Redeem: To recover ownership of. To turn in and receive something in exchange. To fulfill. To set free; rescue or ransom. To save from a state of sinfulness and its consequences. To make up for. To restore the honor, worth, or reputation of.
Variations: redeemed,redeeming,redeems.
Redeemed, what an awesome word huh? I have come to just love that word. Maybe I associate it with my favorite book “Redeeming Love”, by Francine Rivers; I am not sure why I love the word.
God has also given me a new favorite word, Restored. I am thrilled to see Restore is listed in the definition of Redeemed.
I am a word person. I love quotes, I love scripture, I love great books, and I love rhymes and silly songs.
I think so many people have such great things to say. I had an awesome walk this morning with a dear friend and the words she shared have just resonated with me all day. She promises to blog soon about our conversation.
I would not have considered myself a writer. Although, my twin Sister Melissa would beg to differ I think. I was a reader and a writer as a child. I would write poetry, stories, letters, and songs. She did not always enjoy my musical songwriting abilities and to this day that has become a subject of great laughs.
Fast forward all these years and God has stirred up that love I had as a child in writing words and sharing stories. I also credit Wendy Walters, an amazing writer and speaker that I saw earlier this year at my ordination that stirred something in me. I am not a great writer, by far. Thank You God for spell check and edit buttons.
My twin sister was the spelling bee champion. It was not one of my strong suites and only time I won, she threw the competition. I did not win until after I was busted for what the teacher thought was cheating, but was actually a lucky 8 ball I had behind my back that my sister said would bring me good luck.
Oh’ that is another one of those stories we can laugh for hours over.
I am not a terrible speller, but I do occasionally make the horrible mistake of your for you’re and I rely on spell check much more as I am getting up in years. I find it very funny and a little sad for those people that post their distaste for that spelling mistake on Facebook.
Sometimes Siri spells it that way to our defense, and sometimes I just type too fast and really don’t care if it is spelled correct or not, most know what I was trying to convey and if that is a friendship deal breaker then I give permission to give me the ole Gift of Goodbye friend. Life is too short and precious to get hung up on I O’s ‘ & E’s.
I know I drive people crazy and myself most days because I am a run on sentence kind of girl and sometimes I can go around the bush too long and I can get lost in a circle trying to remember what I was trying to say in the first place. See I just did it right there, and got side tracked!
None the less, all that to say, I love the word Redeemed.
Recently God has been speaking to me and blessing me with “Redeemed Dates”. I had a situation just a few weeks ago where a date that had brought me so much pain and sadness for the last 22 years was instantly transformed into a date of excitement, happiness, and anticipation of great things. As I reflected and was shocked about the date significance, the tears, now happy tears welled up in my eyes, I started saying Thank You over and over to God for such an awesome redemption of dates and emotions for me.
A few days later, I read a friend’s Facebook post where a date was redeemed for her too. Her mother had died and she always mourned the date and was affected sadly by it, but now, several years later, God gave her an amazing and beautiful granddaughter born on that date that now that date was redeemed and she will have happy memories on that date from now on.
I saw another friend today put a post on the sadness over the loss of her son 28 years ago and was on the same date that she recently also lost a friend to cancer. She has tied that date with those terrible losses. My heart broke for her and I began praying for her.
I remember I did that too when my brother died and then two years later when my dad died. I hated those dates. I would try to forget them, but subconsciously the dates would just creep up and make me miserable and sad.
I heard Dr. Phil once say that we need to not celebrate dates of death. Our loved ones had so much more to them then the date of their deaths. I decided then not to put so much stock into the end date and celebrate each day and the memories of those I love.
God and His word have helped me tremendously. And just for extra blessing on a really tough date, He recently redeemed that date for me so I know it can get better.
I love this beautiful promise; Forget what happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago. I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don’t you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land. ~ Isaiah 43:18-19.
Oh this is one of my faves! This is one of those verses I add to my prayers. God is the way maker, when I need a way in the desert or a river in dry lands I call on Him. You can too.
And this promise; Therefore be very careful how you live and act. Let it not be as unwise men, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ~Ephesians 5:15-16.
We all know the days can be evil, and God is the redeemer of time, and dates! Spend your days doing something that brings you and others joy. Don’t live and act unwise. Unwise is being held in bondage to depression over a date.
Remember to count the blessings, not the troubles.
And this promise; I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” ~ Isaiah 44:22
Return to Him, He is the Only one that can redeem you and sweep offenses and sins away too!
And finally this promise; The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever: forsake not the works thy own hands. ~Psalm 138:8
God wants to perfect and restore and redeem not only our lives and what concerneth us but our dates too. Life is too short and precious to hold onto the sadness of our past or celebrate the dates of our losses.
I challenge you, whatever date is haunting you, Vow right now that you will do something different this year on that date. Decide to make new memories to fill those dates.
I pray God will bring you many redeemed dates and restored lives!
XXOO Peace & Blessings,
Michelle Bollom
Archive from 7/2014
This was written originally in 2014 – I now have 13 books published! Wow!)
Restored People Community 