Monday's Manna from Castro's Corner @ Chicklit Power

Monday’s Manna from Castro’s Corner @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power…

Happy Monday Manna,
If you didn’t have a chance to join us last week, we touched on the importance of anchoring ourselves onto Jesus Christ and tossing out that old, tattered life preserver as we ride out the storms of life. Our comfort doesn’t lie within conventional wisdom that the world offers; instead our peace lies within the promises offered by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As of this afternoon, Duke, my three-week old nephew, is doing great! Although he’s still at Loma Linda’s NICU, his G-tube placement surgery has gone well and he’s continuing to gain weight. God truly does answer prayers, especially those supplications from a mother who cries unto God for the life of her child. Just as Hannah promised to give her child (Samuel) to the Lord, we as believers do the same because we know that He has the ability to provide for our every need.
I know that my mother has said a prayer or two for my brother and me, especially throughout our rebellious years. I believe that she continues to pray for us and I know that He has answered those prayers. The prayers of a mother receive special expedited follow-up.
In the first chapter of 1 Samuel, the Bible speaks of Hanna’s supplication before God. Her prayer is so passionate that she literally weeps in anguish within the presence of the Lord. God heard her prayer and felt her anguish. He blessed Hannah with little Samuel, who would become a prophet and a judge to the nation of Israel.
It’s easy for us to underestimate the power of prayer. We know that God hears our prayers, but sometimes we become so overwhelmed by the complexity of our circumstances that we often lose touch of who He really is. God’s spirit moves most noticeably through situations of hopelessness and all that He requires from us is a minimal amount of mustard seed faith. Give him an inch; He’ll take you miles! That’s all He needs.
For all you mothers, continue to pray for your children and ask God to provide you with the peace needed to cope with situations that are fully and completely in his control. Whether praying for your child’s healing, your child’s liberation from an addiction, or even just asking God to redirect them in their walk, He will hear your prayers and He will move.
Have a blessed week and continue to offer those supplications before the Lord. God Bless!
,
In His Love,

Garrett Castro

Nana Holds from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Powe

Thanks so much for joining me for a little coffee break today and more of Nana Holds. Grab your coffee and come on in. It’s Christmas time at the Lepins’!

Ah, Christmastime, so different this year with a little one in the house. I am giggling inside as I remember me being the early one up instead of Bryden. I couldn’t wait to see his little face when he saw the presents under the Christmas tree. George and I waited, and waited, and waited. But we made good use of the waiting time, sharing gifts we had for each other, until finally, he was awake.

His daddy brought him downstairs and his big brown eyes got bigger. Oh, the excitement of a child that causes him or her to do things without any sort of inhibition. So refreshing and one of the most precious gifts for me to just watch, observe, from the outside in. If I could describe it in words, I guess I’d have to say it’s like watching a beautiful picture come to life, a whole new perspective on being a child, getting to be a child.

What a gift and as long as I am one of his guardians, I will guard that privilege with all my might, to allow him to be that child as long as he possibly can without the world and all its harshness crushing his little spirit. Oops, I’m jumping ahead to where I am now in my heart but back then, I was simply in a state of marveling his childlike spirit, almost as if in awe but not really able to comprehend all that I am able to now that more of the pieces of the puzzle have been added to this true story.

Christmas joy

As we watched his enthusiasm spark over the smallest of gifts, like a pair of Angry Bird pajamas, a beautiful truth came to light: it wasn’t so much the gift itself as it was the gifting. He was so excited to be receiving the gift, and all the

oh, the joy of a child!

unconditional attention. I remember thinking before Christmas how much my whole perception about Christmas and gifts had changed over the years. I used to think that I had to get my son something really big, super special, and I each year I would try to outdo myself. That gets so stinking exhausting. When George and I shopped for Bryden, we didn’t agonize over the fact that we didn’t buy him some special gift from “Santa,” some toy that he didn’t need. We kept it simple and we couldn’t wait to see his reaction to the gifts we had chosen.

There is such beauty in simplicity and Bryden reiterated that truth for me then and continues to do so now.

Join me tomorrow for more of Nana Holds.

Evinda

Nana Holds from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Thanks so much for returning for more of Nana Holds. Thanks to a couple of you, I had a major breakthrough regarding yesterday’s post and I need to share it with you. I had no idea until then how a certain issue in this series was coming across and since He’s the giver of the gift of my writing, I will continue to be transparent with you in this transformation process! I so understand the propensity to keep the junk in the trunk but breaking free is a process and my hope and prayer is that what He gives me to write will encourage others in their process of breaking free, not discourage them! Grab your coffee and come on in. 

So I received some more accountability from some dear friends and I’m thankful beyond words to have them kicking my butt with a heart on their toes! My breakthrough has to do with the “bio mom” references, and someone said, I know you don’t mean to be hurtful and maybe you call her that because that’s what you called your mom for all those years, but it’s hurtful. And, no matter what, she’s Bryden’s mom.

OMG, what a revelation! That’s exactly it and I’ve been comparing her or equating her to my own biological mom who up to the last weeks of her life wasn’t a mom to me, and maybe that’s why I came across so strong! Maybe that’s why I sound more harsh than I meant to!  Yikes! Please forgive me and know, each and every one of you who read this, that I NEVER, EVER, stop praying for her and I am continually hanging out with hope, hope for her to have a brighter future and to become the mom that God created her to be and for her and Bryden to have an amazing relationship. That truly has been and continues to be my heart’s desire.

This accountability check is really beating in my heart and I need to be careful about the “ugly” picture I am painting of her with my words. That’s not my intent and I of all people understand that we do have to see the ugly to appreciate the beauty redemption brings and I will continue to share the truths of this story more sensitively. The blessed hope that we can all bask in is God is not done with her story, Bryden’s MOM’s story, and He’s not done with my story within her story! In fact, as I’ve said before, I am not the same person I was in the beginning of this story but I am being transformed because of her story! So, that being said, let’s continue with where we left off!

We left off with the beginning of new beginnings for Bryce, Jene’ and Bryden.

Sundays have become full days, and the depth that Bryce’s new girlfriend brings to the picture is unmistakable divinely added. Watching her interact with Bryden the first couple of times was like rewinding my own beginning with him. She was definitely a bit fearful and uncertain, but a lot more eager than I was. Her trepidation began to lessen with each passing Sunday.

Now looking at it from Bryden’s perspective, I want to say he sort of took to her right away, and yet, children are so

oh, to b inside that little mind!

intuitive! He was somewhat cautious in his beginning interactions as well. In addition to not being sure about her in the beginning was his struggle to vie for daddy’s attention. From the outside looking in, I recognized that right away and was able to share that with both Bryce and Jene’.

There really wasn’t a competition, though, especially considering Jene’ was very respectful of their relationship from the beginning. The first few weeks, she quietly observed and stood in the background.

I giggle as I remember their beginning. She’s such a girl. She hates to get dirty and here we all were running in the muddy grass, chasing Bryden and/or the ball or Frisbee or hiding up in the bushes playing hide-n-seek, and there was Jene’, either standing not too far off, or sitting on the picnic bench, a smile spilling onto her face as she watched us become like little children with Bryden.

By the third or fourth week, she was joining in with our fun and had even worn tennis shoes that she could get dirty! I

Father & Son

swear, they looked brand-new but she swore they were old! If I had to put words to what those first six to eight weeks were, I’d have to say that they were a time of building their friendship, getting reacquainted on more solid ground with the people that they each were becoming, new creatures in Christ. And although we all were thinking about their potential, and the gift of second chances, what we weren’t openly expressing, nor were they, was the direction that friendship was going, on to something deeper, long-lasting and life-changing.

Join me Thursday for more.

Evinda

Nana Holds from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Thanks so much for joining me today. I was going to put this series on hold, but a couple of signals have urged me forward. Besides, I think I like the idea of savoring the memories created in Cabo by reliving them with you next week! Grab your coffee and come on in.

So since I’ve introduced you to Jene’, I have received several pieces of what I will deem hate mail from what we now know to be one person. Whoever you are, I pray you continue to read this story of redemption, and that you will experience true redemption in your life.

Anyway, in the midst of the vile hatred and anger spewing out of this mail, I was able to pick out a couple of things that deserve an explanation. I’ve pondered and prayed about them and since I have no idea who reads this, let alone when they jump into the story, I now realize I need to explain some things a bit better. The first of which is the term “bio mom.” See, a long time ago, back somewhere in the beginning of this series, I explained that in order to protect her identity, I was going to just call her bio mom. God as my witness I wasn’t being sarcastic in any way by using that name, and only He knows the veracity and depth of my heart, which I try to share with all of you. I never have, nor will I ever, use this platform, or any other for that matter, to gossip and/or slander anyone’s reputation.

Someone said to me, “Why don’t you just call her “mom?” Well, I could, I guess, but this whole experience, as well as what I have endured in my childhood has taught me that being a mom, let alone being called a mom, is a privilege and though I don’t claim to know her heart, her actions have not warranted that privilege; and yet for the sake of healing, I’m going to now refer to her as Bry’s mother. I will never stop praying for her to come into relationship with our heavenly Father who is the only one who can take the pain from her choices and redeem it for something beautiful. For God sent his son to die for her as well, as he did for you and me.

I have to ask myself, “What if she were to read this series? Would she feel shame?” God knows that I so wouldn’t want that. She may have regrets, but that is beyond my control. What is possible for me is to promote healing. It’s no secret that I don’t get along with her; it’s also no secret that I’m trying to learn all that I can and allow Him to correct what is wrong within me, cut away all that needs to go. All the while, my prayer has been and continues to be that my transparency will lead others to truly invite Him into their own unpacking process.

It’s funny when I think about this whole writing journey, the changes that He has brought about through it all, the person I was in the beginning compared to what I am now and still to be. I remember when I was writing my first book thinking He was going to use my writing for the unbeliever! Wow, I can’t help but shake my head in awe at the reality of writing for the saints, to encourage them in the journey to a deeper, more honest relationship with Him. Yes, I know that’s why He has me writing from my heart to yours.

Join me tomorrow for more of Nana Holds

Evinda

Nana Holds-From Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Thanks for joining me for a little break at Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power. I know, especially during this time of year, taking a break is not always an easy thing to do! Grab your coffee and come on in.

Some things got a little easier going into the third week. For example, we were getting into some sort of a routine despite many arrows from others who unknowingly brought chaos to the structure and stability we were trying desperately to give little Bryden. But God is so good and He provided great support with friends, and especially with daycare. By this time, he had been with them for a little over six months and not only did he love his “Shuzanne,” as he calls her, and Donald, but he was totally attached to his two little playmates, their two children, and he almost always embraced going off to play for the day with them. Some mornings I would watch him walk to her car and marvel at just how tough God had created him and how well he was adapting.

And while there were a few cries for “daddy” that were answered with reminders that he was at a big job, the most important job of his life, there were many moments of giggles and playfulness. Unbeknownst to us, God was using this little guy to bring out the child in both of us, to get us to play again, laugh again despite the painful circumstance.

My heart smiles every time I rewind back to the early weeks and how He used Bryden to ease my husband’s sorrow. Watching them play always chased the sorrow away, pushed back all the questions of what-if, how, why, and every other question that threatened to steal those happy moments. Day by day, we were settling into our roles of Mama/Dada and praying for the day when we would be able to be Nana/Papa again, and yet, we were also realizing that in our new roles there would be opportunities to be both; that God would redeem all that the locusts had stolen.

And then a few weeks later, our Heavenly Father did just that when we found out that our son would be changing jobs and going to a new job that would allow for visitors!

Join me tomorrow for more moments and memories of this life-changing season and Nana Holds.

Evinda

Merry Christmas from Bryden and Nana!