Hills and Valleys

I have been sitting on this blog for awhile. I was hesitant to share for many reasons ... judgement, shame, and second guessing myself.  However, today I heard a sermon from my church, Lifepoint Church of Fredericksburg. The pastor said, "The enemy can keep you broken as long as he keeps you silent." It is in the isolation and the silence that our shame is all too real.  But you know what, Jesus didn't die for me to live ashamed. He didn't rise again to let hope die. We were made to be real so we can be fully alive in Jesus. There is a song by I AM THEY that every time it comes on the radio, I just worship. The song is called "Scars." I worship because I know how true that song is in my life. I worship because I understand and feel God's goodness. But then ... I get out of my car; and shame returns. I say shame because only shame makes us hide. Fear may drive us to hide but shame keeps us there. The chorus of the song say...