supporting each other. That we as your precious daughters can leave Sisters each week feeling empowered and strengthened in You. I pray that Your daughter reading this will know how valuable she is and how much You love her. In Jesus Name AMEN