Life is a Beautiful Mess!

Life is a Beautiful Mess. As long as we are in an imperfect world, we are going to have deal with some hard stuff. Sometimes it will be the consequences of choices we make, and other times it will come out of left field. But, what makes it a Beautiful Mess, is being able to embrace the story, the whole story, and see that God can take any circumstance and use it for His glory. After the dark, the awkward, and the ugly, you can step back and know that He will never leave you the same. You have been broken and tested, molded and shaped, and you look at life differently. Things that once seemed important seem frivolous, and your vision is narrowed to the One who got you through it all.

Kristyn Sorrick’s testimony is a Beautiful Mess. If you missed Tuesday’s meeting, you missed an amazing testimony. It… got… real! A small army of support surrounded Kristyn when she shared her story. This army consisted of friends who took the morning off of work, a college roommate who flew in to hear her speak, fellow MOPS moms from Oakdale, her husband, and her mom. She bravely shared the struggles that she experienced in her marriage, and how there is hope after infidelity. She was vulnerable, she was real, and she was beautiful.

Kristyn’s testimony showed me once again that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). No situation in life is too dire for Jesus. Kristyn stood before a group of her peers revealing deep wounds and scars from a situation that Satan meant for complete destruction. She proved that there is always hope and beauty that can come out of the dark periods in life. She shared, and we listened.

Kristyn had some great practical tips on how to protect your marriage:

• Get uncomfortable!
• Do not be apathetic, and do not have the “It can’t happen to me” attitude!
• Mommy & Daddy time takes precedence over the kids.
• Our kids are a part of our family for a time. You don’t want to look at your spouse after the kids leave and realize you’re sitting next to a stranger.
• Encourage your husband to join a men’s Bible study.
• Seek out a mentor couple and seek counseling.
• There are many resources at Big Valley Grace Community Church
• Get connected into a church and join a small group.

Here are some great adultery recovery resources:

• Hope and Healing with Gary & Mona (www. hopeandhealing.us)
• This is a Christian based ministry located in Denair, Ca. They are solely devoted to helping couples who have experienced the heartache of adultery.
• “Torn Asunder: Recovering from Extramarital Affairs” by Dave Carder
• Arm yourself with scripture & get into the Word daily! Here are the verses that Kristyn holds dear to her heart:
• Romans 8:28 - “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
• Romans 8:24 – “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?”
• Ephesians 6:10-17 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
• Psalms 51:17 - My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
• Isaiah 25:8 - He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken
• Isaiah 66:1 - This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?
• Isaiah 57:15 - For this is what the high and exalted One says - he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. 

Ladies, our last speaker of the year brought our theme full circle. I hope you’ve been encouraged & challenged to embrace this Beautiful Mess we call life. Our prayer is that you’ve enjoyed your MOPS year, made some awesome mommy friends, and that you haven’t felt alone in this journey through motherhood. You are so loved.

Stay tuned for next year’s theme at our last meeting of the year. See you May 13th at the mOmSCARS!