Kathy Troccoli, broken hearts, and tools
This past weekend was the Extraordinary Women conference in Cumming, Ga.
Kathy Troccoli was one of the
speakers and I was so excited to get to hear her not only sing, but speak as
well. She speaks to a crowd as if she is speaking only to you. Her style is so
intimate and powerful that I fell in love with her completely. I already loved
her music, from many years back; now she is one of my favorite people.
One thing she mentioned is that, at 45 she has experienced enough of life and of God that she can ask Him to break her heart. Only through the pain of a broken heart can God heal our hurts and make us strong. Only then can He be miraculous to us. She wrote a song about it and as I listened and sang along, I felt God speaking to my soul, telling me that today is a turn in my journey to and with Him; a new phase or some kind of testing period.
I don't know what that will mean...I have a feeling I'm going to be growing, so I expect I'll be breaking, too, but I am so excited to know that He sees something in me that He can use, that is worthy of the time and effort of breaking and healing me. I feel so ready to fall into His arms; something I haven't felt in a long time.
One of the other speakers was Dr. Mintle. She is a counselor and talked about the great tools that psychology gives us. But she said something else that made God grab my heart...she said that she wants to use those tools to help people relieve their symptoms while they grow to a point of being able to let God heal them.
You see, the tools are not a cure...they are helpful and necessary, but only God forgives, and only God heals.
And, you see, this is SO exactly how I feel about pursuing an education in psychology...there would be no point if it were just to put out fires in people's lives...I've done that enough to know that the fires always re-ignite. I want them to be free of the pain and bondage that these hurts cause. In my ministry, I grow to love the people who come; I get to know them and share in their lives and God shows me (when I'm looking) a little bit of what is so special about them. And then I care, and I want to see them free. It can be so hard to see them struggling in the muck and mire of their wounds when I know He can heal them and wants to heal them.
So I wonder if this new 'phase,' or the new lessons in my life will be related to this. I just don't know, yet. But the truly amazing thing is, I just don't care. Whatever God has planned, where-ever He is taking me, is going to be a fabulous place, I'm sure.
One thing she mentioned is that, at 45 she has experienced enough of life and of God that she can ask Him to break her heart. Only through the pain of a broken heart can God heal our hurts and make us strong. Only then can He be miraculous to us. She wrote a song about it and as I listened and sang along, I felt God speaking to my soul, telling me that today is a turn in my journey to and with Him; a new phase or some kind of testing period.
I don't know what that will mean...I have a feeling I'm going to be growing, so I expect I'll be breaking, too, but I am so excited to know that He sees something in me that He can use, that is worthy of the time and effort of breaking and healing me. I feel so ready to fall into His arms; something I haven't felt in a long time.
One of the other speakers was Dr. Mintle. She is a counselor and talked about the great tools that psychology gives us. But she said something else that made God grab my heart...she said that she wants to use those tools to help people relieve their symptoms while they grow to a point of being able to let God heal them.
You see, the tools are not a cure...they are helpful and necessary, but only God forgives, and only God heals.
And, you see, this is SO exactly how I feel about pursuing an education in psychology...there would be no point if it were just to put out fires in people's lives...I've done that enough to know that the fires always re-ignite. I want them to be free of the pain and bondage that these hurts cause. In my ministry, I grow to love the people who come; I get to know them and share in their lives and God shows me (when I'm looking) a little bit of what is so special about them. And then I care, and I want to see them free. It can be so hard to see them struggling in the muck and mire of their wounds when I know He can heal them and wants to heal them.
So I wonder if this new 'phase,' or the new lessons in my life will be related to this. I just don't know, yet. But the truly amazing thing is, I just don't care. Whatever God has planned, where-ever He is taking me, is going to be a fabulous place, I'm sure.
