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Brenda Bradford Ottinger

Encouraging Women to Live Rooted in the Sacred

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1971 Heart Street

Petite, wide-eyed, spirited – she’s made herself at home, this little girl. Hers is a spacious apartment, filled with floor to ceiling windows. This shy little one lives deep within the real estate of my heart. I sometimes wonder if her apartment is bigger than my own. Truth is, she’s held a lease here much longer than I have. Many seasons of my life have come and gone over the years, and she’s welcomed them all. She’s a constant among these halls.

She’s not intrusive or demanding; she’s but a child, with a lifetime of space to fill. Her windows are her dreams. Some of these dreams she can easily discern; looking out on a clear day, she’s able to sharply see a husband, children – a family of her very own. She smiles when she considers the many dreams-come-true she’s been privy to, over the years. Some dreams, though, are hard to visualize…does she dare believe that they can be hers?

No one ever told this young lady she was worthy. No one ever made her feel safe, cherished, validated. I sometimes catch sight of her shuffling through the dark halls as if she’s waiting – aching for something. A familiar heaviness fills the darkness…this pint-sized breath of innocence wants nothing more than to know she is a treasure to the ones who gave her life.

Even though her sweet, ponytailed self takes up a lot of space, I’ve grown to appreciate the unexpected source of wisdom she is to her forty-something year old roommate. She’s etched herself on the woman I am in ways I couldn’t have realized, had she not been sharing the walls of my heart. She’s taught me compassion. She’s trained me to notice pain in the eyes of those around me. She reminds me that, beneath the surface, everybody has a story…everyone longs to be nurtured and valued.

As the years progress, and we become more familiar with one another, I’m finding that I’m able to teach her a few things, from time to time, as well. Nowadays, she’s open to reminders that there is One to whom she’ll always be a treasure. One who believes she can dream big dreams, because He is the strength behind her. One who finds her of great worth. She knows this One. He stole her heart at eight years old, and has yet to abandon her.

In baby-step fashion, she’s coming to realize that earthly kinship can merely pacify. The only One who is able to wholly satisfy the craving of her heart…He has adored her, with an everlasting love, since the daybreak of time.

We’ve shared a lot across the years, this little girl and I. There was a time when I wondered if she’d ever move out—a time when she challenged me in ways that felt burdensome. But, now…now, I hope she’ll linger; we make a good team, it seems. Plus, it’s not very easy to find good roommates. I think I’ll pop in, with some cake, for a visit—just so happens…we both love cake.

“Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” (Psalm 27:10, NIV)  flower

 

(This article was originally written for Faithwriters on October 9, 2014.  To view this article as it originally appeared, please visit: Autobiographical Challenge.)

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Every-which-way I turn, I sense it: Heartache. Su Every-which-way I turn,  I sense it:
Heartache. Suffering. Pain. Sorrow.
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My compassion can barely stand itself.
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A tide of trouble beats against the shores of my heart, begging a prayer or two or ten.
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Compassion can sometimes feel like more than a heart was made to hold.
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We long for life and health and peace for our families, our communities, our world…ourselves.
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Flipping through my Bible this morning; my eyes catching on years of faded ink underlining generations of ancient truths,
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Verse upon verse…underscored reminders of the tender nature of God,
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Sacred pages alive with precedent,
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Revealing a heart beating wildly with compassion for a world in pain.
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Oh, to step in the shadow of the Savior,
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Who chose to feel compassion’s ache, instead of looking away.
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More than ever I recognize that it’s the Christ in us that swells compassion upon a hurting world.
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These are the glory days of hope. 🙌
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For we have this confidence: There will be another day—when pain will not exist. 🙌
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Thank you, Lord, that our hope is not misplaced in You. 💗
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Dear friend, life can be overwhelming at times, AmIRight?!
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Praying today that your soul may find rest & peace in the gentle heart of God who never leaves us alone. 💕
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Many a time in life I’ve felt I was standing at Many a time in life I’ve felt I was standing at the edge of a sea, hemmed in by its boundary, unable to discern a path forward.
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If this feels familiar, friend, I have the sweetest of news…
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God has not misplaced His plan for your life.
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Our great God is not bound by limitation. His roads can cross right through our seas, on pathways no one knew were there! 🙌
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Oh friend, may you rest quietly before your God at the water’s edge, trusting Him to bring you to a place of abundance.
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The mighty waters of your circumstances are no match for His power, His heart, His purpose.
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You’re not alone, for He goes before you, ordering unique pathways along His timeline—all for you, my friend.
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Set your every hope into the tender palm of God and walk in freedom, for He is able. 💕
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#uncertainty #godwillmakeaway #godisable #waitongod #trust #faith #rest #believe #powerofgod #hope #abundance #confusion #weary #circumstances #godstiming #nextrightstep #encouragement #ministry #influence #serve #amwriting #christianwriter #godcares #purpose #plans #seek #god #freedom #peace #faithfulgod
Friend, no matter what you’ve been through…hea Friend, no matter what you’ve been through…healing isn’t hopeless.
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So often it can feel easier to tamp hurt upon hurt deep into our spirits, than to do a new thing.
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But, friend, our God is a God of fresh beginnings who makes pathways through the wilderness and steams in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19)
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You don’t walk alone, for His kindness and faithfulness walk with you through it all.
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This book _Good Boundaries and Goodbyes_ by @lysaterkeurst is a beautifully honest resource for learning to understand & create healthy, Godly boundaries in our lives.
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If you’re looking for a good resource to begin forming healthy boundaries, or are looking for help to understand others’ healthy boundaries, this book is a great place to start.
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I have an extra copy I’d love to give away. Leave me a comment on Instagram if you’d like to be entered to win.
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Also, OBS (Online Bible Study) is beginning a free online community study of this book January 23rd. If you’d like to sign up, head over to proverbs31.org.
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May this be a stream in your desert, dear friend, the dawn of a beautiful new thing God’s set apart for you. 💕
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About 5-6 years ago I started doing this thing tha About 5-6 years ago I started doing this thing that, at the time, didn’t feel like anything radical or life-changing.
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I simply started trying to stop eating around 7pm, and not start eating again until 11am.
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At the time, I’d never even heard the term “intermittent fasting;” I was just trying this new-to-me thing to help with weight management.
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Over time, I learned that what I was doing was called intermittent fasting, and that it has health benefits well beyond the weight management realm.
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(Search the word “autophagy” if you’re interested in learning more about that.)
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I’m not gonna lie, back when I started, 7pm to 11am was hard! It took some time, and I didn’t always do it “perfectly.”
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These days, I typically go from 6-7pm to 1-2pm. My body has adapted and most days it’s very easy. Often, I’d fast longer except that I take supplements that keep me awake at night if I take them too late in the day.
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Yes, I came to intermittent fasting for the weight loss. (30 pounds has long been gone.) But, I stay because I’ve never felt better. Allowing my body the restorative time each day has been a game-changer for me.
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For a few weeks now, I’ve been feeling like I’m supposed to share this…like someone needs to hear it.
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If that’s you, friend, I want you to know that it’s not as hard as it seems. Start as slowly as you need to. Add another hour or 30 minutes, or even 15 minutes per week until your body adapts.
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There’s no right or wrong. There are no bad days. It’s a lifestyle of freedom. You can switch it all up when you need to or want to for social reasons. It’s easier than it seems.
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I’m no doctor. I’m not medically advising. I’m just a girl who has always longed to make a difference, so I share in hopes of helping.
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No matter what your goals are this year, whether they’re health or relational or work related, it’s okay to go slow. It’s okay to get off track by January 10th and start over again.
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All is progress, my friend. Baby steps count. 💕
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