What’s your story?
God Whispers to a
Broken Stepmom By Heather Hetchler
“I can’t do this anymore,” I cried from the floor in my bathroom. Lying on the ground and calling up to God, I told Him “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep trying and loving and getting hurt over and over again. It’s too hard.” As I lay there in a puddle of my own tears I heard a gentle whisper, “You can’t, but I can.” Those simple words spoke to my heart and once again reminded me that it is through Christ’s strength that I endure. Why is it that I have this “strong” faith yet forget to rely on the One who can truly sustain me during the tough times? Why do I often “forget” my favorite verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” when I need it most? (Philippines 4:13) I knew those whispered words came from God. I picked myself up, and I started to pray. I didn’t want to pray because I was afraid of what God 18
was going to ask me to do. I wanted the easy life. The life that so many other “families” seemed to have. Blended family living wasn’t what I thought it would be. I had foolishly arrived at the conclusion that I could make our family picture perfect and glue all our broken pieces together, and I tried to do so in my own strength. That was my big mistake. I should have learned my lesson by now. I’ve been blessed to experience God’s sustaining love when I surrender it all to Him. When my exhusband decided he didn’t want to be married anymore, I was devastated. “How dare he leave me,” I thought, after receiving his life-changing news. I remember crying out to God, “I can’t do this on my own. I can’t do this on my own.
Praise and Coffee | Winter 2013