Dismissed To Determined

  
Behind the Smile: In Search For My Daddy!
(Dear daddies, sons and daughters need you. They need your presence and love.)

A daddy sets the tone for other relationships in his daughter’s life, he is her first role model, and he should be the first man to tell her- I LOVE YOU!  
I didn’t know my daddy as a little girl, but at some point I met my dad- and he often welcomed me with the words of “You are going to be a dumb broad just like your mom!” WOW! Here’s how those words affected me.

Those words became permanently etched in my brain and subconsciously, I almost accepted them as truth. So, I spent most of my life proving to other people that I was not dumb, and that in fact I was quite smart (and so was my mom- she was brilliant). I spent years fighting to: be cream of the crop, a leader, head of the class, easy on the eye…I kept on fighting. What did most of you see? You saw my smile.  

In turn, I became addicted to the approval of others. I became addicted to the art of perfection. I became addicted to older men. I became addicted to money. I became addicted to emotionally uninterested and unattainable men. I became emotionally unavailable. I became unattached. I became distant. I became very critical. I became lonely. I became cold. I became a hard friend. I become no one’s friend. And then I abandoned others –why? Because over and over he abandoned me. He abandoned me with his words and with his actions. 

All of my life, I was searching for my daddy’s love and I was expecting it to show up in other people. Well it didn’t. I discovered that it was necessary for me to try something else. That’s when I started seeking the FATHER’s face and my heart began to heal. The more and more I developed a relationship with GOD I was given an example of how to express unconditional love. I went from feeling Dismissed to being Determined, feeling Devalued to being Devoted, Feeling Dissatisfied to being Disciplined.
This is why I Smile.

       ~Lereca Monik 

#11AMSmile #LearningToLoveYourself #anewme #anewyou#lerecasmiles #itstimeforachange #liverestored# maven2016 #youreign

Set Apart

  
I entered the local Feed Store to get food for my pets when I heard all this “chirp chirp” noise in the middle aisles of the building. I got so excited thinking it’s almost spring time and that means new chicks and ducklings are for sale. 

I quickly got what I needed and headed over to the glorious sound of the baby chicks. 

Immediately, I noticed one chick all by itself and separated from the others in a huge container. I asked the feed store worker why she was all alone. He said she must have hurt her foot on the move to the feed store. My heart sank as I looked closely at her back right leg dragging behind her as she attempted to move forward. I thought immediately: I have to pray for a miracle for her leg and foot to stand up right and have no more pain!! 

So I did!! 

Some things are not to be shared with everyone to hear out loud. I prayed in my head with intense focus, looking at her back leg! Right after I prayed I watched to see if the little yellow chick jumped up and started running around flapping its tiny wings in a happy healing dance. 

No such luck. She was exactly the same dragging her leg behind her looking lonelier than ever. My next step was to ask to pick her up and seal the deal. 

Just then I hear this lady who was across from the chick pens say, “I will take that hurt chick over there!”. I interrupted her and the attendant, asking, “What are you going to do with her she has a hurt foot?”. “Oh, she will be fine. I will take care of her.” The lady smiled saying, “She will be raised to lay eggs and maybe I will sell her to lay eggs for someone else.”

I wanted to go hug her. But I stopped myself. I have to go back there every month to get food for my animals. 
“Yeah!!! You are her answer to prayer. I just prayed God would take care of her and now you are taking care of her!!” I shouted back to her!! I didn’t mention my inner chick prayer that included a miraculous healed leg with a spontaneous jump for joy flap. 

I drove home and thanked God that He sent this lady to help take care of the hurt chick. I immediately started thinking how this lady would not have even noticed this chick if it wasn’t separated and struggling with a hurt leg. 
Because the chick was “set apart”, she was chosen by the lady specifically to help the chick heal and be given extra care and love. 

I felt God speaking to my heart. 

He whispered to me. 
Kelley, when you think you are all alone and hurting separated all by yourself. 

You are not. I am actually drawing you closer to Me. I don’t make bad things happen. I am immediately there when the trials come. I will pick you up and care for you. Feed you and help you get back on your feet. 

Sometimes miracles can happen suddenly and sometimes they are a perfected process happening in my safe hands of love and attention. 

We are set apart at times so that we can easily be seen by others to help and God in the process of healing. We are strategically identified as one who needs a little extra TLC by our loving Creator and those who are called by Him to be His helpers. 

We are stronger together!

Set apart, 

Kelley Allison

http://www.bowlofsplendor.com