Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It’s all a lie.

You are not smart enough.

You will never be good enough.

You are a failure.

Nobody likes you.

You don’t matter.

You can’t win.

You don’t know how to do anything right.

You can’t do it.

It’s all a lie.

It’s all a lie that our enemy loves to scream at us when we are the most vulnerable. 

Things happen in life that make us feel like we are useless.  We run across others who say and do things that affect the way we see ourselves.    Its words that cut deeply into our soul and we are wounded.   Our life choices reflect what we believe about ourselves.  Sometimes our choices are wise and other times our choices create more damage.  We all have a story with challenges that we had to overcome and still are overcoming.

This is my story.

School was traumatic for me as a child.  I cried myself to sleep at night exhausted from fighting with bullies.

I wanted to run from the yellow school bus that came to pick me up and drop me off each day.  My peers wouldn’t let me sit.  Several times I was pushed out of my seat and laughed at.   Kids called me everything else but my name.   I preferred walking home from school with a friend.  But there were times a bully would follow me and threaten to hurt me or throw rocks at me.

I was never picked to be on a team in gym and when the teacher chose a team for me the kids booed.  I dreaded recess because a few kids would tease me.  Therefore I spent most of the time by myself and the few friends I had were very bossy.

Most of the time I wanted to hide under my desk.  I didn’t like participating in class discussions and I remember my face turning red whenever I was put on the spot.  It was discouraging to get the answer wrong and be laughed at.

Someone told me that my brain wasn’t working very well.  I worried that I was brain damaged.      Lie

 I felt like some little creature was playing tricks on me when I would take a test.  I would re-read the question over and over.  The darn question kept on changing and finding the correct answer was so confusing.

Why was I the one who was picked on?  Was it because I was taller than the others?  Maybe it was my nose.  Or was it the braces?    Or was it because I struggled with dyslexia and other learning challenges.

I will never forget the judgmental stares from my classmates as I left my classroom in shame every day to go to a special education room to meet with my teacher one on one.

I continued special education classes though middle school and the problem with bullies got worse.

When I was a sophomore I struggled with an eating disorder and the thoughts of suicide haunted me.  Life was confusing for me.   I was depressed.  I had sad moments of feeling hopeless.

I found hope in God’s word.

God put youth pastors in my life that helped me find myself through the Bible.

One of the scriptures that speaks the most to my story comes from Romans 8:28

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

With God on my side I faced my giants.  I faced the giants that wanted to destroy me.  I believed that my life mattered.  God created me and I have purpose. 

When I was a senior in high school I discovered what I wanted to do with my life.  I had the opportunity to go to a tech school and learn to be an assistant teacher in Early Childhood Education.  Good Teachers helped me find my passion.  My mom showed me that I could volunteer in children’s ministry and help Preschool teachers.   Families liked me and invited me to babysit.   I was starting to see that I can make a difference in this world.

I went on to college to become a certified teacher in Early Childhood.  During my third year of college I decided to get my BS in Social Work and I graduated in 1994.

I worked as a Preschool Teacher, Counselor, Mentor, and Nanny. 

My life mission is to help others see that they matter and that they do have what it takes.

I took hope to detention centers, group homes, residential treatment facilities, child cares, inner city kids, and kids in rich neighborhoods.  I wrapped my arms around them and told them, “I believe in you and you have what it takes.”

Now at age 50 I’m a Mom of a seven year old and five year old.  We are a homeschooling family and every day I tell them,

“You have what it takes.   You can do this.  I know it’s hard but you are smart.  I’m proud of you.”

^“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Today I can testify that life as a kid was hard.  But all along God had a plan.  Because of my past.  I’m willing to walk with God to the dark side of life and rescue hurting souls.  My heart has always been for kids and now I’m drawn by the love, mercy and grace of God to care for women.

At this very moment Angel Buff and I are working on a blogging series.   We are collecting inspirational stories about how our Lord Jesus Christ has helped His people overcome.

If you would like to share your story please leave a comment and email me at lisadesign@comcast.net.   for more information.

Please share this blog announcement with others on social media.  Facebook and Pinterest  are the best.

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us,who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns?No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:31-39  (NIV)