Hello everyone! I wanted to share two old blogs sites with you that I no longer use.
https://bride2be2011.wordpress.com
https://ebillingsley35.wordpress.com
The first blog (bride2be2011) was written mostly before I married Jeff. For two future blogs on this site, I will expand on two topics from this blog as their subject matter is still applicable today.
The 2nd blog site has topics that were written primarly after I was married from 2011 through 2013. I have used some of the blogs from the 2nd blog site as background material to write new blogs for this site. I feel I have successfully and truthfully built upon those initial background writings this year and of course the subject matter was very applicable.
Why is this important you ask? I want you to see where I was then and where I am now.
There were many times in those early blogs, particularly before I married Jeff, that I was trying to make something not so good into something good (particularly bride2be2011 blogs). I was making excuses for bad behavior. I was trying to find the silver lining and stay grounded and sane at the same time. I used alot of "Christian-ease" instead of being honest. I was fake, let's face it. I was fake in front of people, and fake behind the computer screen both before and after our marriage.
I have been thinking about this alot the past few days. Sometimes it makes me mad that I let certain things happen to me in that marriage and before (yes I said "let" because as an adult that is what it was). However, I know that God loves me and He redeems all things if we give them to Him. I will choose not to focus on what I could have done differently but on what I can do now to help others and continue to move forward.
My hope is that you will find these old blogs helpful (as well as my new material) if you are going through the same thing. For future blogs on this site, I will take some of the bride2be2011 topics, unpack them if you will, and tell you what was really going on behind the scenes- what I was masking with "Christian-ease." I implore you to be honest about what is happening in your life. You have no idea how much freedom there is in just being honest. I have found that freedom and you can too! And remember, God can redeem the time and the sorrow as He has done for me.
The Lord says in Joel 2:25; "I will make up to you the years that the locust has eaten…” The locusts are the time, people, circumstances and things that have tried to destroy you. God can make all of that new again.
Revelation 21:5; Then He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"
He has and continues to for me and He can for you too.
Always amazed by Him,
Elizabeth
**If you want to know more of my story, please see my book The Road Less Traveled: A Story of Love, Hope, Pain and Everything In Between. You can find it on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Audible.com and Kobo.com and the Kobo app.